Although desktop PC prices continue to fall, the market for top-of-the-line PCs is active. The 875P, code-named Canterwood, will become the new nervous system for these desktops, which typically are priced at about $1,500 (£950) or higher. A chipset routes data between the processor and various PC parts, such as RAM or a hard drive. Boosting the performance of a chipset improves the performance of a PC. As previously reported, the 875P is the first of two new Intel desktop PC chipsets coming out this spring that are meant to enhance Intel-based PCs. The 875P starts that transition by offering PCs a faster 800MHz bus, faster memory and an increased maximum hard drive capacity. Intel said the chipset will provide a significant increase in performance, compared with current products. But the 875P will also be known for what it does not include. The chipset is Intel's first offering in about six months for high-end PCs that does not include Rambus RDRAM. Instead, the 875P includes dual-channel support for 400MHz double data rate SDRAM, or DDR400. "There was a situation where Intel's DDR platform had not been at the level of competing platforms," said Dean McCarron, chief analyst at Mercury Research. "This allows Intel to have an offering for every performance level. It represents a significant improvement in input-output capability" for PCs. Like Via Technologies or Silicon Integrated Systems, which also offer chipsets for Intel processors, Intel chose DDR400. Intel passed over the alternative, Rambus' RDRAM technology, because it wanted to serve the widest portion of the PC market possible, an Intel representative said. At one time, Intel backed RDRAM and expected the memory to proliferate in the PC market. But this has not occurred, due to factors such as a higher price. Another feature specific to the 875P is called Performance Acceleration Technology (PAT), which increases the speed at which data moves between the processor and memory. The 875P will also pack AGP (accelerated graphics port) 8X, which connects the graphics chip to the processor; and Serial ATA, a faster and relatively new way to connect a hard drive to the rest of the computer. But one of its most popular features will likely be an option that allows PC makers to add a technology called RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks). RAID allows two hard drives to pool their storage capacity, turning, say, a pair of 120GB drives into a single storage vessel that equals 240GB. RAID also can be used as a safety net to back up data. PC makers already are planning models based on the technology. Gateway this week planned to launch the 700XL, a new desktop model that will utilise RAID to provide 400GB of storage capacity, using two 200GB drives. Gateway plans to offer a 500GB upgrade in May. The desktop will also incorporate the new 3GHz Pentium 4, 1GB of DDR400 RAM, a DVD burner, a CD burner, ATI's latest Radeon 9800G Pro graphics card and an 18-inch flat-panel display. It will sell for $3,499. A less expensive model without RAID, the 700X, will be available in late April. Dell, which also planned to launch a new 875P-based desktop called the Dimension 8300, expects to include a RAID setup at a later date. The company chose to use an add-in card for RAID, and it is still testing that configuration for bugs, a company representative said. HP, meanwhile, announced a new xw4100 workstation model featuring the chip. The desktop, designed for tasks such as computer-aided design, will offer customers higher performance than previous HP workstation models, the company said. The machine, due in May, will start at $799 for a bare-bones system with a basic graphics card. When beefed up for 3D graphics duties, it will cost $2,500. On the horizon: More chips and chipsets
While the 875P chipset will spawn a number of new desktops, it's really only the start of a transition to new desktop chipsets by Intel. A second chipset, dubbed Springdale, will include many of the same features as the 875P when it's released in May. Springdale will cost less and be available in more configurations, making it the choice for bulk of the Intel processor desktop PC market. The most popular Springdale version is likely to offer the 800MHz bus as well as Intel's current 533MHz and 400MHz bus speeds. It should also include built-in graphics chip. The combination of bus speeds and graphics would allow manufacturers to build a wide range of desktops from the same platform. Intel is also expected, within weeks, to launch a new 3.2GHz Pentium 4 chip as its new flagship desktop processor. The announcement could include price cuts. The company may also add more Pentium 4 processors to its lineup, likely at speeds of 2.8GHz, 2.6GHz and 2.4GHz. These chips will sport the company's new 800MHz bus and include Intel's hyperthreading technology for boosting application performance. Aside from providing a wider variety of clock speeds, the chips also could help increase the popularity of hyperthreading. Some PC makers have been shipping PC and workstation models with the feature turned off by default. The new chips should lead PC makers to tout the technology more actively. Once it begins shipping, the new 3GHz Pentium 4 chip, which features an 800MHz bus, will sell for $417 in lots of 1,000. The 875P will cost $50 with RAID and $53 without RAID, when purchased in lots of 10,000, Intel said.
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