Intel® 946PL/GZ Express ChipsetOverview

Desktop PC platforms based on the Intel® 946 Express Chipset family, combined with either the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor or Intel® Pentium® D processor, deliver innovative capabilities and usages for everyday computing. Exciting improvements bring new capabilities to everyday value conscious users.

The Intel 946 Express Chipset family continues the Intel chipset legacy and extends it to new levels with purpose-built capabilities designed specifically to address the key needs of the home user.With advancements in graphics (available only on Intel® 946GZ Express Chipset), responsiveness and data protection, the Intel 946 Express Chipset family allows your PC to be the center of everyday computing and communication.

Product information

Product brief

File Type/Size: PDF 632KB
Motherboard and barebones selector guide

Compare chipset components

Features and benefits

800/533 MHz system bus	Supports the Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor with Intel® Virtualization Technology, Intel® Pentium® D processor 900, Intel® Pentium® 4 processor with Hyper-Threading (HT) Technology◊ and all other Intel® processors in the LGA775 socket.
PCI Express* Interface	The PCI Express x16 graphics interface supports the latest high-performance graphics cards. The PCI Express x1 I/O ports offer up to 3.5X the bandwidth over traditional PCI architecture, delivering faster access to peripheral I/O devices.
Dual-channel DDR2 667 MHz memory support	Delivers up to 10.7 GB/s of bandwidth and 8 GB memory addressability for faster system responsiveness and support of 64-bit computing.
Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3000 This white paper discusses the next generation of the Intel® GMA 3000 family architecture and how this state-of-the-art hybrid architecture enables new capabilities to deliver more compelling consumer and business platforms. This paper also introduces the Intel® 965 Express chipset family and addresses the supported graphics capabilities of the Intel® GMA 3000 family. New technologies covered include the Intel® FMA) technology, Intel® Flex Memory Technology and the DVMT 4.0. File Type/Size: PDF 189KB (Available only on Intel® 946GZ Express Chipset)	The Intel 946GZ Express Chipset 3D enhancements enable greater game compatibility with software based transform and lighting (T&L), and improved realism with support for Microsoft DirectX* 9.0c, OpenGL* 1.4, and floating point operations.
Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio)◊	Integrated audio support enables premium digital sound and delivers advanced features such as multiple audio streams and jack re-tasking. The Dolby* PC Entertainment Experience¹ is available exclusively on systems with Intel High Definition Audio.
Intel® Matrix Storage Technology◊	On systems with two or more hard drives, provides quicker access to digital photo, video and data files with RAID 0, 5, and 10, and data protection against a hard disk drive failure with RAID 1, 5, and 10.
Serial ATA (SATA) 3 Gb/s	High-speed storage interface supports faster transfer rate for improved data access.

Related products

Processors	Intel® Core™2 Duo processor Intel® Pentium® D processor Intel® Pentium® 4 processor

Packaging information

Intel® 82946PL/GZ Graphics and Memory Controller Hub	1202 Flip Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA)

Maximum visual experience

See how Intel Graphics help you make the most of your visual experience

Premium-ready for Microsoft Windows Vista*

Platforms based on the Intel® 945GT Express Chipset, when configured with memory devices of adequate amount and speed, meet all current requirements for the Windows Vista* Premium OS system logo.

Product and Performance Data

◊¹ Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) requires a computer system with an Intel® processor supporting Intel HT Technology and an Intel HT Technology enabled chipset, BIOS, and operating system. Performance will vary depending on the specific hardware and software you use. See www.intel.com/products/ht/hyperthreading_more.htm for more information including details on which processors support Intel HT Technology.

◊² Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio) requires a system with an appropriate Intel® chipset and a motherboard with an appropriate codec and the necessary drivers installed. System sound quality will vary depending on actual implementation, controller, codec, drivers, and speakers. For more information about Intel® HD Audio, refer to www.intel.com/design/chipsets/hdaudio.htm.

◊³ Intel® Matrix Storage Technology requires a motherboard with the Intel® 82801IR (ICH9R) I/O Controller Hub System. The system must also have the RAID controller in the BIOS enabled and the Intel Matrix Storage Technology software driver installed. Please consult your system vendor for more information.

¹ The Dolby PC Entertainment Experience Initiative* is only available on systems based on the Intel® 975, 965, 955, 946, 945, 925, 915 or 910 Express Chipset. Only boards with either Dolby PC Sound Room Ready* or Dolby Home Theater Ready* or Dolby Master Studio Ready* logo and, systems with either the Dolby Sound Room*, Dolby Home Theater* or Dolby Master Studio* logos are capable of supporting the Dolby PC Entertainment Initiative.

Products

Desktop