Pentium 4 3.46 Extreme Edition and 925XE: 1066MHz FSB Support is Here
by Anand Lal Shimpi on October 31, 2004 3:00 PM EST- Posted in
- CPUs
Intel D925XECV2: Intel's Enthusiast motherboard
For this review Intel sent us their latest motherboard based on the 925XE chipset. Our own Wesley Fink gives his brief look at the motherboard:
Computer users have always admired the speed and stability of Intel motherboards. When testing other boards the standard for stock performance has been Intel brand motherboards. This has been true for both boards based on Intel chipsets and boards based on new competing chipsets. They are measured against Intel performance, as that performance has been as close to a standard in stock motherboard performance as exists in the computer industry.
However, when a Computer Enthusiast shops for a motherboard Intel is rarely on the list for consideration. The reasons are simple - Intel has not offered the kinds of control most performance enthusiasts want. This list of wants includes controls like adjustable memory timings, a full range of adjustable memory speeds, adjustable memory voltage, CPU FSB adjustments, and CPU voltage adjustments. Intel's philosophy has been to offer the safe and accepted options that would not compromise the specifications of the processor and system. This assured the Intel motherboard was not run out-of-spec, keeping failures and RMA's at an acceptable level.
Performance Enthusiasts often seem to care less about motherboard features, but motherboard makers also know a large segment of computer component buyers do care about features like high-definition audio, flexible IO options, RIAD, and flexible storage options. Intel has done a better job in the recent past in addressing these "wants", but the Performance Enthusiast often felt left out of the Intel marketing plan.
This philosophy has gradually been changing at Intel, as we have seen more talk about catering to the Enthusiast in the last year. However, directions for Intel seem to shift frequently, which leads to talk on the one-side about Enthusiast control options on motherboards at the same time the 10% overclock lock is being implemented. This performance schizophrenia also led to Intel calling some very limited efforts in the past an enthusiast board.
All of this leads to the new Intel 925XE chipset motherboard, the D925XECV2. Those who have not been following the evolving interest in the enthusiast at Intel will be surprised to find many of the things Performance Enthusiasts want are a part of the new Intel 925XE motherboard. They didn't come out of nowhere; they are just a continuation of Intel's renewed efforts to attract Enthusiasts to Intel brand motherboards.
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T8000 - Thursday, November 4, 2004 - link
The most important part of this release is the Intel 925XE chipset, that will allow much higher overclocks because of its 1066 bus support.This is because the 925XE will have the right divider to reach 1066 without any PCI-E overclock.
So with a 925XE mainboard, you can run an Intel 530 CPU at 4Ghz with any PCI-E GPU you choose, because only the CPU will be overclocked and Prescott has excellent chances of reaching 4Ghz with modest water cooling or good air cooling.
Odeen - Wednesday, November 3, 2004 - link
Realtek codec on an Intel board... and here I thought Intel actually made quality motherboards, which entails Sigmatel or Soundmax onboard audio chips.Sigh :(
johnsonx - Wednesday, November 3, 2004 - link
Slim: You're right... my bad. I didn't read every single page. I read the couple of introductory pages, then skipped to the test configuration page, perused a few benches, and then skipped to the conclusion.The measured results of course are no different than I thought they would be...
bob661 - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - link
We need to have our own review website called www.dontreleasesh!tunlessitsactuallyabetterproductthan theonebeforeit.com.SLIM - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - link
johnsonx,Anand did isolate the fsb as the sole variable when he DOWNclocked both chips to 3.2ghz (266 x 12 and 200 x 16) on page 3. There was a slight caveat that faster chips would benefit more from a fsb boost. And yes the faster bus increased performance by almost 1% in some tests woohoo!!!
SLIM
johnsonx - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - link
One thing that might've been interesting to see:Overclock the 3.4EE to 3.46Ghz by OC'ing the FSB to 203Mhz or 204Mhz (812 & 816 respectively). This would completely isolate the effect if the increased clock speed of the 3.46EE, showing only the increased FSB performance... at that point I suspect that the tiny performance gains would completely evaporate.
Mind you, I'm not suggesting this would change the conclusion much, but it would put a big exclamation point to it...
BTW, one does have to wonder why Intel bothered with this. If the 3.46EE/925XE combo is no faster than the 3.4EE/925X combo (I'm assuming the 925X=925XE @800FSB), then why go through all the trouble? Indeed, isn't it true that an 'old' 3.4EE/875 combo is faster still?
Good grief, at least when AMD releases a new top-end chip it is actually measurably faster. Regardless of whether the rating is 'earned' or not, no one can argue that the 4000 isn't (generally) faster than the 3800, nor that the FX-55 isn't faster than any other A64.
Tides - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - link
Some benchmarks? Hardly. AMD owns in actual games, workstation apps, and half of the other stuff. Not to mention AMD doesn't make you upgrade to ddr2, and AMD cpus are 64bit. Intel's new chips have low shelf lives while the current AMD 64's you buy will last you a lot longer.Performance, realiability, and long lasting.
danidentity - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - link
IntelUser2000, you couldn't possibly be any more wrong. I will be the first to admit that AMD chips excel above Intel chips in many benchmarks.However:
1. Intel is no where near dead. Calling them so is ridiculous. In Q3 of this year Intel posted revenue of 8.5 billion compared to AMD's 1.2 billion, or SEVEN times as much.
2. AMD is NOT closing "very rapidly" in marketshare. It would appear that way from reading sites and forums like these, but it gives you a false impression. Keep in mind that the largest supplier of PCs on the planet puts Intel chips in every machine. AMD's mobile chips can't compete with the Pentium M in terms of performance and functionality.
3. Intel is not stupid, they have some of the best engineers on the planet. If they seriously thought that AMD was going to topple them as the market leader, or even if they are predicting it, you can GUARANTEE they have something in the works to strike back. They have the means and the money.
4. While many people don't know exactly what clockspeed is, everyone thinks it is the ultimate measure of performance. That mindset will take a LONG time to change, and by then, Intel will have something new.
Most people out there don't even know AMD exists. Just because AMD chips beat Intel chips in some benchmarks posted on technical computer sites, don't mean they're going to topple Intel.
JonahStone - Tuesday, November 2, 2004 - link
Performance is not the only reason why somebody buys a CPU. Although 64 bit might not be available now, does not make it unimportant. Many who buy a computer will keep it for a long time. I do not want to buy a new PC in a year's time to run 64 bit apps. All reviews keep on comparing 32 bit performance and do not even mention the advantage 64 bit will bring. It does matter!!!!!!!IntelUser2000 - Monday, November 1, 2004 - link
Intel is not doing bad. They are doing terrible. So terrible that you might as well call them dead. Probably will last till 2009 before they fill bankruptcy.To those people who say people in forums don't know anything and that there are other people stupid enough to buy Intel chips(I mean all Intel chips): Uhh, yeah, get your head straight, since AMD is closing with Intel very rapidly in marketshare, in server, desktop, and laptop, and that means that gamers actually do make a difference(albeit slowly) making other people buy computers. You think other people will buy P4's because of high clock speed? That's BS, since people who is stupid enough to buy Intel chips don't even know what clock speeds does. There are only a very few that knows computers JUST enough to say clock speed is good.