Chipset Highlights

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Notes

1. Several Intel and AMD processors are dual-core. This means they have two individually-unique CPUs in one chip. For Intel, combined with Hyperthreading, a single system can have four theoretical processors using only one CPU.
2. The bus speed is split into two separate types: front-side bus (FSB) and memory bus. Older chipsets, like those of the 486 and early Pentiums, can theoretically run at the maximum memory bus speed stated. The limit is the memory type and speed.
3. Intel's P4 FSB runs on a 4x multiplier. The components have been designed to compute two processes per slope of the Sine wave (i.e. clock cycle). The result is four total processes. Currently, the P4 FSB is up to 1066 MHz.
4. AMD's Hypertransport Bus technology uses a scaled multiple of a base speed of 200 MHz. Common Socket 754 speeds are 800 MHz and 1600 MHz. Common Socket 939 speeds are 1000 MHz and 2000 MHz. The common Socket 940 speed is 1000 MHz.
5. DDR and DDR-2 SDRAM operates at two processes per Sine wave (i.e. clock cycle), effectively doubling its bandwidth. Chipset manufacturers usually advertise the maximum total MHz for which the RAM can operate (i.e. 266 MHz, 333 MHz, etc.), and this is what is indicated throughout the chipset pages. However, DDR SDRAM can also be advertised using it's theoretical peak in MB/s (i.e. PC2100, PC3200, etc). Take the theoretical peak and divide by eight, and you get the maximum total MHz.
6. RDRAM works off the front-side bus of the CPU and has a theoretical peak that is double the FSB speed, provided the RIMM is rated that high. RDRAM is usually advertised using it's theoretical peak speed in MHz (i.e. PC800, PC1066, etc.). However, the speed stated throughout the chipset pages is the normal memory bus speed in MHz.
7. Many of the chipsets listed support either the PCI-X standard, the PCI Express (PCIe) standard, or both. However, they are currently listed under one column throughout the chipset pages. The effort will be made in the future to list the two separately.
8. The AGP v1.0 standard refers to AGP 1x and 2x respectively. AGP v2.0 refers to AGP 4x respectively. AGP v3.0 and AGP v3.5 refer to AGP 8x respectively.
9. Some chipsets labeled as P5 can also handle PII-compatible chips, such as AMD's K6-2 and K6-III.