Full Power: NVIDIA Attacks With nForce2
nForce2: An Overview Of Features
Before we look in detail at the individual features of the nForce2 and compare them to the established chipsets, let's look at a summary of its specs.
Northbridge: IGP And SPP Compared
Northbridge | Integrated Graphics Processor | System Platform Processor |
---|---|---|
Alias | IGP | SPP |
Image | Row 1 - Cell 1 | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
Graphics Interface | AGP 8x (AGP 3.0) | AGP 8x (AGP 3.0) |
Graphics Unit | GeForce4 MX, w/up to 64 MB Shared MemorynView Multiple-Display | - |
Memory Controller | Dual DDR400Dual-channel, 64-Bit eachalso DDR333, DDR266, DDR2003 GB RAM max. | Dual DDR400Dual-channel, 64-Bit eachalso DDR333, DDR266, DDR2003 GB RAM max. |
Video Encoder for TV-Out | Up to 1024x768Composite and S-VideoMacrovision 7.1L1 | - |
DVI Interface | Up to 165 MHzMultiplexed with AGP 8x | - |
Power Management | ACPI 2.0(S1, S3, S4, S5, C0, C1, C2), AMD Power Now! | ACPI 2.0(S1, S3, S4, S5, C0, C1, C2), AMD Power Now! |
CPU Interface | 133/100/66 MHz FSB | 133/100/66 MHz FSB |
Other | FSB, memory, AGP can be operated asynchronously and independently of one another. | FSB, memory, AGP can be operated asynchronously and independently of one another. |
Apart from new aspects of the technology, one of the most important differences from its predecessor is in the Northbridge. While the IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) of the first nForce has always been equipped with integrated graphics, the customer can now opt for an nForce2 withouth integrated graphics, namely, the System Platform Processsor (SPP) . The SPP is a "pure" version of the Northbridge, without graphics, and therefore significantly lower in price.
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Current page: nForce2: An Overview Of Features
Prev Page NVIDIA: A Success Story Next Page The Force Is On Its Side: nForce2 With Dual DDR400
Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.