Intel's G41 refresh is actually G45 with HDMI

COMPUTEX 2009: We reported last week that Intel will drop all its socket LGA775 chipsets come September's launch of Core i5/P55 products and only leave itself with the G41/P43 chipset to tide these CPUs over into next year.

However, without a native Digital output like DVI or HDMI Intel would not receive Windows 7 WHQL certification.

J&W has informed bit-tech that its G41 refresh (and others) will actually be a rebranded G45 chipset with an Intel GMA X4500 graphics core, but also with digital TMDS integrated into the core as well in order to obtain that allusive Microsoft WHQL. It should also mean cheaper and more capable boards for HTPCs, but we're not yet sure if the G41 will have all the G45 features such as ClearVideo HD.

The motherboard manufacturer's JW-IG41M-HD is a micro-ATX board with 7.1 Channel High-Definition surround sound, HDMI, DVI and VGA out (but we are not sure how many digital outputs can be used at one time), PCI-Express x16 and just five SATA - one is nestled behind the rear I/O - and two DDR2 memory slots.

Hopefully the P43 refresh will just be a cheaper P45? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.