nVidia nForce3 logo

The correct title of this article is nForce3. The initial letter is capitalized due to technical restrictions.

The nForce3 chipset was created by NVIDIA as a Media and Communications Processor. Specifically, it was designed for use with the Athlon 64 processor. Image File history File links nVidia nForce3 logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links nVidia nForce3 logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is a major supplier of graphics processors (graphics processing units, GPUs), graphics cards, and media and communications devices for PCs and game consoles such as the original Xbox and the new upcoming next generation Playstation 3. ... NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is a major supplier of graphics processors (graphics processing units, GPUs), graphics cards, and media and communications devices for PCs and game consoles such as the original Xbox and the new upcoming next generation Playstation 3. ... A Media and Communications Processor is a type of processor designed specifically for the creation and distribution of digital media. ... The Athlon 64 (codenamed ClawHammer, Newcastle, Winchester, Venice, and San Diego) represents AMDs entry into the consumer 64-bit microprocessor market, released on September 23, 2003. ...

Features of the nForce3

When the Athlon 64 was launched, the NVIDIA nForce3 150 and VIA K8T800 were the only two chipsets available. The 150 chipset was widely criticized at launch for using a 600 MHz HyperTransport interface, when VIA had implemented the full AMD specification at 800 MHz, even though overall performance was still good. VIA Technologies is a Taiwanese manufacturer of integrated circuits, mainly motherboard chipsets, CPUs, and memory, and is part of the Formosa Plastics Group. ... HyperTransport logo HyperTransport (HT), formerly known as Lightning Data Transport (LDT), is a bidirectional serial/parallel high-bandwidth, low-latency computer bus. ...

Later revisions fixed this omission, and using a HyperTransport interface, the nForce3 chipset is able to communicate at up to 8 GB/s with the CPU. This reduces system bottlenecks when using high-bandwidth devices. For example, the Gigabit Ethernet transmits at 100 MB/s, if the Ethernet were not on the chipset, a saturated gigabit ethernet link would use 75% of the bandwidth of the 133 MB/s PCI bus.

The 150 also noticeably lacked features. Subsequent revisions of the chipset corrected these omissions. The chipset is offered in different versions, reflecting socket types, and features.

• nForce3-250 - Socket 754, basic value chipset, 800HT, does not include on-chip Gigabit LAN or on-chip Firewall.

• nForce3-250Gb - Socket 754, 800HT, includes gigabit LAN and on-chip Firewall.

• nForce3-250Gb Ultra - Socket 939, 1000HT, gigabit LAN, Firewall, Dual-Channel unbuffered, for Athlon 64/Athlon 64 FX.

• nForce3-250Gb Ultra PRO - Socket 940, 1000HT, gigabit LAN, Firewall, for Opteron.

Perhaps most notably the 250 revision of the nForce 3, featured the world’s first native Gigabit Ethernet interface, and a hardware-optimized Firewall. The NVIDIA Firewall technology utilizes the ActiveArmor secure networking engine. This makes the firewall an on-chip function, in theory reducing the overhead on the CPU and increasing throughput. The firewall also uses IAM, or Intelligent Application Manager, to provide application-based filtering. Socket 754 is a CPU socket originally developed by AMD to succeed its powerful Athlon XP platform (Socket 462, also referred to as Socket A). ... Socket 939 was introduced by AMD as an answer to Intels new platform for desktop products, Socket LGA775. ... Socket 940 is a 940-pin socket for 64-bit AMD server processors. ... Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) is a term describing various technologies for implementing Ethernet networking at a nominal speed of one gigabit per second. ...

However, the most notable omission from the nForce 3 chipset is the quality integrated SoundStorm audio found in nForce2 boards, supposedly for cost reasons. The nForce 3 chipset is a single die solution, as opposed to the historical northbridge / southbridge combination, and reportedly there was not enough space left for audio functionality. SoundStorm was an advanced integrated 5. ... The nForce2 Chipset was released by NVIDIA as a refresh to the original nForce product offering. ... A normal north/southbridge layout The northbridge is traditionally one of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a PC motherboard, the other being the Southbridge. ... The Southbridge is a chip that implements the ‘slower’ capabilities of the motherboard in a northbridge/southbridge chipset computer architecture. ...

The nForce3 also supports the latest SATA technology, as well as RAID 0+1 striping and mirroring. The chipset can accommodate up to four high bandwidth SATA-150 devices. A SATA power connector. ... In computing, a redundant array of independent disks, also known as redundant array of inexpensive disks (commonly abbreviated RAID) is a system which uses multiple hard drives to share or replicate data among the drives. ...

External links

• NVIDIA: nForce3
• Anandtech: nForce3-250 - Part 1: Taking Athlon 64 to the Next Level
• Anandtech: nForce3-250 - Part 2: Taking Athlon 64 to the Next Level
• Anandtech: Which Boards Have On-Chip LAN?