X-bit labs

Intel Plans to Start Shipments of New Enthusiast Core-Logic in November.

Category: Chipsets

by Anton Shilov

[ 10/16/2007 | 09:04 AM ]

Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of central processing units (CPUs) has brought forward the release of its new core-logic aiming at high-performance computer enthusiasts to November. Unfortunately, the new core-logic has lost “officials” support for high-speed DDR3 memory, but gained price-point beyond typical expectations.

The world’s top maker of computer core-logic sets plans to start selling its highly-discussed Intel X48 chipset on the 4^th of November, a little less than a month after mainboard makers along with system builders unveiled their desktops based on the Intel X38 chipset. Despite of expectations, the new chipset will not mean end-of-life for its predecessor and they are projected to co-exist for at least one quarter with X38 available for $50 in business quantities, whereas the X48 will cost $70, considerably more than any of Intel’s chipsets oriented at “extreme” desktops in the last five years at least.

Intel X48 chipset will support processors with 1600MHz processor system bus, support dual-channel PC3-10600 (DDR3 1333MHz) memory with Intel Fast Memory access, PCI Express 2.0 bus with multi-GPU technology capability and some other performance improvements, such as flexible overclocking capabilities and extreme memory profiles (XMP) technology.

According to confidential documents seen by X-bit labs, Intel has removed support for PC3-12800 (DDR3 1600MHz) memory from the X48 platform and let mainboard makers to decide whether to support it or not. It is not completely clear why Intel decided to scrap “official” support for 1600MHz memory, a speed-bin ratified by JEDEC, but one of the reasons may be an intention to exclude possibilities when mainboard makers, system builders or others declare support for considerably higher DDR3 speed-bins on X48-based products.

The fact that Intel begins to ship its X48 chipset to mainboard makers does not mean that actual platforms based on the new core-logic emerge immediately. While some producers of motherboards may release their Intel X48-based offerings this year, Intel itself plans to start shipments of its Intel Desktop Board DX48BT2 (Bonetrail) only in Q1 2008, but with DDR3-12800 support.

Officials for Intel Corp. or mainboard makers did not comment on the news-story.