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Intel to Launch Pentium 4 Processors with 1MB of Cache

malebolgia   on 10 October 2003 - 17:23 · 32 comments & 2036 views

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There are unofficial claims that Intel will add Pentium 4 processors with 1MB of cache into its product lineup later this year. Because of dramatic problems with 90nm Strained Silicon technology we reported about on Friday, the company presumably plans to strengthen its product lineup with Pentium 4 processors running at 2.80, 3.00 and 3.20GHz core-speeds with 1MB of cache to support sales this year amid Athlon 64 ramp. The Prescott 3.20 and 3.40GHz processors with 1MB of L2 are now slated to come in late Q4 2003 or early Q1 2004. Obviously, the first revenue shipments of the Prescott will be made this year, however, the chips will become available massively only early next year, even though there may be some high-end systems for gamers with Prescott heart inside.

What is not quite clear is that, as The Inquirer reports, Intel adds 2.80, 3.00 and 3.20GHz Pentium 4 microprocessors into the product line late this year, presumably at the launch date of Prescott. The chips will cost the same price as the appropriate Pentium 4 processors with 512KB L2 after the price-cut on the 26th of October - $417, $278 and $218 for 3.20, 3.00 and 2.80GHz respectively – but will feature bumping 1MB of cache. The Pentium 4 microprocessors 1M with 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus and the Hyper-Threading technology will provide a free performance boost compared to CPUs available now. Moreover, in the second quarter next year Intel will roll-out its Prescott processors at 2.80 and 3.00GHz offering even more speed at the same price with today’s Pentium 4 with mentioned speeds.

News source: X-bit labs


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#1 leebobs on 10 Oct 2003 - 17:27
Intel are offering free speed MG: WTF is going on... 1Mb cache has to mean $200 on the price of a CPU... Or are they running scared?

:hugs: 2.4C and tell it eveything is going to be ok
#2 xStainDx on 10 Oct 2003 - 18:15
SWEEEEEEEEET!!!!

1MB Northwood's!! YES!!!!
#3 Octol on 10 Oct 2003 - 18:21
That's it! I can't take it anymore! I want one NOW!!
(1 reply) #4 MR_Candyman on 10 Oct 2003 - 18:44
*shrug* uhh...most people will never need that much, as it won't max out often. knowing Intel I doubt the processor will even read the amount it has correctly and only use part of that cache...
#4.1 xStainDx on 10 Oct 2003 - 20:01
ugh. Whats the difference, If the price is the same anyway after the price cut.

Its a Bonus!
(2 replies) #5 Mav Phoenix on 10 Oct 2003 - 18:47
Freaking awesome news! Now will the extra 512K of L2 give more of a boost than the 2M of L3? I know L2 is closer to the core than L3 but does anyone know the answer to my question? I'd still love to know if the Prescott will run on current motherboards, wish Intel would say something about that.
#5.1 vetvoidunknown on 10 Oct 2003 - 19:35
No, 2MB or L3 is faster.

Besides, think about it this way, why would intel sell a 3.2 GHz CPU with 2 meg L3 cache for $925 and have it run slower than a 3.2 GHz CPU with 1 meg L2 cache for $417. THAT IS HALF THE PRICE FOR A BETTER CPU! It would totaly defeat the purpose of the P4 EE.

*Edit* I meant to say "No, 2MB of L3 is slower."

Last edited by 17035 on 10 Oct 2003 - 22:27
#5.2 xStainDx on 10 Oct 2003 - 19:59
actually L3 is very much slower than L2.
#6 sodapop on 10 Oct 2003 - 19:22
This is great news for Intel owners. Bring on prescott!
#7 ANova on 10 Oct 2003 - 19:36
Hmmm, a 1 meg cache P4 2.8 overclocked to 3.4 sounds good.
(10 replies) #8 vetvoidunknown on 10 Oct 2003 - 19:40
I think Intel is just trying to do everything they can to make sure they hold on to their customers. The AMD-64 is really scaring them. They have been stuck at 3.2 for quite a while. Think about it.....

They need to do something before their customers get fed up with buying the same speed processor with different sizes of cache. There is only so much they can do with the cache.

So, now we have:
P4 (400 FSB, 512KB Cache)
P4B (533 FSB, 512KB Cache)
P4C (800 FSB, 512KB Cache)
P4EE (800FSB, 2MB L3 Cache)
and P4? (P4D maybe?) (800FSB, 1MB L2 Cache)

How many customers do you think will get the wrong CPU by accident?
#8.1 xStainDx on 10 Oct 2003 - 20:00
Only those who don't read the box or don't read the manual to their mobos
#8.2 Coolme on 10 Oct 2003 - 20:24
Only those who don't have a clue what FSB and L2, L3 cache is.
#8.3 xStainDx on 10 Oct 2003 - 20:28
and these people usually just buy a computer and not built it themselves, so its a moot point.
#8.4 sodapop on 10 Oct 2003 - 20:43
Same thing can said about AMD also...
#8.5 Gary_Player on 10 Oct 2003 - 22:28
Dont forget the P4 400 FSB, 256KB

they sucked
#8.6 vetvoidunknown on 10 Oct 2003 - 22:29
You guys all completely missed my point.

Point: Intel is doing this CPU cache spree out of pure desperation.
#8.7 xStainDx on 11 Oct 2003 - 00:35
If its desperation so what! another 512KB of L2 for Nothing!
#8.8 ishtar on 11 Oct 2003 - 12:03
Yea just like said they got caught with their pants down ,they have nothing to compete with amd64 so they figured lets give em 512 extra that will make em happy , what suckers
#8.9 linsook on 11 Oct 2003 - 14:06
well u know. if it keeps pushing their prices down? dont u think they'll keep their cutsomers and get more? duh?
#8.10 ishtar on 11 Oct 2003 - 22:45
No it just shows this is their last gasp till they come out with a AMD clone x86-64 and tout it as some new product like their MMX technology , it was supposed to be the next wave the people that purchased it , including my friend got suckered . It didn't any friggen difference if you had it or not , now 3dnow was awesome when it was enabled the performance was staggering so much that my friend got the 350 mhz AMD and never looked back
(3 replies) #9 Labtec on 10 Oct 2003 - 20:48
http://www.digitimes.com/NewsShow/Article3.asp?datePublish=2003/10/09&pages=A4&seq=11 P4 3.2EE for $925??
#9.1 Mav Phoenix on 10 Oct 2003 - 21:08
I think I'll file that under my "no ****" category as it is old news.
#9.2 Labtec on 10 Oct 2003 - 22:43
Is it old news? It was published yesterday & I just read it today.
#9.3 Mav Phoenix on 11 Oct 2003 - 01:33
Was posted on Neowin yesterday too.
#10 slapnuts_ox on 10 Oct 2003 - 21:24
Intel is just scared because the Athlon 64 is making anything available by intel just look horrible. Athlon 64 all the way.
#11 Pzaga on 10 Oct 2003 - 21:38
Wouldn't be too sure about that.
#12 hardgiant on 11 Oct 2003 - 00:35
$218 for a 2.8 Ghz P4 isn't bad and it would probably overclock pretty well. The Athlon 64 and FX are great cpu's but the pricing right now are just not worth it.
(1 reply) #13 Soleen on 11 Oct 2003 - 01:44
oh i wish they added 100mg to cash L2 i would throw my RAM away than
#13.1 Knight' on 11 Oct 2003 - 08:56
I think it will go the other way really, we'll have about 30GB of solid state RAM, so we could put the whole OS in there...
#14 No_Style on 11 Oct 2003 - 16:29
Nothing wrong with refining. Instead of releasing or attempting to release Prescott at a state which is certainly NOT ready. They decide to refine their current product line. It's like the ATI R3XX series. We had the 9700 PRO, 9800 PRO, 9800 PRO with 256 MB, 9800 XT. The performance leap between each one is very minor, but there is a boost from 9700 PRO to 9800 XT.

1 MB of L2 Cache for P4 Northwoods sure sound yummie. I wonder what they'll call it? P4 2.8 D?
#15 JrDZ13 on 11 Oct 2003 - 22:25
when are these all due out? i'm ready for a 3.0 EE if it is indeed $278 and its out before december!

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