CPU Socket Basics, Part 1 - Intel

**Doctor Feelgood**

Although there are currently only two main players in the CPU market, AMD and Intel, the number of choices is still enough to make the typical consumer's head spin. Each manufacturer has a few different models to promote, and many of these models can be found in a few different form factors (namely, the "sockets" to which they connect) that exclude interchangeability. - The Article

Lazn · Rated PG Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Posts: 1

In the article "CPU Socket Basics, Part 1 â€“ Intel" you state: "The Intel naming system used for the Pentium 4 processors in this class uses letters to represent the frontside bus speeds present. An "A" means 400 MHz, "B" means 533 MHz, and "C" means 800 MHz. So, a Pentium 4 2.4C would offer greater performance than a 2.4B or a 2.4A, despite them all having the same 2.4 GHz clock speed."

But this is wrong.

Originally Pentium 4 CPUs used the Willamette core and ranged in speed from 1.3Ghz to 2Ghz in 100Mhz increments. They were built on a 0.18 micron process, had 256K L2, used a 400Mhz FSB, and came in Socket 423 and Socket 478 packages.

Second generation Pentium 4 CPUs use the Northwood core, built on a 0.13 micron process. They range in speed from 1.6Ghz to 2.8Ghz and come in 400Mhz and 533Mhz FSB versions. They have 512K L2 and come in Socket 478 packaging. Any speed where a Northwood and Willamette overlapped (like 1.6Ghz, 1.8Ghz and 2.0Ghz), the Northwood receives an A suffix. Any speed where both a 400Mhz FSB and 533Mhz FSB CPU overlaps, the 533Mhz FSB CPU gets a B suffix (2.4Ghz CPUs come in 2.4 and 2.4B flavors). The final

The second and a half generation P4 use the Northwood core, but enabled HyperThreading. They range in speed from 2.4Ghz to 3.4Ghz. There is but a single P4 CPU with a 533Mhz FSB that has HyperThreading - the 3.06Ghz. The rest are 800Mhz FSB CPUs. They still have 512K L2 and come in Socket 478 packaging. Based on the latest datasheets, all 800Mhz FSB P4s received a C suffix.

The third generation P4 uses the Prescott core, built on a 0.09 micron process. They have 1MB L2, still use Socket 478, have 533Mhz or 800Mhz FSBs, and use an E suffix to denote their core type when overlapping with 800Mhz FSB parts from the Northwood era. However, they use an A suffix to denote their Prescott cores when overlapping with existing 533Mhz FSB parts. For example, a 2.80A is a Prescott core on a 533Mhz FSB with HT disabled. Based on the latest specification update, Prescotts range in speed from 2.4Ghz to 3.4Ghz. HyperThreading is only enabled on the 800Mhz FSB parts.

This covers just the Desktop P4, not the P4 Extreme Edition or the mobile/semi-mobile parts.

I found this googling about, and pulled it up from an Anandtech Forum.. then verified it on Intel's datasheets.

==>Lazn

bhtooefr · Rated PG Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Posts: 2

Also, what about Socket 479 (which only has 478 pins)?

Pentium/Celeron M, 130nm and 90nm, 400 and 533MHz bus speeds.

dctrparks · Rated PG Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 1

I really enjoyed the articles on cpu sockets. Smile

I've been trying to learn more about computers, and I got alot of help! What do you say to "lazn" ? I was cornfused after I read his reply.... Confused

- Thanks for the lesson-

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Mon, 06 Jun 2005 21:55:41 Post Subject:

I see he is correct on some things, but haven't had a chance to dig through it all. I now know that I (and my editors) missed at least some things, so we need to pay attention before I smoke screen the rest of the community!

Thanks guys... Grin