Via Technologies Thursday will introduce a 1GHz processor with an integrated Northbridge chip that will allow vendors to build smaller PCs.
Called Mark, the chip includes a 1GHz C3 processor and Via"s Pro Savage CLE266 Northbridge chip, which is one of the components that comprise the Northbridge-Southbridge chipset architecture used in most PCs.
In a Northbridge-Southbridge chipset there are two chips, called the Northbridge and Southbridge. The Northbridge is the chip that controls the front-side bus, which connects the processor to high-speed PC components, such as memory and the PCI bus. The Southbridge, which is connected to the Northbridge via the PCI bus, controls the lower-speed components in a PC and connects to peripherals, such as a CD-ROM drive and hard disk.
Mark offers integrated graphics capabilities and is expected to begin appearing in devices during the early second half of the year, said Richard Brown, Via"s associate vice president of marketing. The chip is priced at around US$75 in 1,000-unit quantities, he said.