Intel quietly releasing new P4 chipset
C|Net | at | by Mike
Intel is planning the stealth introduction of a chipset that will let computer makers connect the Pentium 4 to speedy DDR (double data rate) memory. Intel will allow PC makers to quietly begin taking orders for computers fitted with a new version of its 845 chipset Dec. 17, CNET News.com has learned. The official announcement of the chipset and the corresponding fanfare won't come until early January.
The new chipset, a variation on the Intel 845 introduced in September, is a significant move for the company. DDR SDRAM is a faster version of synchronous dynamic RAM, the standard system memory used in desktop PCs. Like standard memory, DDR SDRAM costs less than memory based on designs from Rambus, called RDRAM.