Thread: Comparative testing of chipsets for Intel processors

When selecting a motherboard many of the readers based on their own knowledge, information from friends, from conferences and from our comparative tests. Typically, 10-15 include comparative testing fee that it is difficult to read. Therefore, we have decided to simplify the task of choosing the motherboard, and make reference for chipsets. In particular, today we look at the chipsets for the processor architecture Core.

We need to bear in mind that all cards are incompatible with the previous generation of new processors (albeit with LGA775 socket). In this situation, do not blame chipsets and not developers, but that charges were pending receipt of specifications developed by Core 2 Duo. Module feeding these cards may not allow Conroe processors (requires nutrition module that meets the specifications VRM 11). In this category fall many of the previous cards on the i975X chipsets and NVIDIA nForce4 SLI Intel Edition, as well as chipsets i915/925X, i945/i955X.

Well, so far there Boards to support Core 2 Duo based on the Intel 975X chipsets and P965, as well as NVIDIA nForce 570/590 SLI IE and nForce 650i/680i SLI. In addition, it should be noted that some manufacturers Boards fired on outdated i945P chipset series with the power supply module VRM11. But these charges focus exclusively on the budget sector of the market that is there, dominated by AMD Athlon 64 processors. However, shortly on the budgetary situation may dramatically change the market. Intel plans to release new processors with the Core architecture, which, presumably, will be named Pentium E2140 (1.6 GHz) and Pentium E2160 (1.8 GHz) priced $ 74 and $ 84, respectively. And, of course, these products poportyat blood AMD, and finally replace senior Intel NetBurst architecture processors.


Chipsets
So, in our review will outline chipsets Intel P965, 975X, as well as chipsets series nForce Intel Edition NVIDIA production. And what about the other chipsets, the reader asks? Yes, certain types i945P chipsets used for the production of motherboards for Core 2 Duo, but the market for such a decision extremely small. Regarding products SIS, VIA or AMD (ATI), then these cards in our laboratory not. For the same reason, do not include chipset nForce 680i LT SLI. However, we have included in the table i945P solely to showcase the evolution of the characteristics of chipsets.

Briefly recalling that the chipset - is a set of system logic, which usually consists of two chips: the north and south bridge. Northbridge includes memory controller (for AMD systems - not; memory controller is inside the Athlon 64 processor) and controller for PCI Express (prior to the onset of the tires - controller AGP) for the exchange of information with the video card. South Bridge is connected to a separate northern tyres (normally a PCI Express or Hypertransport) and includes all the basic functions of expansion. Thus, the motherboard manufacturers can combine various southern and northern bridges in its products, thereby achieving design flexibility and functionality, while saving money. In the case of odnochipovymi decisions chipsets (as can be seen from the title) consists of a single chip, which incorporates both the northern or southern bridge.

The next question - positioning chipset on the market. To cover the entire range of user systems, manufacturers offer a series chipset, consisting of several products. But, in fact, it looks very simple: developers create a single chipset, with the most powerful characteristics. And then beginning to curtail its ability to create different variations of functionality and price. Example: chipset NVIDIA 680i, which is released on the basis of an entire line of 6 xx. Another example: Intel ICH8R southern bridge, on the basis of which released ICH8, ICH8R, ICH8DH and ICH8DO.

Here, the main thing to understand that: when choosing the motherboard can be almost completely forget about the bridge south, and just look at the list of possibilities for the expansion. Motherboard Manufacturers can compensate individual "weak" places of southern bridge with additional controllers (Firewire, SATA / PATA RAID, various sound chips). But on the whole they could not be neglected. For example, the southern bridge ICH8R ParallelATA has no support. This means that you can not connect to the charge related hard drive, and what's worse - the CD / DVD drive (SerialATA Drives rarely found in stores, the cost is significantly higher ParallelATA analogues). Motherboard manufacturers compensate for this lack of installing an additional controller. As a result, support ParallelATA produced no "native" (that is not their mother), which could lead to conflicts of equipment.

Therefore, we will begin to describe chipsets, starting with the story of the northern bridges. The first issue - support for processors. Absolutely all motherboards for all of the chipsets (except i945P) supported modern architecture Intel Core processors. In the case of the i945P buyer must consult with the manager, but often, the price is within the sheets of support Core 2 Duo.

The second issue - supporting memory. First, it should be noted that there is no real difference in performance between memory DDR-II various frequencies. Therefore, in terms of conventional buyer, the choice of chipset for this criterion is unjustified. Significantly different: many different manufacturers of motherboards have a clearly defined list of supported memory from different manufacturers. And in the case of the most recent products of this is very important, because quite often the situation with a frank incompatibility with individual board memory modules.

And we come to the third and most important issue: support for PCI Express. All the chipsets support at least one full PCI Express x16 slot, which provides 16 lines of tires. And because chipsets support 20 or more lines, the remainder is divided among slot PCI Express x1 or x4. However, in recent years there was a tendency to install two (or more) video cards in one system, and the unification of their computing resources. These companies actively promote NVIDIA (SLI technology) and the AMD / ATI (Crossfire). The minimum requirement for the operation of one of these technologies is in the configuration for PCI Express on 16 +4 formula. But as a result, productivity suffers. She and so far from ideal: Depending on the optimization, increase the speed of the two graphics cards, on average, is equal to 50%. Therefore, the optimal formula for the distribution lines is 8 +8. And if the chipset supports 32 lines of PCI-E (and more), then the possible configuration of 16 +16, which achieved the highest productivity growth in 3D applications.

Configuration 16 +16 only supports chipsets: NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI and NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI IE. However, as we said at the outset, ASUS engineers have created a fee on the ligament and nForce 650i SLI nForce 570 SLI, which also supports two PCI-E slot on the 16 lines on each. Next - Configuration 8 +8 support the following chipsets: Intel 975X and nForce 650i SLI. And finally, the configuration of 16 +4 chipset supports Intel P965. However, chipset nForce 650i Ultra is also capable of dividing lines in this way, but on the practical experiments in this field we have not heard (as opposed to the cards on the Intel chipset).

And finally, the last of the account (but not least) Item: potential disperse. It directly depends on the capacity of northern bridge (design, technological process, stepping, etc.). Long time, the best results showed Intel chipsets. In particular, the charges on P965 chipset with a large stock overstepped mark FSB = 500 MHz, and the fees at 975X podobralis close to it. But with the exit NVIDIA 6xx series for the Intel situation somewhat smooth: Boards now in these chipsets are also able to cope with the level of 500 MHz.



We are talking about "building" disperse. That is, the producers issued a chipset product (with the same characteristics) to all manufacturers motherboards. Then they (producers) have their own "conjure" on the cards. As a result, we get that board on one chipset show different results disperse. Indeed, one manufacturer Boards differ in characteristics. Plate different audits or with different BIOS also show different dispersal. The situation complicates what the result of dispersal depends on the processor (and stepping specific instance), and from memory. It is therefore wrong to assume that if you bought any fee at P965 chipset, it must show the highest result in the dispersal.

Core 2 Duo processors operate at relatively low frequencies (frequency younger model E6300 = 1.86 GHz), a high frequency system bus - 266 MHz (1066 QPB). Multipliers Conroe processors and Allendale is in the range of 7 to 10. And, in view of the technological limit of 65 nm Core Duo 2 = 3.5 GHz frequency BFG working systems will be 400 to 500 MHz (E6300: 500 MHz x 7 = 3500MHz).

Regarding NVIDIA chipsets, it is much "kinder" to the user, in terms of support "outdated" standard ParallelATA. When Intel reduced the number of channels from two to one, NVIDIA chipsets supporting two channels. And when Intel completely renounced support of the protocol, the NVIDIA chipsets support remained one channel.

The other characteristics of chipsets, in fact, identical. Masthead NVIDIA chipsets, as well as the boards with Intel ICH8R supports 10 ports USB2.0 remaining chipsets - 8 ports. All chipsets supports embedded audio High Definition Audio. Here, we note that the company MSI motherboards on some sets full sound system based on chip Creative Audigy (products have recently announced chip Jr. Creative X-Fi).