What chipset allows the CPU to communicate with the hard drive and USB ports?

The choice of the Southbridge chipset as the component that enables communication between the CPU and peripherals such as the hard drive and USB ports is accurate because the Southbridge is specifically designed to manage the input/output functions of the computer.

The Southbridge serves as a hub for data transfer between the CPU and various input/output devices, including storage devices (like hard drives) and peripheral connections (like USB ports). It handles communication with slower devices and controllers, thereby offloading bandwidth demands from the Northbridge, which is primarily concerned with high-speed communication between the CPU, RAM, and graphics subsystem.

In contrast, other components mentioned do not fulfill this role effectively. The Northbridge is primarily responsible for connecting the CPU to high-speed devices and managing communications with the memory controller and the graphics card. The memory controller, on the other hand, is specifically tasked with managing memory transactions between the CPU and RAM. The I/O controller is a more generalized term that could refer to various controllers within the system but does not specifically denote the Southbridge's dedicated role in managing slower I/O devices directly connected to the CPU.