Intel 850

Intel 850
Name	Intel 850
Manufacturer	Intel Corporation
Introduced	2002
Core	RDRAM controller
Sockets	Socket 478
Chipset	850 chipset family
Supported memory	RDRAM (Direct RDRAM)
Form factor	Chipset

Intel 850 The Intel 850 was a chipset platform introduced by Intel Corporation in 2002 for personal computers using Pentium 4, Pentium III, and related processors. It centered on supporting Rambus DRAM and high-speed front-side bus designs, positioning itself amid competing platforms from Advanced Micro Devices, VIA Technologies, SiS (company), and NVIDIA during the early 2000s. The platform influenced motherboard designs by companies like ASUS, Gigabyte Technology, MSI (company), ABIT, and ECS (company) while intersecting with standards set by JEDEC and market forces shaped by Microsoft and Intel's competitors.

Overview

The chipset family implemented a memory controller optimized for Rambus, known commercially as Direct RDRAM, aligning with Rambus Inc.'s patent portfolio and licensing model. It emerged as part of Intel's roadmap alongside initiatives involving the Intel Pentium 4 (Northwood), NetBurst microarchitecture, and the broader transition in desktop platforms. The product release impacted motherboard vendors such as ASUS, FOXCONN, Biostar, EVGA, and Abit, and drew reactions from memory suppliers like Samsung, Hynix, Micron Technology, and Kingston Technology. Market dynamics involved distributors and retailers including Ingram Micro, Tech Data, TigerDirect, and Newegg.

Architecture and Features

The architecture relied on a pair of major components common to Intel chipsets: a memory controller hub and an I/O controller hub. It was closely linked to the Socket 478 ecosystem supporting Pentium 4 processors built on the NetBurst microarchitecture. The design emphasized a high-bandwidth path between CPU and memory using Rambus RDRAM modules running on narrow, high-frequency channels under licensing agreements with Rambus Inc.. I/O responsibilities were handled in coordination with controllers that supported interfaces standardized by PCI}}, AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port), and emerging PCI Express discussions within the industry. Key motherboard manufacturers such as ASUS, Gigabyte Technology, MSI (company), ABIT, Chaintech, and DFI Technology produced boards using the chipset, integrating southbridge components from vendors like Intel Southbridge, Via Southbridge, and third-party suppliers.

Performance and Benchmarks

Performance evaluations compared systems using Direct RDRAM against competing DDR SDRAM solutions championed by Kingston Technology, Corsair, and memory module makers. Benchmarks from technology outlets referenced platforms running Windows XP, often using synthetic and application tests that measured throughput in workloads associated with 3DMark, SPEC CPU2000, SiSoft Sandra, and game engines such as those used in titles by id Software, Valve Corporation, and Electronic Arts. Results were debated in reviews published by outlets including AnandTech, Tom's Hardware, PC Magazine, CNET, and The Register, with conclusions influenced by CPU stepping from Intel and GPU pairings by NVIDIA and ATI Technologies (later AMD). Memory latency and bandwidth figures were contrasted with DDR platforms used in systems by Dell, HP, Acer, Lenovo, and boutique integrators.

Models and Variants

Intel released revisions and related models within the 850 family to address different market segments and board designs. Motherboard vendors produced variant model numbers, BIOS revisions, and overclocking-focused editions; vendors like ASUS, ABIT, Gigabyte Technology, MSI (company), DFI Technology, Chaintech, and Foxconn" offered specialty boards targeting enthusiasts. OEM systems from Dell, HP, Compaq, Gateway, and Sony incorporated selected 850-based motherboards tuned for stability and certification with Microsoft Windows products and OEM licensing agreements. Third-party accessory makers such as Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Noctua, and Zalman provided thermal solutions for high-performance configurations.

Compatibility and System Integration

Compatibility considerations involved interactions with processor sockets like Socket 478, operating systems such as Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Linux distributions maintained by projects like Debian, Red Hat, and SUSE. Integration required coordination with BIOS vendors including American Megatrends and Phoenix Technologies to ensure CPU microcode updates and memory timing options. OEM and channel partners such as Foxconn, Pegatron, Quanta Computer, and Inventec managed supply chains involving component suppliers like Samsung Electronics, Hynix, Micron Technology, and cooling and power solutions from Delta Electronics and Corsair. The chipset's reliance on Rambus memory affected procurement through partnerships between Rambus Inc. and module assemblers and influenced aftermarket vendors like Crucial.

Reception and Legacy

The chipset's reception was mixed: praised for high theoretical memory bandwidth in some benchmarks but criticized for higher cost and licensing complexity associated with Rambus Inc.'s technology. The industry response involved a shift where many vendors and package ecosystems favored DDR SDRAM growth supported by JEDEC standards and later DDR2 and DDR3 transitions driven by AMD, Intel Corporation roadmap changes, and DRAM suppliers. Coverage and retrospectives appeared in publications from Wired, The New York Times, The Guardian, Bloomberg, and trade journals, and the platform is often cited in discussions about proprietary standards versus open standards debates involving Rambus Inc., JEDEC, and memory manufacturers. Its legacy influenced subsequent chipset strategies by Intel and competitors and is referenced in historical reviews from AnandTech, Tom's Hardware, and ecosystem analyses by Gartner and IDC.

Category:Intel chipsets