Intel's Pentium 4 in 2003: Life gets complicated

IT'S GOING TO BE HARD for system integrators and end users to figure out which Pentium 4 CPU and system to buy next year as chip giant Intel presses ahead with a complicated set of plans involving faster system buses, smaller chip processes, higher clock speeds, extra implementations of its hyperthreading technologies and new and different chipsets in 2003.

So we thought we'd try and tease out the details from the most recent roadmaps we've seen.

To do that, we have to separate the plans for the Pentium 4 into different categories.

Hyperthreaded Pentium 4s -- 800MHz bus

Price	Q2 2003	Q3 2003	Q4 2003
$1500+	3.20	3.20+	3.40+ (90nm)
$1300+	3, 2.80	3, 2.80	3.20+
$1000+	2.60	2.60	3, 2.80
$800+	2.40	2.40	2.60

This table shows Pentium 4s which have hyperthreading enabled and also include the 800MHz system bus Intel will adopt in Q2 of next year.

During this period, Intel will continue to sell Pentium 4s which are not hyperthreaded enabled and which support the 533MHz system bus. For example, in Q2, it will still be selling 2.80GHz, 2.66GHz, 2.53GHz, 2.40GHz, and 2.26GHz chips which don't support hyperthreading.

In Q3, the 2.26GHz Pentium 4 without hyperthreading will still be sold, as well as the 2.53GHz and 2.40GHz P4s. By Q4 of next year, Intel will have introduced its 90 nanometer (Prescott) desktop chip, and the the only P4s without hyperthreading and using the 533MHz system buses will be the 2.80GHz, the 2.66GHz and the 2.53GHz microprocessors.

The 400MHz system bus will disappear quite early next year.

The "old" Pentium 4s will require different chipsets from the new hyperthreaded CPUs.

Canterwood Chipset
This chipset is launched in Q2 of next year and includes backward support for the 533MHz front side bus, dual DDR 400/333 with memory in "turbo mode", AGP 8X, Serial ATA and CSA support. This is being positioned as the top of the range, "performance" chipset, and will displace the 850E.

Springdale G
This "mainstream" chipset supports the 800MHz system bus, has integrated graphics, supports DDR 400 memory and uses Intel's "stable image" technology. It displaces the 845GE chipset.

Springdale PE
Supports 533/400MHz system buses, but adds support for the 800MHz system bus, dual DDR 400, AGP7X, Serial ATA, and CSA.

Springdale P
Only supports 533/400 system buses, dual DDR 333, AGP8X, CSA and Serial ATA. Both this chipset and the one above will displace the 845PE chipset currently in production.

The 845GV will continue to support the non-hyperthreaded Pentium 4s throughout the whole of next year.

Currently, the top of the range Pentium 4 at 3.20GHz, and which supports 800MHz system buses and hyperthreading is set to cost $637/1000 at launch time.

It's obvious that Intel will use hyperthreading as its major marketing tool during 2003, combined with speed ratings for CPU frequencies, but it will be interesting to see how it positions the 800MHz system bus, for launch in Q2 of next year.

Why is that interesting? Because if you're going to buy a desktop PC from a vendor, you are going to have to specify exactly what kind of system you want. Intel will charge more for the HT and 800MHz bus for their Pentium 4s, and will undoubtedly claim big performance boosts for this technology, so that means if you're buying, you will have to take much greater care to specify the system you want. µ

See Also
Comprehensive guide to Intel's plans in 2003