The Northbridge and Southbridge chips make up the chipset on modern computers, controlling communication between the CPU and components. The Northbridge controls faster components, while the Southbridge handles slower traffic. Chipsets determine CPU and RAM compatibility, overclocking capability, and feature support. Chipset manufacturers compete in graphics support, with some designs incorporating both chips or a GPU.
The Northbridge and Southbridge chips comprise what is known as a chipset on modern computers. The chipset is responsible for facilitating communication between the computer’s processing unit (CPU) and the various components on the motherboard, acting as traffic cops and controllers. Because the Northbridge is running constantly, it can get very hot and in many cases has its own heat sink. Other names for the chip include Memory Controller Hub (MCH) and Integrated Memory Controller (IMC).
This chip sits closest to the CPU and controls the fastest components on the motherboard: the CPU, video card slots, and random access memory (RAM). If the CPU cache is on the motherboard, it too falls under the control of the northbridge, as does the southbridge chip. These components are all connected via paths known as buses, which makes the computer’s bus speed an important specification for overall performance.
The Southbridge handles the slower traffic to the computer or I/O devices (inbound and outbound). SATA and IDE hard drive and expansion slots, RAID, USB, FireWire®, Direct Access Memory (DMA) controllers, system clock, power management, interrupt controllers, and audio codecs are all within the control of this chip. It is also called I/O Controller Hub (ICH) or Platform Controller Hub (PCH).
While people are used to thinking that the CPU is the most important element on a motherboard, it’s actually the Northbridge that determines what type of CPU and RAM can be used on the motherboard. The overclocking capability also depends on the chip. The Southbridge determines what features your computer will have and whether or not the latest technologies will be supported. Since only one or two southbridge chips can be paired with a particular northbridge chip, the entire system is essentially based on that chip.
Due to the overriding influence of the chipset, many people choose their computer systems based on the chipset manufacturer who may develop a reputation for excelling in one area or another, usually in graphics support. There is no industry standard for chipset design, driving creative competition between major manufacturers. Some current designs have incorporated both chips into a single die. Another trend is to include a graphics processing unit (GPU) in the chipset, which saves the CPU from having to process the large amounts of data required for high-definition rendering.
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