i815 series, still a budget chipset
May 29 '01 (Updated Jan 03 '02)
The Bottom Line This chipset is highly recommended over the crippled i810 chipset. Supports PC133 SDRAM. But there are still better chipsets.
This is a Pentium II/III/Celeron Chipset.
After Intel’s flop with the i820 + MTH chipset recall, Intel finally put out a SDRAM chipset that supports 133Mhz FSB and 133Mhz SDRAM.
First off, there are several versions of the i815:
i815 - Integrated Graphics + AGP4X port + ICH
i815E - Integrated Graphics + AGP4X port + ICH2
i815P - AGP4X port + ICH
i815EP - AGP4X port + ICH2
Of which the ICH has ATA66, 2 USB ports and 2-channel AC97 Codec audio.
The ICH2 has ATA100, 4 USB ports, 6-channel AC97 Codec audio + Built in 10/100Ethernet or 1Mbps Phone Line Networking (PNA).
The i815 chipsets support PC133 SDRAM, unlike the i810 chipsets, which only support PC100 SDRAM. Both series can only take 512MB of system memory.
The i815 Chipsets have an AGP4X port so you don't have to use the onboard (i815/i815e) graphics (which isn't that great to begin with.)
If you buy a i815E Motherboard, you basically have everything onboard that you would usually have to get an expansion card for (Audio, Ethernet/Networking.) If you have a Cable Modem or DSL service, you can use the onboard Ethernet instead of installing a slower 10Mbit card that you get billed for when having a cable modem or DSL service installed.
Intel refers to their Onboard Graphics versions as having a GMCH (Graphics and Memory Controller Hub) whereas the "P"
chipsets have a MCH (Memory Controller Hub) instead.
If you do not want the onboard video graphics system, get a motherboard that uses the P series chipset instead of the non-P series. This will save you some money on the motherboard, but you will still have to purchase a Video card.
The Chips in the i815 Series are as follows:
i815/i815E:
82815 (GMCH) Onboard Video and 4X AGP slot
Or
The i815P/i815EP:
82815EP (MCH) 4X AGP slot with no Onboard Video
Series without the E:
82801AA (ICH) (the ICH0 could also be used, which has the onboard Audio) ATA66, 2 USB Ports
Or
Series with the E:
82801BA - (ICH2) ATA100, 4USB Ports, Ethernet and AC97 Audio
Both will usually have the firmware hub/random number generator present:
82802AB/AC - FWH (Firmware Hub)
Any questions or comments can be directed at Kisai_Z@yahoo.com
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