Now this is just too cool for school.

[robberbaron]

http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2511

Intel went in a slightly different direction today and showcased a research project of a Pentium M processor with an on-package GMCH, or North Bridge with integrated graphics.

A single substrate with both the CPU and chipset on it. This sounds like a pretty cool step in the direction of mobility. I was thinking that a CPU+Chipset+Video on a single die would be the best way to go, but the yields would probably blow. This looks like the next best thing for integration.

 

[Glyndur]

The 855GME chipset they showed does have integrated video so its CPU, chipset, video, and voltage regulator all on on one chip.

 

[robberbaron]

The 855GME chipset they showed does have integrated video so its CPU, chipset, video, and voltage regulator all on on one chip.

Yeah, but not one die.

 

[DermicSavage]

Yeah, but not one die.

Uh, this new dothan shows everything on chip, not on die

 

[visaris]

If you look at this picture, it's clear that this chip package containes the CPU and northbridge on separate DIEs.
http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/tradeshows/IDF/2005/Fall/Day3/Keynote/integratedGMCH.jpg

Now, that's not a bad thing, it's a step in the right direction, but I don't see it as being that much of an advantage unless they can actually work it all into a single die. The performance benifit will not be fully realized until they can accomplish this.

 

[ICE_9]

depends if heat, stray voltage, and other environmental annomalys hit the all in one chip. A processor can hit high heat, but can a chipset take it? Saving space is a great idea as long as performance remains or is enhanced.

 

[xonik]

Not bad, but not an entirely new idea. Intel has been trying to do this since it's long-abandoned "Timna" project, circa 2000-2001. I'm glad to see that they are trying to revisit this idea. And of course, we've seen integrated memory controllers in both the AMD64 series and the Transmeta Efficieon (which also includes an AGP controller).

Certainly this is a step in the right direction. This sort of integration will be great in notebooks, tablets, set-top boxes, and other tightly-integrated applications.

 

[robberbaron]

depends if heat, stray voltage, and other environmental annomalys hit the all in one chip. A processor can hit high heat, but can a chipset take it? Saving space is a great idea as long as performance remains or is enhanced.

In most notebooks (mine at least ) the cpu and chipset share a heatpipe HSF without trouble. Pentium M and i915GME, and I think the i915GME would run slightly warmed than that 855GME due to the PCIe, but I'm not positive.