Intel 955X Express chipset
Formerly codenamed "Glenwood", continues this practice, essentially providing the same features as the earlier 925X chipset, plus support for Pentium Extreme Edition processors.
Ever since the release of its 865 and 875 chipsets in 2003, Intel has segregated its Pentium 4 chipsets into performance and mainstream lines, the former using northbridges equipped with the best silicon and, consequently, lower memory access latencies than on the mainstream chipsets.
In a move that appears confirms the company's desire to differentiate its XE line of processors from their mainstream series processors, the 955X chipset continues this practice, its marginally superior performance being attributed to what is rather extravagantly referred to as Intel Memory Pipeline Technology (IMPT). A further differentiation of the 955X from the 945 chipsets is its lack of support for 533MHz system bus processors.
However, the 955X's principal difference from its mainstream sibling is rather more significant; it's Intel's first desktop chipset to break the 4GB memory barrier, capitalising on the removal of the 4GB limit facilitated by 64-bit edition of Windows XP by supporting up to 8GB of addressable main memory.
Intel 965 Express chipset
In June 2006, Intel launched its 965 Express chipset, the formerly codenamed Broadwater, developed for use with platforms which feature the its Intel Core 2 processors. Incorporating Intel Fast Memory Access and an updated Memory Controller Hub (MCH) backbone architecture, the new chipset significantly increases overall system performance through the optimisation of available bandwidth and reduction of memory access latency. This updated MCH with Intel Fast Memory Access also includes wider internal data buses that support dual-channel DDR2 memory technology at 800MHz (up to 12.8GBps of peak memory bandwidth) for greater platform performance and memory flexibility.
The Intel 965 Express chipset series comprises four models:
- P965: the P965 Express chipset is targeted at home users, with advancements in memory performance, system responsiveness, power efficiency and data protection.
- G965: the G965 includes Intel's most advanced integrated graphics module to date - the GMA X3000-series - and is intended for use in low noise Viiv-based systems.
- Q965: the Q965 is designed for business use, incorporating the integrated GMA 3000 graphics processor but also supporting the use of an add-in video card.
- Q963: the Q963 has many of the same features found on Q965, but lacks support for the installation of a discrete video card.
The Intel 965P chipset is represented diagrammatically below:
and its features identified in the following table:
| Feature |
Description |
| Supports Intel Viiv Technology |
Control the music, movies, games and photos you want to enjoy both from your personal entertainment collections and endless entertainment options from a wide range of Intel Viiv technology verified service providers delivered right to your living room. |
| 1066/800/533 MHz System Bus |
Supports Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Intel Pentium D processor, Intel Pentium 4 Processor with Hyper-Threading Technology (HT Technology) and all other Intel Pentium processors and Intel Celeron processors in the LGA775 socket, with scalability for future processor innovations. |
| PCI Express* x16 Interface |
Delivers greater than 3.5 times the bandwidth over the traditional AGP 8X interface and supports the latest high-performance graphics cards. |
| PCI Express* x1 Interface |
Offers up to 3.5 times the bandwidth over traditional PCI architecture, delivering faster access to peripheral devices and networking. |
| Intel Fast Memory Access |
Updated Graphics Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) backbone architecture that improves system performance by optimising the use of available memory bandwidth and reducing the latency of the memory accesses. |
| USB Port Disable |
Enables individual USB ports to be enabled or disabled as needed. This feature provides added protection of data by preventing malicious removal or insertion of data through USB ports. |
| Intel High Definition Audio (Intel HD Audio) |
Integrated audio support enables premium digital sound and delivers advanced features such as multiple audio streams and jack re-tasking. The Dolby PC Entertainment Experience is available exclusively on systems with an enabled Intel chipset and Intel High Definition Audio. |
| Intel Matrix Storage Technology |
With a 2nd hard drive added, provides quicker access to digital photo, video and data files with RAID 0, 5, and 10, and greater data protection against a hard disk drive failure with RAID 1, 5, and 10. Support for external SATA (eSATA) enabled the full SATA interface speed outside the chassis, up to 3Gbps. |
| Serial ATA (SATA) 3 Gbps |
High-speed storage interface supports faster transfer rate for improved data access. |
| Dual-channel DDR2 Memory Support |
Delivers up to 12.8GBps of bandwidth and 8 GB memory addressability for faster system responsiveness and support of 64-bit computing. |
| Intel Flex Memory Technology |
Gives users a more flexible memory upgrade option by allowing different memory sizes to be installed while maintaining dual-channel mode/performance. |
| Intel Quiet System Technology (Intel QST) |
Intelligent system fan speed control algorithms use operating temperature ranges more efficiently to reduce perceived system noise by minimising fan speed changes. |
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