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Intel 800 MHz FSB Processor Family Review
David writes "Techware Labs recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Intel's new 800 MHz front-side bus (FSB) processor family. The review includes a overview of the features in this processor family, Intel's new Springdale and Canterwood chipsets, and an analysis of processor scaling within this family. The article focuses on how the relationship between CPU and video card affect various aspects of performance."
LOL @ Intel Ad saying Targeting This: Pentium 4, Xeon, Itanium when it's clear we should be targeting this new processor instead.
Hey buddy, people in the Congo want to know when they get their US intervention. What's that? No, they don't have oil...hey! Where are you going?
Seriously, this looks like a decent processor, with a reasonable chipset to go with it. I'm a bit concerned with Intel opting (again!) for overclocking hardware, rather than improving it. Especially when they keep insisting that overclocking is hazardous to the hardware, and make every effort to stop other people doing the very same thing.
The 800 MHz FSB is just an overclocked 200 MHz FSB. Given that AMD just has to build a real 400 MHz, overclocked only once, or a real 800 MHz FSB to flatten Intel's offering, this is a chancy way to go. It was a reasonable gamble with the 486DX range, because there wasn't much competition on the chipsets. Anyone remember the 486DX-50? That was a raw 50MHz chip, no overclocking, that outperformed the 486DX-66 with ease. The supporting hardware was too expensive, and Intel never bothered working on making it cheaper. It was much more cost-effective to just keep overclocking the DX-33 further and further.
Today, it's a different story. AMD isn't dependent on Intel, the way Cyrix and the other Intel-clones were in the 486 days. This is a tougher fight, and it's one Intel is losing, every time someone produces a faster processor or chipset. (Or even just a more reliable one.)
Having said that, this looks a great system, and one that may well contribute to Linux being in more of the top 500 supercomputers.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)