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Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/1840
New NVIDIA MCPs for AMD and Intel
by Kristopher Kubicki on November 1, 2005 11:16 PM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
We just got word of NVIDIA's new AMD and Intel roadmaps. Following the Intel core logic moniker, NVIDIA will release a C51XE version of their original C51 chipset, although NVIDIA's roadmaps do not reveal any information about what this update might be other than a slightly different electrical interface for Socket M2. NVIDIA's roadmaps also extensively refer to the new MCP55. MCP55 s almost identical to MCP51, although we do know it has an additional gigabit PHY and 28 PCIe lanes. This still isn't enough to support x16 SLI without a CK804 or MCP51 acting as a southbridge, unfortunately, so MCP55 will still need to be paired with an MCP51 or CK804 in order to provide true dual x16 support.
Our initial roadmaps claimed MCP55 would show up right around Cebit 2006, which made sense considering we had also heard Socket M2 would launch then. However, these newest NVIDIA roadmaps claim that MCP55 won't show up on motherboards until late Q2'06; right in the June/July timeframe. Unless AMD is planning to launch Socket M2 on a VIA chipset exclusively for three months (I'll give you a hint, they won't) don't expect AMD DDR2 processors to launch at Cebit anymore. Low end C51PV and MCP51 chipsets will also launch right around the same timeframe specifically for Socket M2 Sempron.
On the Intel side of things, we also noted two new chipsets; C19XT (with MCP51) and C19 Ultra (also with MCP51). Right now all nForce4 Intel Edition chipsets use MCP04 or CK804 for the southbridge. By early next year, only the high end nForce4 SLI x16 will use C19 with CK804; the existing C19 + MCP04 combinations will be phased out. Again, NVIDIA's roadmaps don't claim any substantial differences between each chipset other than the fact that C19 Ultra will apparently lack the GeForce 6100 core.
NVIDIA has targeted the following prices for motherboards using the new chipsets:
NVIDIA Intel Core Logic Pricing |
||||
Product | Segment | Retail Price | ||
nForce4 SLI X16 | Enthusiast | > $160 | ||
nForce4 SLI | Performance | $100 | ||
nForce4 SLI XT | Mainstream | $90 | ||
nForce4 Ultra | Value | $79 |
At $79, Intel certainly will have a run for their money as Intel's cheapest dual-core ready motherboards run in the $110 range (if you ignore the very minimalist ECS alternative). nForce4 is obviously a very competitive chip for the Intel platform, but prohibitively expensive if you don't require SLI; a point we have brought up many times in our price guides. NVIDIA, it seems, has responded to our criticism quite adequately, with entry-level SLI boards planned for under $100.
The new MCP sounds interesting and gives some merit to the details we unveiled a couple days ago with "GeForce 6250" floating around inside the NVIDIA drivers.