Judging from unofficial information about integrated core-logic products due next year or late next year, it looks like Microsoft’s Windows Longhorn is the main driver of DirectX 9.0 capabilities in the very low-end of the market. We already told you that both ATI Technologies and NVIDIA are looking-forward to deliver their chipsets capable of DirectX 9.0 features, but apparently, Taiwanese VIA Technologies will also introduce its own core-logic with DirectX 9.0-class graphics, PC Watch Japanese web-site reported.

Earlier this year we reported about ATI’s intention to launch a next-generation RADEON IGP with DirectX 9.0 graphics as soon as possible, though, we suggested that the company may introduce this kind of core-logic together with other innovations, such as PCI Express and DDR-II SDRAM memory. Looks like we were quite right, presumably, ATI plans to integrate an RV350 graphics core into its RADEON IGP for Socket T (LGA775) processors with 1066MHz Quad Pumped Bus. Certainly, the product code-named ATI RS400 will support PCI Express bus and PCI Express x16 external graphics port as well as dual-channel DDR-II SDRAM memory at 400 and 533MHz in addition to other innovations. Currently there is no information about an RS400-like chipset for AMD Athlon 64 processors. I believe there will be one only in case AMD’s market share will begin to expand and ATI will be facing less pressure from NVIDIA, who is very committed to AMD’s platforms. Expect ATI to introduce RS400 for desktops and notebooks in a year time.

NVIDIA’s code-named Crush K8G3 will also come in a year, in the third quarter of 2004. It will have a graphics core capable of rendering DirectX 9-class graphics, however, we still do not know whether the graphics core will be able to work with NVIDIA’s own Pixel Shaders 2.0+ and Vertex Shaders 2.0+ or will stick to strictly determined DirectX 9.0 capabilities. Obviously, by that time PCI Express will be a necessary feature and Crush K8G3 will provide it.

VIA Technologies and Silicon Integrated Systems also do not want to stay aside from the next round of chipset battle. According to the Japanese web-site, VIA is going to integrate the yet-to-be-developed UniChrome 3 DirectX 9-class graphics core into its PM890 and KM890 chipsets for Intel Prescott/Tejas and AMD Athlon 64 processors respectively. Expect both core-logic products to support PCI Express interconnections and PM890 to utilize dual-channel DDR-II SDRAM memory. SiS’ plans concerning integrated chipsets are to be revealed, though, as we know, the company has DirectX 9-class graphics cores known as Xabre II in development.

It is interesting to note that Vertex Shaders 2.0 in future versions of Integrated Graphics Processors may be emulated by CPUs. This approach is quite logical given price-constraint of modern chipsets and availability of microprocessors powerful enough to emulate Vertex Shaders 2.0.

Although DirectX 9-class graphics capabilities will be available in integrated chipsets, do not expect such chipsets to perform really well in appropriate 3D games since DirectX 9.0 in core-logic sets is mostly needed to render 3D GUI of Windows Longhorn rather than to run game titles like Doom III or Half Life 2.