Partners for Prescott: Part 2: Determining Which of Intel's New 9xx-Series Chipsets Is Right for You
- Introduction
- Intel 925X Express Chipset
- Intel 915P Express Chipset
- Intel 915G Express Chipset
- Future 9xx-Series Chipsets
- Comparing Current 9xx-Series Chipsets to their Predecessors
- Conclusion
- For Further Research
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Comparing Current 9xx-Series Chipsets to their Predecessors
Table 1 compares the major features of the 9xx-series chipsets with the 848, 865 and 875 chipset families. For more information about the 848P, see my article "New Pentium 4 Chipsets for the Business/Value User". For more information about the 865 and 875P chipsets, see my article "The Intel 865 Chipset Family".
Table 1 – 865/875/848 Chipsets Compared to the 9xx Chipsets
|
|
Chipsets |
|||||||
|
Feature |
848P |
865P |
865PE |
915P |
865G |
915G |
875P |
925X |
|
DDR400 (PC3200) support |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Dual-channel DDR memory |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Dual-channel DDR2 memory |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
800MHz FSB support |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Integrated Graphics |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
AGP 8x video support |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
PCI-Express x16 video support |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Number of ATA/IDE ports |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
Serial ATA with optional RAID 0,1 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Serial ATA with optional RAID 0, 1, 0+1 |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Number of Serial ATA ports |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
|
PCI-Express x1 support |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
USB 2.0 support |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Audio Support |
6-ch |
6-ch |
6-ch |
7.1 HDA |
6-ch |
7.1 HDA |
6-ch |
7.1 HDA |
|
Optional wireless networking |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Figure 1 compares the mainstream 915P chipset to the 865PE, the most advanced 865-series chipset.
)
Figure
1 The 915P offers more Serial ATA ports, support for dual-channel DDR or
DDR2 memory (sometimes on a single motherboard), and more SATA RAID and network
options than the 865PE.
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The only apparent shortcoming in the 9xx-series chipsets compared to their predecessors is the lack of Gigabit ethernet (GbE support). However, some third-party motherboard makers offer GbE support in certain models, and it's likely as time passes that Gigabit ethernet adapters using PCI-Express x1 slots will be introduced. Otherwise, the 9xx-series chipsets offer more advanced features than their predecessors in almost every way.
The Right 9xx-Series Chipset for You
If you want a system for mission-critical applications and want to be ready for the coming 64-bit Pentium 4 processors, go with the 925X chipset. Otherwise, choose the 915P chipset. In both cases, you need to move up to PCI-Express graphics immediately. If you're content with integrated graphics for now but want to move to PCI-Express graphics later and don't need error-correcting memory support or 64-bit extensions, the 915G chipset is your best option.
Power Supply Issues
If you're planning to use a motherboard based on these new chipsets and a matching Socket 775 processor as an upgrade to an existing system, be sure to check the power requirements for the motherboards you consider. Some motherboards use a 24-pin connector instead of the traditional ATX 20-pin connector. Adapters are available to convert a 20-pin power supply to work with a 24-pin motherboard, but be sure your power supply provides adequate power on +5V and +12V lines. See the manual for the motherboards you consider for details, and compare the requirements to the rated output of your system's current power supply.