Intel’s chipset shortage has extended from its entry-level PCI Express (PCIe) 915 series to the high-end 945G line, according to motherboard makers. Tight supply of the chip giant’s 915 chipset has disrupted OEM shipments of high-end Pentium 4-based motherboards, as well as migration to DDR2, indicated the makers.

Intel’s 945G-series chipset supports its dual-core Pentium D and Pentium 4 6-series processors for high-end applications.

Silicon Integrated Systems (SiS) and VIA Technologies have not offered equivalent chipsets to Intel’s integrated 945G series, though their equivalent chipsets to Intel’s 915 line are now available, noted the makers. Meanwhile, the makers hinted that an insufficient supply of the 945G chipset, which supports dual-channel DDR2 memory, might hold back the migration to DDR2.

According to SiS, mass production of its next-generation SiS662 chipset will kick off in the first quarter of 2006. VIA is also scheduling to produce a high-end chipset for the Intel platform, the PT900 that supports the dual PCIe x16 standard, with mass production slated for the same period, the company said.

Intel earlier announced plans to invest US$345 million in two of the company's existing wafer manufacturing sites in the US to increase production capacity. Construction should be completed in the second half of 2007, according to the company.

Motherboard makers believe that an Intel chipset shortage will be tough to sort out in the next six-months and expect that 90nm-made chipsets will not overtake the current mainstream 0.13-micron segment by the third quarter of 2007.

In addition, tight supply of the popular SiS661 chipset from SiS for the mainstream market will not ease in October, despite an earlier SiS estimate, motherboard makers commented. The makers added that the shortage of the series is expected to ease in November.

By: Docmemory
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