DOS Games Discussion

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

I heard about some non-original chipsets, called VXPro, VXPro+, TXPro, HXPro, FXPro... Can you tell me something more? I saw a lot of Pentium-motherboards with these chipsets, and, if you don't want extra-performance, they run very well.

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/chip/pop/g5i.htm (the sub pages)

According to them, those "Pro" chipsets are cheap imitations.

jmmijo · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:15 pm Post subject:

These chipsets were basically OEM versions of VIA chipsets, possibly some others like SiS and/or ALi as well.

I noticed them mostly on the really cheap Taiwainese motherboards like those from ECS which makes so many cheaper brands like Amptron, PC Chips, Matsonic et.al. Wink

The advantage to many of these chipsets was that you could run other then an Intel CPU on them, for instance the old Cyrix 6x86 and the AMD K5/K6 series CPU's.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

Yes, I know, but, about 2 years ago, we installed a AMD K6 /200 MHz processor on a Green Pci/Isa system from ABIT, with the chipset I430TX, and it ran very well! How do you explain this?

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

i430TX is the real Intel. In fact, it was Intel's final (and second best) chipset for Pentium-class motherboard.

jmmijo · Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject:

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

From my POV, it would be AMD's responsibility to be 100% compatible with Socket 7 standards.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

In your opinion, what of these 2 chipsets is the best? i430TX or Via (M)Vp3?

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

If both of them are normal Socket 7 (not Super Socket 7), then I would go with the i430TX, as it was Intel's final Pentium chipset before it moved on to its Pentium II/Slot 1/440 series.

If the VIA is a Super Socket 7 (with 100 MHz FSB support) then I would go with the VIA.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

Mine is a Super-socket 7, but I remember that with a i430TX MB, the performance were better than with my soltek sl-54u5.

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

If the CPU runs with 66 MHz bus, then it's fair game.

fabiobol · Experienced Member Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 72

Sorry, what do you mean? Sorry but I am Italian, and usually I don't understand some English expressions.... Could you explain me, please?

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

Ok...

If the CPU uses a 66 MHz bus, then the Super Socket 7 pretty much operates little different from the normal Socket 7, which also has a maximum bus speed of 66 MHz.

Since the Super Socket 7 would no longer have the advantage of the 100 MHz bus, the 2 chipsets can then be compared for their architectural features instead of their clock speed (since both operate at the same clock speed - 66 MHz).

Unknown_K · Way too much free time Joined: 01 Oct 2002 Posts: 559

The best Intel Pentium chipset was the HX (server class). The VX and TX could not cache more then 64MB of memory (so if you add more your system slows down quite a bit). There were other differences too.

Elign · Moderator Joined: 18 Dec 2004 Posts: 271

The HX lacked SDRAM support (and it was a tad older) in spite of its superior performance.