Confused about MOBO

[Tech-sensation]

Hello everyone I am new to this site , and after seeing how nice you people are with helping newbies i decided to ask my question here.

So for a few years now i got interested in computer hardware nothing serious just basic stuff but lately i got even more interested in the hardware so i started searching about how the CPU works how ram works what is the MB made of that kind of stuff .

I learned about the Northbridge (now MCH) and the Southbridge(now I/O CH) and i learned that CPU connects to NB with QPI (formerly FSB) and NB connects to SB with DMI ( learned this through this thread (http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/301053-28-tomshardware)

So anyway while reading the thread i also learned that NB is now integrated into the CPU
and now there is no QPI connection between them now there is only DMI between the CPU and the SB(I/O controller hub)

So i understood all of that but doing more research i stumbled upon something called (platform Controller Hub) ( found that from here) to find out that the SB is now integrated into the PCH and the PCH connects to the cpu through DMI, its frustrating to learn about stuff like the SB and the NB to later find out they were renamed and then integrated

So anyway my 1st question is the SB really integrated into the PCH and the 2nd is my information correct about what i said or is it wrong ?

i know all of this is just basic stuff but you got to start from somewhere don't you!

i appreciate any help you guys give me on the subject and would appreciate any more info

 

[chesteracorgi]

You have to be more specific to get help. About which motherboard/chipset/CPU are you inquiring? Are you talking desktop or mobile, or even SOC? Without being specific, I can help you figure out how many angels can dance on the head of a pin: it depends on whether you are talking about angels in substance or in essence; but it becomes more of a excercise in intellectual onanism. Yes, there are complete systems on a chip, but are you talking PC, notebook, tablet, mobile phone or the chips injected by the government to track your whereabouts? And how do you know that the government will not send a destruct signal if I answer you?

 

[jaquith]

Welcome to Tom's Forum!

There's been progressive steps for both Intel and AMD, portions of the Northbridge (MCH) has been on the CPU die for a period of time e.g. memory controllers (IMC) but the e.g. LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge (SB) including Graphics, are all on the CPU die. Whereas a few Southbridge functions e.g. PCI, SATA, (ICH) -> (PCH) chipset functions, etc have migrated, changed connections (QPI) -> (DMI), or moved to the CPU on the LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge (SB) CPU (e.g. PCIe), but remain not fully integrated. However, supposedly in the upcoming 22nm Haswell this too will be completely integrated (SoC) System on Chip.

The Northbridge is fully integrated into Sandy Bridge.
The Southbidge is not fully integrated into Sandy Bridge.
The Chipsets like P67, Z68 or X79 all have a (PCH) via DMI to the CPU to the peripherals.

Northbridge - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northbridge_(computing)
Southbridge - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southbridge_(computing)

However differences, the LGA 1155 SB only has one clock whereas the LGA 2011 Sandy Bridge-E has (2) separating e.g. BCLK from PCI, USB, and SATA and in particular the SB-E has no (IGPU) on the CPU die.

So to answer your questions, it depends upon which Sandy Bridge.

Diagram Sandy Bridge:

Diagram LGA 1366 + X58: