News Release

VIA Announces Launch of KM400 Chipset Platform, Enabling Further Penetration of AMD Athlon™ XP Platform Into Mainstream Consumer and Corporate Desktop PC Segments

VIA UniChrome KM400 Chipset with enhanced DDR400 memory support, features integrated S3 Graphics UniChrome 2D/3D engine and an external AGP 8X port enabling a variety of different system configurations based on a single motherboard platform.

Taipei, Taiwan, 10 April 2003 - VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced the launch of the VIA UniChrome KM400 Chipset, a 4th generation integrated graphics chipset for the AMD Athlon™ XP Platform. Featuring the new S3 Graphics UniChrome™ 2D/3D engine with MPEG-2 acceleration and DuoView™ extended desktop support, the KM400 is designed to enable a variety of system configurations based on a single mainboard platform, giving OEMs and System Integrators the opportunity to attack a whole range of different market segments while minimising the cost of development and support.

The VIA UniChrome KM400 offers flexible DDR266/333/400 memory support, flexible 200/266/333MHz FSB support, and an external AGP 8X port allowing system designers to disable the integrated UniChrome graphics and employ a discrete graphics solution for gaming and CAD systems. In addition the KM400 features a choice of two pin-compatible South Bridge solutions featuring the latest I/O technologies including integrated dual channel Serial-ATA/RAID, Parallel ATA-133, USB 2.0 and VIA Vinyl 6-Channel Audio.

"The UniChrome KM400 is a flexible and scalable chipset that will create incredible value for our OEM customers and enable the AMD Athlon™ XP platform to make further inroads into the mainstream corporate and consumer segments," commented Richard Brown, Associate Vice-President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "The launch of the KM400, following the recent introduction of the ultra high performance KT400A, cements VIA's leadership position in the design of Socket A chipsets."

About the VIA UniChrome KM400
The VIA UniChrome KM400 chipset features the S3 Graphics integrated UniChrome 2D/3D graphics core with DuoView™ technology for excellent multimedia performance and complete flexibility on the desktop. The chipset North Bridge exchanges data with the CPU through an ultra fast 333MHz FSB and features an AGP 8X controller for graphics upgrades. The KM400 also supports a complete range of DDR memory speeds, including DDR200/266/333, enabling OEMs and system integrators the opportunity to attack different price points based on the same mainboard platform.

The VIA UniChrome KM400 North Bridge is connected to the VIA VT8235CE South Bridge or the new pin compatible VIA VT8237R South Bridge through a fast 8X V-Link 533MB/s connection. With support for Serial ATA in the VT8237R, supplying 150MB/s of bandwidth to your hard drive, as well as support for up to eight USB 2.0 ports, the VT8237R offers the highest possible peripheral performance for professional and home users. In SATA mode, the VIA VT8237R also provides multi level RAID support including RAID level 0 for maximum performance, RAID Level 1 for maximum security, RAID level 0+1 and JBOD. The VIA VT8237R also features support for up to two Parallel ATA-133 devices, extending flexibility to the system integrator by allowing for mainstream or value configurations leveraging the existing technology standard. Additional features include a VIA MAC for 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet connectivity, integrated PCI support, VIA Vinyl 6-channel surround sound AC'97 audio and an MC'97 modem. The KM400 also benefits from the advanced unified VIA Hyperion 4-in-1 driver set, delivering seamless compatibility with the latest software and hardware.

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