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Intel Tualatin Processors and Motherboard Support?
IntelIntrique asks: "I became intrigued when I learned about the new P3 Tualatin processors with a 512K cache, but was disappointed to learn that they require specific new motherboards to support the chips (Intel claims voltage changes). However, HotHardware features a review where they use one of these new processors in an Intel D815EEA2 motherboard, one that Intel shows as not supporting the new processor. What gives?"
"I have an D815EEA2, and I'd love to grab one of these new processors, but not if it means buying a new motherboard. Is Intel trying to prevent existing motherboard owners from cashing in on this new super chip? Are there any other slashdotters who have tried these new P3's in older motherboards with success? I'm mainly concerned with people using the processors in Intel boards, since it seems as though Intel would be in a unique position to know what types of new chips might be around the corner, and build unofficial support into early board revs."
Intel has several different versions of the Tualatin, the 256K cache version for the desktop, and the 512K cache versions, one for the mobile segment and one for the lower-end workstation/server market. The Tualatin processors require a different stepping in the 810 and the 815 chipsets to support the new voltages as well as a new revision of 1.25V GTL versus 1.5V GTL+ used in the original Pentium III processors, which aren't compatible. More information about this can be found in the Pentium III-S Datashet here.
As far as motherboard compatibility, I think Intel didn't want the 512K version of the Tualatin (aka the Pentium III-S) to flow through the retail/desktop channels because in a lot of cases, it performed better than their lower end Pentium 4 processor line. That's also the reason why Intel has slowed/stopped production of Pentium 4 processors below 1.6Ghz and will halt production of the desktop version of the Tualatin and shift the current desktop Tualatin into the Tualatin-based Celeron (but without data pre-fetch and only at 100Mhz FSB). More information can be found at the regular sites: Anandtech, Aces Hardware, Tom's Hardware.
No, it's called a marketing mistake. They should have been truthful in advertising, and then they could have been raking in the dough on the new P3, but now they have to cripple it to save face. It's not capatilism, It's stupidity.
.5 watts. The good thing is that they're playing it right in the corporate/embedded space where they know they can't pull the wool over people's eyes. Intel would have been in serious trouble if they had actually canned the P3 completely. They would have lost alot of business to IBM and Motorola and been left with only the rapidly declining consumer market.
It's especially unfortunate, bucause it'll be a long time if ever before we see another processor that is both as fast as the new P3, and uses only
It says that the chip they reviewed had only a 256K cache, and that 512K would come in future versions. Without 512K, the chip is compatible with current motherboards.
The part might work in the non-specified board, but if you take another of the same part and board, it might not.
It's not "supported" because Intel didn't spend on the testing to ensure that it's supposed to work at levels that don't cost Intel a lot of returns.
They changed the voltages on the part to get some other benefit (lower power, more speed, better yield, whatever), and couldn't guarantee the old boards would work, so they designed a new board.
It's not that big a deal (unless you think it is) because people who pull their CPU and replace it are relatively few and far between.
--Blair