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CPUs - a Roadmap for 1999
Here comes a revised version of the Pentium III and...
New Celerons, lower prices from AMD
As detailed in our Q4'98 CPU report, Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are embroiled in an ongoing war to win consumer mind share, with fiercely competitive pricing on processors. Indeed, on Jan. 4, 1999 -- the very day Intel announced its latest 366 and 400 MHz Celeron processors, AMD dropped its prices to exactly match Intel's price on the new chips. In either case, the new processors represent a significant saving over a Pentium II processor. AMD's 400 MHz part is about half the price of a similarly clocked Pentium II processor.
One of the aspects of the Intel Celeron announcement that surprised some was the announcement of a new form factor for the Celeron. Although the 366 and 400 MHz models include 128K of Level 2 cache like the 300A and 333 MHz chips, the new CPUs are available in a square pin package the company calls "Socket 370" that bears a strong resemblance to the old Pentium "Socket 7" design that AMD, Cyrix and IDT have had to themselves since Intel went to the Pentium II's so-called Slot 1 form factor. However, this resemblance is only superficial, as Socket 370 processors have more pins (370, in fact!) and cannot be used in older Socket 7 motherboards, the way competing chips from AMD, Cyrix et al, can. However, some manufacturers, including MSI and Abit, have announced converter cards that can adapt a Pentium II Slot 1 motherboard to accept the new Socket 370 processor. Abit calls its Slot 1-to-Socket 370 adapter a "Slotket."
Why a new form factor for Intel microprocessors? One word: cost. The new Socket 370 chips are less expensive than their Slot 1 cousins. As well, the smaller size of the new format makes it possible to shrink the size of tomorrow's PCs, possibly leading to other savings. At this writing, 300 MHz Celeron-A models had fallen to about C$139 retail, as 400 MHz Celeron and K6-2 parts enter the market. Pentium II prices, too, will drop as the Pentium III (see below) hits the street.
There has been much discussion lately about overclocking, as sources close to Intel say the company is planning to put special circuitry on its forthcoming chips (possibly the Katmai now confirmed to be designated the Pentium III when it is released on Feb. 28th) to completely eliminate or greatly reduce the potential for overclocking. However, we've read a number of reports (see the addresses below) that suggest that the end of the line for overclockers hasn't come yet. At least in initial batches, the Socket 370 version Celerons seem to be at least as overclocking friendly as the current Slot 1 models, which daredevil computer users have found can, with the right motherboards and cooling, easily be pushed beyond their stated limits. However, Intel cautions that, while early samples of the 366MHz and 400MHz parts are not clock locked, production lots will be.
Are you ready for Katmai?
Katmai, as most PC builders know, is Intel’s variant of the Pentium II that was officially be named the Pentium III when it appeared around the end of February, 1999. The Pentium III processors, initially available at 450 and 500 MHz speeds, include improved multimedia capabilities, enhancing both 2D video and 3D graphics with performance boosts averaging between 10 and 25 percent, but according to early testers, will provide only nominal speed improvements in business apps. The new instructions, as successors to Intel's current "MMX" instruction set, are sometimes referred to as KNI (Katmai new instructions); however, their official name is SSE, for Streaming SIMD Extensions. They are perhaps best thought of as Intel's answer to the 3Dnow! instructions in AMD’s popular K6-2. And AMD's not standing still, either. Its next-generation chip, the "Athlon," (AKA the K7), is expected (by optimistic sources) to ship on June 23rd. Note, however, that like the current K6, a system based on an Athlon can't be upgraded to a Pentium III -- or any other Slot 1-compatible processor, for that matter.
So, if you want to leave your options open for a future Pentium III upgrade, the big question is: will the Slot 1 motherboard you buy today be compatible with Pentium III?
Asus says its P2B board will. The motherboard manufacturer has already posted a Katmai-compatible BIOS update for its popular P2B 440BX motherboard on its website at www.asus.com. Abit quickly followed, with a freely downloadable Pentium III-compatible BIOS upgrade for its popular BH6 motherboard. Its new BX6 2.0 board provides similar features. Other board manufacturers, too, are expected to provide BIOS updates that will, News.com reports, allow virtually any BX-class board to be used with the Pentium III.
As well, many believe that the fact that Abit’s popular BH6 board allows custom voltage settings as well as a PCI clock divisor of /4 will allow the PCI and AGP subsystems to work correctly with the rumored 133 MHz bus on a future version of the Pentium III, code-named Coppermine. Intel is expected to utilize an improved manufacturing process to fabricate Coppermine chips with a .18 micron die size, yielding chips capable of running at speeds of 600 MHz or more. Coppermine will appear later in 1999.
Of course, there is always an element of certainty when predicting compatibility with unreleased products. Last minute changes – such as the Pentium III's rumored frequency lock that could spell an end to overclocking -- may affect compatibility with current designs. As well, UDMA/66 issues (see below) may factor into your decision as well.
Will your motherboard be able to support UDMA/66?
With the forthcoming enhancement to the Ultra DMA (direct memory access) hard drive specification known as UDMA/66, inexpensive EIDE mass storage devices are poised to provide performance comparable to much more expensive Ultra Wide SCSI 2 drives. However, UDMA/66, according to a FAQ provided by Abit, is a specification that is dependent entirely on the chipset. The current BX chipset, says the company, does not support it so no board now will support UDMA/66. Abit says the next chipsets, code-named Camino and Whitney, are the only chipsets slated to support UDMA/66. Yes, ABIT is currently working on Camino projects and says it will announce them when the time is right. However, this news does suggest that a new round of motherboard upgrades (or add-on UDMA/66 controller cards) will be likely when the 133MHz bus versions of Pentium III and UDMA/66 devices become available later this year.
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