Intel 840 Chipset and 64 bit PCI

[KvHagedorn]

Does anyone know about this architecture? Wondering how a 64 bit PCI video card might perform compared to AGP... though the i840 boards have big 4x agp slots also. The boards are starting to show up on some websites, notably Tyan's and SuperMicro's. Can't wait for the reviews of a working model.

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Kind Regards,

KvH

[Wombat]

Well, PCI is still missing the memory-sharing that is one of AGP's big assets. Especially now that textures keep on getting bigger.

[Zypher]

You won't see much video on pci64, with agp4x easier to develop for (cough intel support cough) and a MUCH bigger market.

In theory, you have to have 64 bit 66mhz to "equal" agp4x. For just one device its sorta true. The i840 bridge option on intel's site is limited to 64/33...but they do have other pci bridges, some oem might get brave. Until then, 450NX will be alone for x86 64/66....well I think some real high end custom 8-way have it too, but whatever. Like I have 100k lying around

Most bigwig x86 servers that have 64 bit right now have 2mb pci video anyway and other architechtures usually have comparable. When all its doing is massive I/O, who cares about video? They probably have it at 640x480x256 color, or running small console (ol dos) windows. Save every cycle for I/O and such. 16x12x32bpp ain't free. That could mean a few more web pages, a few more packets or a few more rendering cycles each second.

BUT, some GREAT things you could stick on it...some are already on it:

SCSI! Multichannel U2, 160/m, Fibre channel

Network! Multiport 100 and gigabit modules

Give more headroom for the cards too.


But hell yeah, if those 64 bit boards show up for less than ~$350, its mine....oop rambus :/ Slower than pc133 for us users, and makes the recent memory prices look like anthills.


My $0.03

[This message has been edited by Zypher (edited 02 November 1999).]