Intel new generation 3 series chipsets analysis

**Mr.Games** · 01-06-2007, 06:03

After the Core 2 Duo completely succeeded last year Intel introduced new 45nm products which improved on performances specs, too. In order to catch up with CPU they upgraded the chipsets. On CeBit 2007, Intel showed the next generation 3 series chipsets information and on IDF 2007 they further displayed this. Today we gathered them for you.

In October 2006 Intel announced the 965 and 975 next generation chipset will use 3 series to name while not 985. The 3 series chipset based on BearLake and include home and business using and 6 modes. If added the G31 there will be 7 modes. Among the 7 modes include Q35, Q33 for business, top product X38, mainstream product P35, G35, G33 and G31, the G products are IGP (Interior Gateway Protocol) ones.

Intel 3 series chipset main characteristics

The 3 series include G31/X38/G33/G35/P35/Q33/Q35 and they support PCI Express 2.0 (2 x16), FSB 1333MHz, DDR3 and memory acceleration technologies. The conform graphic processor versions will support DirectX10 and Clear Video Technology, provide HD DVD/Blu-ray acceleration functions.

Home entertainment platform blueprint

Business platform blueprint

From the blueprints we can see the closest ones are P35 and G33 and the X38 and G35. From the manufactures we knew the P35 will ship out at the end of this month. Then lets see the improvements of the new chipsets technology specs

The 3 series chipset will support all the Core 2 Duo processors, new generation 1333MHz FSB E6050 family, Pentium E 2000 family and Celeron 400 family. Only P35, G35 and X38 can support Core 2 Quad while only the X38 can support Core 2 Extreme.

3 series chipset bsed on BearLake, used 65nm process (975x is 110nm and P965 is 90nm) and the Bearlake chipset will support LGA775 45nm Core 2 Quad Yorkfield, Core 2 duo Wolfdale processor, 1333Mhz FSB, 12M L2 cache at most and the G33, Q33 and Q35 will can support next generation Core 2 Quad. It is said Intel will spread the Core 2 Quad to mainstream grade in 2008 so G33, Q33 and Q35 will be used to support next generation Yorkfield Core 2 Quad.

All of them can support DDR3 except G35. G33 just supports DDR3-1066 or DDR2-800. In former the specs of G35 are better than G33 and it can support DDR3-1066 and DDR2-800 and its FSB is 1333 MHz. P35 can be thought G35 without integrated display card but in the later plans G35 canceled the support to DDR3, South Bridge matched ICH8, Intel also added G31 which cannot support Core 2 Quad match ICH7 South Bridge but the integrated display card is the same with G35.

DDR2 will transit to DDR3 in this year just like DDR transited to DDR2. But the shipment of DDR3 in 2007 is only 10% of the total shipment of DDR2 and DDR3 and the price of DDR3 is 50% higher than DDR2. DDR3 shipment will increase to 25% in 2008 and the price will get close to DDR2. In 2009 it may became the market mainstream.

DDR3 will possess higher bandwidth