RADEON XPRESS 200 chipset series provides OEMs and systems integrators with lightning-fast graphics and platform performance for AMD desktop PCs

ATI Technologies Inc., today announced the availability of a powerful new chipset family for AMD desktop platforms – the RADEON XPRESS 200 series. Built on the principles of performance, connectivity and reliability, RADEON XPRESS 200 provides AMD customers with a best-in-class platform for enthusiast gaming, high definition home entertainment, and rock-solid enterprise computing. The chipset series supports Socket 754 and 939 AMD desktop processors and is comprised of the RADEON XPRESS 200 with integrated graphics and the pin-compatible RADEON XPRESS 200P, which allows for high performance add-in graphics. With the introduction of the RADEON XPRESS 200 series, ATI is delivering its fourth generation chipset and providing systems integrators and OEMs with unparalleled levels of choice, flexibility and performance in the design of next-generation AMD-based desktop PCs.

RADEON XPRESS is planned to be available from leading platform technology manufacturers and OEMs including, HP, Medion AG, Falcon Northwest, Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, Acorp, Shuttle Computer, Jetway, Soyo, ECS, Tul, FIC, and PC Partner.

“By introducing the industry’s first AMD-based DirectX 9 chipset with integrated graphics, AMD Athlon 64 processor-based RADEON XPRESS systems provide a very attractive proposition to extend new value to the consumer and commercial desktop,” said Marty Seyer, corporate vice president, AMD’s Microprocessor Business Unit, Computation Products Group. “Through partnering with ATI on the design of this platform, we have a family of leading-edge PCI Express chipsets to help PC users embrace 64-bit computing for visually stunning graphics and plug-and-play access to the latest multimedia devices.”

Falcon Northwest, a custom computer maker serving the enthusiast and PC gamer markets, recently selected the RADEON XPRESS 200P for its next-generation AMD PCI Express small form factor gaming platform.

“In building our next-generation FragBox, we needed a solution that provided us with an optimal blend of performance, reliability and power management for small form factor gaming platforms,” said Kelt Reeves, President, Falcon Northwest. “By selecting RADEON XPRESS 200P we can build on platform technology that embraces these attributes and provides our users a best-in-class PCI Express gaming experience for AMD Athlon 64.”

Leveraging the power of ATI discrete graphics processing, RADEON XPRESS 200 delivers ATI’s next generation of industry leading integrated graphics. Based on RADEON X300 core technology, users benefit from a variety of features including Vertex Shader 2.0, Pixel Shader 2.0 and improved anti-aliasing capabilities. The graphics power of the RADEON X200 is backed up by CATALYST, the most stable WHQL-certified graphics driver on the market today. In addition, through ATI’s innovative HyperMemory technology, RADEON XPRESS onboard graphics are further accelerated with up to 128 MB of system memory.

“As the market begins a widespread transition to PCI Express, the desktop PC will begin to be redefined as a hub for home entertainment and multimedia communications,” said Roger Kay, vice president Client Computing, IDC. “By introducing PCI Express chipsets for AMD with integrated DirectX 9 graphics, ATI is providing AMD customers with investment protection and a smooth upgrade path to next-generation applications and operating systems.”

“By working with AMD through every step in the design process we have developed a chipset that is highly scalable, with enough flexibility to address the needs of OEM customers and the enthusiast community,” said Phil Eisler, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Chipset Business Unit, ATI Technologies. “Already shipping in volume, RADEON XPRESS is poised to catapult ATI into the leadership position for AMD-based PCI Express platform technology.”

In addition to the industry’s fastest integrated graphics solution, RADEON XPRESS 200 delivers a new level of platform connectivity and performance with such features as:

• Broad connectivity through four SATA ports with RAID 0 and 1 support, eight USB ports, one PCIe 16X graphics slot and four PCIe 1X slots
• Rich multimedia with support for high definition audio, onboard DVI and VGA outputs for multi-monitor support and ATI’s LCD Enhancement Engine for improved LCD response time
• High reliability through PCI Express-based Gigabit Ethernet, VPU recover, TPM 1.1 and 1.2 authentication, and support for AMD virus protection
• Support for up to 1Ghz HyperTransport with additional overclocking flexibility

Through supporting end-to-end PCI Express connectivity RADEON XPRESS allows for simplified integration of third party southbridges for specialized solutions.

"The partnership with ATI, the leader in visual imaging, aligns well with our business strategy to increase market share in the PC core logic segment,” said Alex Kuo, president of ULi Electronics Inc. “The combination of ATi’s powerful RADEON XPRESS series of chipsets and ULi’s highly integrated M1573 South Bridges presents a multitude of platform solutions with unprecedented performance and features to support all the latest 32-bit and 64-bit mainstream CPUs.”