Intel is making serious efforts to boost CPU-integrated graphics performance using homegrown architectures, without having to borrow/license any technologies from the other two major players in the PC graphics business that have technological edges over Intel, and hence make high-performance discrete-GPUs (NVIDIA and AMD). Intel's architecture that succeeds Ivy Bridge, codenamed Haswell, will be at the receiving-end of a significant advancement in GPU performance.

We know from history, that Intel carves out variants of chips using a common silicon, by toggling the amount of L3 cache available, number of cores, and even number of iGPU shaders, apart from other natural handles such as clock speeds, voltages, and feature-set. With Haswell, the highest iGPU configuration will make use of a 4th-level cache (L4 cache), that sits on the package, while not being a part of the Haswell silicon. The Haswell silicon will instead be placed on a multi-chip module (MCM) along with a separate die that holds this L4 cache. The L4 cache will serve as a fast memory for the iGPU, while reducing or completely offloading the iGPU's dependency on the system memory as a frame-buffer (UMA).

Foxconn's newest entry to the HTPC crowd is the Cinema. Part of its Digital Life series of lifestyle products, the Foxconn Cinema is a micro-ATX motherboard based on the AMD 785G + SB710 chipset, supporting socket AM2/AM2+/AM3 processors from AMD, with support for DDR2-1066 memory. The ATI Radeon HD 4200 class integrated graphics processor (IGP) makes it capable of smooth full-HD video playback, accelerated by the IGP. The IGP is further aided by 128 MB of Sideport memory.

Video connectivity options include D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI. On the audio front, apart from the audio that Radeon HD 4200 provides over HDMI, the board's 8-channel audio CODEC supports Dolby Digital and DTS decode. Expansion slots include two PCI-E x1, and one each of PCI-E x16 and PCI. Connectivity options include gigabit Ethernet, USB, and FireWire. The Foxconn Cinema comes in two variants, Deluxe and Premium. The difference between the two is minor - a heatsink over the 5-phase CPU VRM for the Deluxe variant. While the Cinema Deluxe is priced at 11,680 JPY (US $125.5), the Cinema Premium goes for 10800 JPY (US$ 116).

BIOSTAR MICROTECH INT'L CORP., a professional manufacturer of motherboards today announced the TA790GX A3+, the first AMD "Dragon Platform" qualified motherboard with next generation AMD AM3 Phenom II processors support.

The Phenom AM3 processors are able to support up to DDR3 1600MHz memory speed (when equipped with AMD 790FX northbridge), the TA790GX A3+ offers Dual x16 PCI-E 2.0 graphics interfaces to deliver up the latest ATI CrossFireX support for the ultimate gaming platform.

AMD has taken steps towards providing its next embedded CPUs with the introduction of a core-logic platform that suits its thermal envelopes, while providing the kind of features essential to embedded platforms today. Its direct implementation could be the embedded low-power Athlon single and dual-core processors that could make it to UMPCs, nettops, and the likes.

The embedded processors will come in the ball-grid array package, and a reduced board footprint (package-size). At the heart of this core-logic is the AMD 780E northbridge. It is a reworked 780G chip with reduced thermal footprints. It will provide the CPU with a HyperTransport 3.0 (up to 5.6 GT/s) connection. This northbridge embeds a ATI Radeon HD 3300-class integrated graphics (IGP) which is AMD Sideport-capable. This adds the provision of adding DDR3 memory chips on the board to serve as video-memory. The northbridge provides an A-Link 2.0 connection (PCI-Express 2.0 x4) to the AMD SB7x0 class southbridge. The northbridge also features a native PCI-E multiplex to allow ATI CrossfireX with two PCI-E 2.0 x8 electrical connections. The SB7x0 southbridge provides up to six SATA II channels, 12 USB 2.0 connections, HD Audio, among others.

IN the past few months, an interesting set of Mini-ITX motherboards made it to the market. There are two primary classes of ITX boards: embedded CPU and those with CPU sockets. VIA and Intel have boards based on their small-footprint embedded processors, while others made innovative solutions with CPU sockets. The Minix-ITX, an AM2+ socket based ITX board, took it to the next level with a motherboard that fulfills most requirements of HTPC users.

Magic Pro, a Chinese company that concentrates on Asian markets has now come up with another solution based on the AMD 780G chipset. The board, MP-NC81 comes with 128 MB of Sideport memory to assist the integrated graphics processor (IGP) that's housed in the 780G chipset. The IGP supports UVD, it accelerates H.264, VC1 and MPEG2 1080p playback. It comes with SB600 southbrige which routes to four SATA II ports with RAID support. The board features a single SO-DIMM slot to hold notebook DDR2 memory. It supports AM2+ processors with TDP of up to 95W. A striking feature however, is that the board optionally ships with a wireless ethernet riser-card, much in the same way as some high-end motherboards from ASUS do. The riser card is said to support 802.11n standard.