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| Pentium
III processor in Single Edge Contact Cartridge (SECC2) package |
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| Pentium
III processor in FC-PGA package |
Desktop Pentium
III Processors
Today's mainstream and performance desktop PCs will now offer choices
of new Intel Pentium III processors at 733, 700, 667, 650, 600, 550,
533 and 500 MHz. These processors are currently supported by a variety
of chipsets including the Intel 810E chipset, the Intel 440BX chipset
and the competing Via Technologies Apollo Pro 133.
These processors will also be supported by the Intel 820 chipset when
it ships later this year, and by the Intel 840 chipset, whose power
is currently only being implemented in top of the line Desktop/Workstation
crossover products. With the availability of faster systems at lower
prices, and under-$1,000 3D graphics accelerators, the line between
what constitutes a workstation and what constitutes a desktop is getting
ever blurrier.
The four new
Pentium III chips that have a 133MHz system bus speed (Pentium III/533
EB, Pentium III/600 EB; Pentium III/667, and Pentium III/733) can be
utilized with the 810E, the high-performance 820, or the VIA Apollo
PRO 133 chipset, which supports a 133MHz bus and 133MHz SDRAM. The five
chips with the 100MHz system bus are being used with Intel's current
100MHz 440BX chip set.
For the mainstream performance market segment, the Intel 810E chipset
supports all Intel processors and 100- and 133-MHz performance. The
problem with using the 810e, although it has the fast 133-MHz system
bus, is that it has integrated graphics, which means a lower level of
graphics performance than can be achieved with separate graphics chips,
which is why many manufacturers are instead staying with the older 100MHz
Intel chipsets.
The hoopla over the delay of the 820 chipset is mostly marketing hysteria,
and is being felt largely in the mainstream desktop market. For those
really looking for performance, the 840 chipset is better anyway and
it's here. It will soon be available with the new Pentium III chips
in a variety of workstations. In the desktop market, the 820 chipset
will arrive before the end of the year, which is rapidly approaching.
The question will be whether manufacturers and consumers will buy it
after its uncertain start.
Systems utilizing
the Pentium III/Intel 440BX chipset have been announced or are planned
by Compaq (AP400, AP240, DeskPro EN, EP), Dell (Dimension, Precision),
Gateway(GP-Series), HP (Vectra VEi8), and Intergraph (InterServe 90),
amongst others.
Systems utilizing
the Pentium III/Via Apollo Pro 133 chipset have been announced or are
planned by Micron (Millenia MAX), HP (Pavillion 8595c), and IBM (PC300GL,
PC300PL).
Systems utilizing
the Pentium III/Intel 810E chipset have been announced or are planned
by Dell (OptiPlex), Compaq (Deskpro EN, EP).
For a more complete
listing of announced desktop and workstation systems utilizing the new
Pentium III Coppermine chips click
here.
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