430FX (Triton and Triton II)
This was Intel’s workhorse of PCIsets for some time. For the most part superseded by the 430HX/VX PCIsets, but you’ll still find the FX floating around older motherboards. When given the choice, go with the more recent releases.
– Single Pentium CPU support.
– Maximum 128MB of RAM.
– Supports EDO DRAMs and pipeline burst SDRAMs.
– Bus Master IDE for quicker hard disk access and improved multimedia performance.
– Greater than 100MB/sec PCI data streaming.
– Integrated 16MB/sec bus-master IDE controller.
– Plug-n-Play compatible.
– USB support (Triton II).
430НХ
This PCIset, along with the 430VX, is this year’s flavor, replacing the 430FX as the chipset of choice. Originally designed for the high-end power user and small business situations requiring lots of RAM. When choosing between the 430HX or 430VX, the main thing to remember is that the 430HX will support more system RAM, and support for dual Pentium CPU setup (if your motherboard’s designed for it).
– Dual Pentium CPU support.
– Up to 512MB system RAM.
– Backward compatible with the 430FX.
– USB support (up to two ports).
– Integrated memory address buffers, parity, and ECC support with standard parity.
– Fewer components than 430FX.
– Deeper write and read memory buffers.
– Integrated deep posting and FIFO buffers enable concurrent activity on both sides of the system controller for improved CPU utilization.
430VX
Intel aimed the 430VX squarely at the home user, who Intel blissfully thought wouldn’t need “so much RAM.” Wrong!
The 430HX has been kicking some serious ass with its greater RAM support and faster overall performance.
The one thing that the 430VX has over its HX brother is the support of DIMM RAM chips. Depending on your RAM needs, the 430VX may be all you need for your applications.
– Up to 128MB of system RAM.
– PCI 2.1 compliant.
– DIMM socket support for Fast Page, EDO, and SDRAM.
– USB support.
430ТХ
The newest Intel PCIset has just landed and is making its rounds with motherboard manufacturers. ASUSTek and Microstar already have motherboards armed with the 430TX in the works.
While the verdict’s not out yet on this new PCIset, rumors are circulating about how effective this new chipset is and what features it provides. Will it support ECC function or Ultra DMA/33 (a ЗЗМВ/sec hard drive protocol)?
Intel has tried to merge the best characteristics of the HX and the VX, and present them in the form of the TX.
White USB and DIMM slots are appreciated, early motherboards using the 430TX have maxed out at 256MB of system RAM—not exactly groundbreaking considering the HX can handle up to 512MB.
The biggest problem with the Intel PCIsets currently available is the 66MHz speed limit imposed on the memory bus. With faster Pentiums screaming into the 233MHz barrier and beyond on the horizon, the need for a faster bus becomes a necessity.
There are other non-lntel PCIsets from vendors such as VIA, UMC, SiS, and Acer’s ALI all trying to out-engineer Intel and dance with the major motherboard manufacturers. Surprisingly, some of the nonIntel chipsets such as VIA’s Apollo VP PCIset, support speeds of up to 75MHz—perfect for all you CPU over-dockers out there!
