SiS samples second Socket T chipset

Single-channel memory this time

SiS today introduced its latest Socket T-oriented North Bridge chip, the SiS649, a single-channel memory part aimed at modestly specced Pentium 4 PCs.

The SiS649 supports the full range of P4 frontside bus speeds - 400MHz to 800MHz - and HyperThreading. It can cope with both DDR and DDR 2 SDRAM, at speeds of 266MHz up to 533MHz. There are two DIMM slots, each capable of taking a 1GB DIMM.

Graphics support comes courtesy of an external card connected across the North Bridge's PCI Express x16 bus.

SiS is offering the part with a range of South Bridge chips, but noted its particular relevance for the SiS965, which also offers PCI Express. It also features Gigabit Ethernet, eight USB 2.0 ports, AC 97 audio with 7.1 support, and can host four Serial ATA devices with RAID 0, 1, 0+1 and JBOD, four ATA units. A cut-down version, the SiS965L, supports only two Serial ATA devices.

For dual-channel systems, SiS offers the SiS656, which is also geared toward the SiS965 South Bridge. It can use the same memory types as the SiS649.

SiS is sampling the SiS649 now, and expects motherboards based upon the North Bridge to ship next month. Later this quarter, Intel is expected to offer lower-end versions of its i915 'Grantsdale' chipset. ®

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