New ATI Technologies and Nvidia chipsets are expected to hit the OEM and SI (system integrator) markets during the second and the third quarters of this year, according to Taiwan motherboard makers.

ATI will release its RS482 and RC410 next-generation integrated PCI Express (PCIe) chipsets for the Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Intel platforms this June. The company will also debut its new southbridge, the SB450, which will include high-definition audio.

The chips will be built using a 0.11-micron process and ATI plans to price them below US$30, the motherboard makers stated.

In addition, ATI will introduce two high-end chipsets supporting its dual graphics card Multi-Rendering platform to compete with Nvidia?s nForce4 SLI (scalable link interface) platform, motherboard makers indicated. The RD400 for the Intel platform will be available by the third quarter of this year, said the makers, adding that ATI will launch its RD580 for the AMD platform soon after that.

Nvidia is also scheduled to ship its entry-level chipsets for the Intel platform, the C51-series, in the middle of the third quarter, motherboard makers indicated.

ATI and Nvidia both declined to comment on the report, as their respective new products are not yet in the market.

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