NVIDIA to Update nForce2 MCP

[Steven]

NVIDIA to Update nForce2 MCP

Serial ATA to Socket A Platform from NVIDIA

by Anna Filatova

03/19/2004 | 06:34 AM

Everybody have been waiting long and impatiently for NVIDIA to update their nForce2 chipset, which was announced quite a while ago already and which features dealing with peripheral devices support have already become pretty outdated. At present NVIDIA nForce2 chipset is one of the best performing solution for Socket A platforms but unfortunately, it doesn't support Serial ATA. Today it got clear that this situation is very likely to change soon. According to TechReport, NVIDIA is going to announce a new nForce2 South Bridge (MCP) family, which will boast updated new features.

The new MCP will have the same features set as the upcoming nForce3 250Gb chipset. The sources report that the new MCP for nForce2 will have native support for Serial ATA RAID and NVIDIA Hardware Firewall. Unfortunately, according to our sources, the upcoming new MCP for nForce2 will lose their APU. This way the mainboard manufacturers will have to choose if they would like to offer mainboard with the integrated APU or with the NVIDIA native Serial ATA, but not the both.

We do not know yet, what is the exact launch schedule for the new MCP, however, they should evidently start shipping within the same timeframe as nForce3 250, i.e. in Q2 2004.

NVIDIA representative refused to comment on this story yet.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/chipsets/disp...0319062719.html

[freakyfriday]

this is a Question that i must ask.. i'm thinking of getting a new CPU/motherboard/ram/video card..

is the NForce a good motherboard? does it come with its own video card, is it directx9? how much ram on the video card, what CPU speeds does it support?

i have not payed attention to hardware in like 5 years :p

[kennyout]

the Nforce 2?...i beleive you mean freakyfriday...

depends...i beleive the the nforce2 is not fully Directx9....because the graphics one is based on the Geforce 4MX instead of the full 4....

I would sujest you do not buy the mobo with the video on it already unless you cannot afford a graphic's card....

[-=SD=-]

I'll stick to what I got, unless benchmarks for it are a lot better. ;)

I'm guessing the native support for SATA means no installing of drivers via F6? If not then what does that mean?

[iobilly]

wel any of the GF4's dont have any DX9 support. They have dx8.1 tho. The Nforce2 has a config that has onboard video.. and its equiv to the GF4MX line... not going to be good for serious gamers.

the nforce2 mobo is a good Socket A mobo (for ahtlonxp) best solution if you ask me.. i dont want to touch VIA's or SIS's!! (blech)