Intel unveils Grantsdale and Alderwood chipsets

Intel has previewed its 915 and 925x chipsets, formerly known by their codenames Grantsdale and Alderwood.

The new chipsets will be launched officially on 21 June, which is also when the first systems using the chipset will be for sale.

Both models offer roughly the same features, with the main difference being that the 925x has a higher performance.

Intel touts the new chipsets as a major advance in its efforts to add functions to the everyday PCs commonly found in consumer electronics or speciality computers.

"The last time that we had a major platform makeover is over 12 years ago. This is the most extensive improvement in years," said Bill Siu, Intel's vice president and general manager of the desktop platform group.

The chipsets feature Intel High Definition Audio, supporting 7.1 surround sound, as well as an integrated graphics processor that will eliminate the need for most users to purchase a dedicated graphics card.

Martin Reynolds, vice president at analyst Gartner, indicated that the new chipsets are a big move forward, but will have limited impact on the marketplace.

"This keeps things going," he said. "The home user needs these incentives to keep buying, but it's not going to make a surprising difference [to Intel's sales]."

The 915 and 925x are the first to support PCI Express, a new faster standard for peripheral cards such as for video or sound.

These speeds are currently only required by gaming graphics cards, but will enable future applications like digital video editing.