AMD 580 chipset series

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AMD 580 chipset series is a computer chipset series designed by AMD subsidairy ATI Technologies, for the AMD platform. It was designed for usage with ATI's CrossFire Multi GPU Technology, with both PCI Express slots running at x16 lanes each.

Contents 1 History 2 Naming of future AMD chipsets 3 Common Features 4 Lineup 4.1 580X Refresh 4.2 580X for socket AM2 4.3 550X 4.4 480X Refresh 4.5 480X 5 Trivia 6 References 7 See also 8 External links

[edit] History

The 580X chipset was originally named as "ATI Radeon Xpress 3200 chipset". The Radeon Xpress chipset was designed by ATI to enter the realm of the desktop arena, especially the AMD Socket 939 platform where ATI's rival, nVidia, had a clear market advantage. The Xpress 200 was launched with the CrossFire edition of the chipset considered as the high end of the chipset. However, rolling delays with the Crossfire Master Cards forced ATI to launch the Socket 939 platform whilst the Intel platform was scrapped due to time constraints. Reviews painted the Xpress 200 Crossfire as a board that could match nVidia's nForce 4 SLI. With the release of the nForce 4 16x SLI, ATI changed strategy and announced the RD580 chipset.

The RD580 was no different with the Xpress 200 chipset with the exception of the 40 PCI Express lanes within the northbridge. It was claimed by ATI that having 2 chipsets with 20 PCI Express lanes would slow down data transfers when the chipset is working with multi-GPU configurations. Having just all the PCI Express lanes within the Northbridge claimed to be more efficient and less bottlenecking as compared to the nForce 4 16x SLI. The RD580 was called the "Radeon Xpress 3200" and was released on March 1, 2006. Supposedly, the chipset is also configured for the new Socket AM2 and of such, many motherboard manufacturers have decided to skip the Socket 939 RD580 and began reaearch and development (R&D) on the Socket AM2 version of RD580.

With the launch of the socket AM2, ATI also announced the release of their SB600 southbridge which was to be compatible with the RD580 northbridge. Originally, the SB450/SB460 was highly flawed in the USB design and lacking in cutting edge featuers as compared to nVidia's counterpart which resulted in low sales. The ULi 1575 Southbridge was the other preferred Southbridge until nVidia took over ULI. As a result, high expectations was placed on ATI to design a Southbridge that was on-par or greater than the ULI 1575. As reference boards for Socket AM2 trickled out, many sites commented that ATI had an even footing against nVidia with great improvement in the SB600 southbridge.

As of the completion og the acquisition of ATI, AMD has current moved to rename all ATI chipsets for the AMD platform. The Xpress 3200 CrossFire chipsets for AMD platform (Socket AM2) have been renamed as the AMD 580X Crossfire chipset, for socket 939 versions, since AMD has stopped producing socket 939 CPUs, the "Xpress 3200 CrossFire" chipset, has not been renamed.

[edit] Naming of future AMD chipsets

To the consumer nowadays, RD580 is more known as the "CrossFire Xpress 3200".

Since ATI was merged as a subsidiary of AMD in October, the naming scheme of AMD chipset platforms have been changed ^[1], and is summarized below:

“	According to the rule of denomination of AMD chipset, all AMD chipsets are denominated as AMD + chipset’s code + code of product segment, in which the product segment includes X(Multi GPU), T(Premium Class IGP), G(Mainstream Class IGP) and V(Value Class IGP). Under the rule, therefore, the previously denominated ATI Xpress 3200, codename RD580, now is denominated to AMD 580X CrossFire. For mobile platform, the denomination is a little bit different; this is followed by AMD + M + chipset’s code. For example, RX690M is denominated as AMD M690. In addition, if the chipset has IGP, the brand of ATI is kept in the graphic part. For example, the next-generation AMD IGP RS690 [chipset] has got the name "AMD 690G Chipset with ATI Radeon X1250 Graphics".	”
	— HKEPC, report on change of naming scheme

Therefore, under the naming scheme, the chipsets will be renamed as follows ^[2]:

Original codename	Segment	Name under old scheme	Prefix	Suffix	Currrent final name
RD580	Enthusiast Multi-GPU	CrossFire Xpress 3200	-	X	AMD 580X CrossFire Chipset
RD550	Mainstream Multi-GPU	CrossFire Xpress 3100 [3]	-	X	AMD 550X CrossFire Chipset
RD480	Value Multi-GPU	CrossFire Xpress 1600	-	X	AMD 480X CrossFire Chipset

For instance, chipsets which support multi-GPUs will add an "X" as suffix, thus making "RD580" become "AMD 580X CrossFire chipset".

[edit] Common Features

• Support for up to 40 PCI Express lanes within Northbridge. 32 PCI Express lanes dedicated for two 16x PCI Express slots. 4 PCI Express lanes for interconnection with Northbridge and Southbridge (A-Link II). Other PCI Express lanes configured to manufacturer.
• Compatible with either ATI's SB450/SB460/SB600 (due for release in Q3 2006) or ULI's M1573/M1575 Southbridge.
• Support for up to 8 USB 2.0 ports.
• Support for 4 SATA and 4 PATA drives. The SATA can be formed a RAID 0, 1 or 0+1 if used with the SB450/SB460 Southbridge. Support for 4 SATA2/SATA and 4 PATA drives and the SATA can be formed into a RAID of 0, 1, 1+0, 5 or JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) if used with the ULI M1575 Southbridge. Support for 6 SATA and 2 PATA drives if used with the SB600. RAID support in the SB600 is still a standard 0, 1 or 1+0.
• AC97 High Definition audio with either Realtek ALC882/ALC882D/ALC888/ALC883, SoundBlaster Live! 24bit or Analog Devices AD1986A.
• Support for up to 7 PCI slots.
• Support for multi-GPU configuration known as CrossFire.

[edit] Lineup

Note: The following list of sub-sections are named following the new naming scheme by AMD.

This article contains information about a scheduled or expected future computer chip. It may contain preliminary or speculative information, and may not reflect the final specification of the product.

[edit] 580X Refresh

In the first half of 2007, ATI planned a refresh of the RD580 chipset, featuring Dual CPU socket and three PCI-E x16 slots for high-end multi-GPU configurations. This is suggested from a website in Chile leaking slides from an ATI internal event, named "ATI chipset update". ^[3]

[edit] 580X for socket AM2

• Supports all socket AM2 CPUs.
• DDR2 support up to DDR2-800 and in 8GB capacity.
• Dongleless Crossfire for the X1300 series, X1600 series, the X1800GTO and as well as the unofficial support for X1900GT.

[edit] 550X

The report ^[3] also reveals that a chipset codenamed "RD550", named as "AMD 550X CrossFire chipset", provides 2 PCI-E lanes for Dual card CrossFire configurations, and is focused in the mainstream market. 550X will be release in the first half of 2007.

[edit] 480X Refresh

The source ^[3] has also posted slides with a chipset codenamed "RD480" dubbed as "AMD 480X CrossFire chipset", for the low-end segment, also allows CrossFire configurations and provides 2 PCI-E slots, also targeted to release in the first half of 2007.

[edit] 480X

• Support for up to 20 PCI Express lanes.
• Support for up to 8 USB 2.0 ports.
• Support for 4 SATA and 4 PATA drives, which can be linked together in any combination of SATA and PATA to form a RAID 0, 1, or 0+1.
• AC97 High Definition audio.
• Support for up to 7 PCI slots.
• Support for ATI's multi-GPU technology called Crossfire.
• Motherboards utilising this chipset will feature two 16x PCI-Express slots which only operate at x8 lanes when CrossFire is enabled.

[edit] Trivia

• The RD580 was codenamed "Manta". The reason was because of the use of aquarium fishes for codenames within ATI.
• Engineering samples were completed just after the launch of nVidia's nForce 4 16x SLI.
• The RD580 was supposedly launched on the same day the Radeon X1900 but it was delayed to coincide with the launch of the socket AM2. However, with the delay of the Socket AM2 to June 6, 2006, ATI decided to launch on March 1, 2006.
• The package of the RD580 is no bigger than a US 50 cents and has a thermal dissipation rating of 7 watts.
• The world record for highest 3DMark2005 score using Crossfire was achieved on this chipset during the launch.
• Asus was rumoured selling the chipset before the launch of the Xpress 3200 in Seville. It was confirmed by various overclocking websites all round the world.
• The Xpress 3200 is pin compatible with the Xpress 200 boards, making R&D much more cost effective.
• ATI released the Xpress 3200 for AM2 after nVidia's launch of the nForce 500 series.
• AMD has currently renamed the chipsets for AMD platform as the AMD 580X Crossfire after the takeover of ATI.

[edit] References

1. ^ HKEPC report
2. ^ HKEPC test report on RS690 IGP chipset
3. ^ ^{a b c d} ChileHardware on "ATI chipset update"

[edit] See also

• AMD 690 chipset series

[edit] External links

• ATI official website
• AMD official website

ATI graphics processors 2D Chips: Mach Direct3D 3-6: Rage Direct3D 7.0: Radeon R100 Direct3D 8.0: Radeon R200 Direct3D 9.0: Radeon R300 • R420 • R520 Direct3D 10: Radeon R600 • R700

Other ATI technologies Chipsets: IGP3xx • 9000/9100 IGP • Xpress 200 • Xpress 3200 • 580X • 690G • RD700 Multi-GPU: Multi-rendering • CrossFire Professional graphics: FireGL • FireMV Consumer electronics: Imageon • Xilleon Misc: HyperMemory • AVIVO • "Universal Video Decoder" Game consoles: GameCube (Flipper) • Xbox 360 (Xenos) • Wii (Hollywood)