An Ukrainian web-site ITC Online reported that NVIDIA Corporation plans to offer an inexpensive core-logic, the so-called "nForce2-MX" for AMD’s Socket A processors quite soon. Since both nForce2 discrete and integrated chipsets are rather expensive for system integrators who sell personal computers on the mainstream market, while NVIDIA’s previous generation nForce220 chipset is a bit outdated today, the information about cheap solution based on the nForce2 design looks quite logical.

According to a news-post over here, NVIDIA plans to cut the dual-channel memory controller from the North Bridge of the chipset, but leave PC2700 DDR SDRAM memory support as well as 333MHz (and possibly even 400MHz) system bus. As a result, we will get a platform with or without the GeForce4 MX graphics core, 333MHz FSB and PC2700 memory support. It all does not look as superior as the original nForce2 solution, but definitely looks better than the nForce220. In order to cut the price down further, NVIDIA will also develop an I/O controller without FireWire (IEEE1394) support, NVIDIA’s own Audio Processing Unit and LAN controller, but definitely with USB 2.0 and other necessary features. As a result of all these actions, NVIDIA will get a not very expensive mainstream product mostly for system integrators and also a pretty strong rival for mainboards powered by VIA’s KT333 as well as lower-end solutions on KT400 chipsets.

Even though the Socket A market is likely to continue shrinking this year since with the introduction of the Athlon 64 processors later this year higher-end solutions for Socket A CPUs will lose popularity, while the mainstream segment is more stable and a quality mainstream solution could help NVIDIA to boost its market share

Previous-generation mainstream product from NVIDIA, the nForce220, made its way to HP’s Compaq Evo D315 desktop computers for SOHO market. Although the chipset was not very popular in retail, it was the first core-logic for Socket A platform to be accepted by a first-tier computer vendor. If the successor of this product will really come, we expect its even wider acceptance by system integrators provided that AMD Athlon XP processors will be enough competitive in general.