Intel Is Readying Two New Chipsets for 2008

More details emerge on the web regarding the Intel G45 integrated graphics chipset. It seems that the G45 and the younger G43 will roll out on the market to replace the G35 and G33 integrated graphics processors that are currently available. Both chipsets are built around the 65-nanometer technology and feature an updated graphics core, the GMA4500, which provides three times the G33 performance.

The new chips are alleged to support DirectX 10 and Shader Model 4 and it seems that Intel is trying to align their video solutions to the video industry's heavy lifters. As a novelty, the chipset will be the first to offer built-in HDCP support over HDMI and DVI connections, as well as for the DisplayPort technology.

The G45 chipset will take care of all the HD content processing for MPEG2, VC1 and H.264, which will result in lower loads for the CPU. Unfortunately, the situation does not apply to the G43 line, that is also more limited in RAM addressing (it will be able to address a single DIMM per channel that should not exceed the 4GB size limitation). In contrast, the G45 chipset can address two DIMMs per channel and a maximum of 8GB. Rumor has it that the chipsets will both support DDR2 and DDR3, but it's up to the motherboard manufacturers to decide whether they will pick the former or the latter.

These two chipsets may be the last of their kind to integrate discrete graphics processors, since Intel stated that their next graphics processors will be directly integrated into the CPU, starting with the new Nehalem series - and this should impact both the power consumption and the speed.

The market is still open to competition, since AMD is supposed to replace the older 690G series sometime in February. With the advent of cheaper and cheaper PC Blu-ray drives, this should be a good start for High-Definition, Home-Theatre PCs.