VIA Technologies exposed a 2-way platform for Intel Xeon microprocessors based on VIA PT880 core-logic scheduled to appear later this year. Earlier VIA did not emphasized that its dual-channel chipset for Intel Pentium 4 processors supports SMP, but this is not the first time when the company does not announce the existing peculiarity of its chipset, even though such feature was present on VIA’s P4X266 core-logic, as we discovered at Computex Taipei 2002.

The reference mainboard shown by VIA to this web-site is probably intended for workstations due to presence of AGP 8x port and absence of PCI-X or 64-bit PCI slots. Probably the mainboard supports Socket 604 processors with 400 or 533MHz Quad Pumped Bus and may become a nice option for workstations provided that actual mainboard makers produce appropriate devices in mass quantities.

Earlier this year ASUSTeK computer rolled-out its 2-way PC-DL Deluxe mainboard based on i875P MCH for 1P Pentium 4 systems; ASUS’ product is aimed at cost-effective 2P workstation market, it is clear that VIA intends to address the same market space. The concern here is that OEMs and mainboard makers have never utilized VIA’s chipsets in this kind of applications and unless there is a major change in solution providers’ policies, I see no reasons to use VIA PT880 even now.