ZDNet UK / News and Analysis / Business of IT / IT Strategy

PC makers embrace new Intel chipset

By Michael Kanellos, CNET News, 21 May, 2003 10:24

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

Topics

865, IBM, new, Intel, Dell, DRAM, Chipset, springdale, Gateway, 875p

NEWS
Dell, Gateway and others will release PCs on Wednesday featuring new chipsets and processors from Intel that are expected to enhance the desktop experience. The 865 series of chipsets, formerly code-named Springdale, accelerates the flow of data between the processor and various computer components, leading to richer graphics and better performance from applications such as audio- or video-editing programs. A similar chipset, the 875P, was released in April, but only in a small number of high-end PCs. The new systems will be far more widespread and will start around $799 with a monitor included. Price cuts accompanying the release of the 3.2GHz Pentium 4 will drive further discounts. Dell and IBM are putting the new chipsets in PCs that are around 60 percent smaller than standard desktops. Later this year, the chipsets will appear in PCs using Prescott, Intel's next big chip. "As far as chipsets go, this will be Intel's big piece of news for the year," said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research. Among other benefits, the 865 chipsets let PC makers build desktops with two channels of DDR DRAM memory, a workstation-like feature that increases the volume of data the processor can obtain at once. "You're getting performance bumps all over the place with dual channel," McCarron said. "For the end user, the thing they will notice the most is the dual-channel memory." Additionally, the 865 family's system bus, which connects the processor to memory, runs at speeds up to 800MHz, faster than the 533MHz bus on current Pentium 4 PCs. Similarly, the Serial ATA link speeds data transfer between the processor and the hard drive and requires less space inside the PC. These computers also work with 400MHz DDR DRAM, faster than the 266MHz DDR DRAM found on existing Pentium 4s. The new chipsets will also let Intel bring its hyper-threading technology to a wider audience. Hyper-threading lets a microprocessor perform two functions simultaneously, resulting in increased performance. Although formally released last year, the technology isn't widespread. It is available only on 3GHz Pentium 4 computers, and most computer companies, such as IBM, have not shipped PCs or workstations to the business market with the hyper-threading function activated because corporate customers wanted to absorb all of these changes at once. IBM, among others, is now enabling hyper-threading. On top of that, Intel is shipping three new Pentium 4s -- running at 2.8GHz, 2.6GHz and 2.4GHz -- that bring the Springdale benefits and hyper-threading down toward more moderately priced PCs. These new chips will cost $15 more than the existing Pentium 4s that get matched with older chipsets. There are three different versions of the 865 chipset. The 865G, for corporate PCs, comes with integrated graphics, an 800MHz bus, Serial ATA running at 1.5Gbps, two memory channels, eight USB 2.0 ports and hyper-threading. The 865G will also usher in a technology called the corporate stable-image program. Formerly called Granite Peak, the program will ensure that the software image -- software burned on company PCs -- won't have to change for six quarters, even though the processor has become faster. Nowadays, information technology managers merely buy last year's machines to avoid changing the software image. The 865PE is the same, but it doesn't come with a built-in graphics chip. Instead, it comes with an 8X advanced graphics port (AGP) for connecting to graphics boards. Until now, most desktops have come with a 4X AGP. The 865P, meanwhile, runs at only 533MHz or 400MHz but has the other features. Dell will initially use the new chipset in the Dimension 4600C, which is about 60 percent smaller than ordinary desktops, and the Dimension 4600. The 4600C will start at $999, while the 4600 will start at $799. Gateway will insert the 865G chip into its Gateway 500 desktop line, the company's midrange model. A 500S with a 2.4GHz Pentium 4 with hyper-threading (called the 2.4C Pentium 4), 256MB of memory, a DVD ROM drive, a CD-RW drive, an 80GB hard drive and a 17-inch monitor will cost $999.
See the Hardware News Section for the latest update on everything from MP3 players and PDAs to supercomputing. Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.

Related stories

ATI to go mobile with Pentium M

Pentium 4: More speed in the pipeline

Intel delays new P4 due to 'anomalies'

Intel fixes delayed 3GHz Pentium 4

Intel in a mobile marketing muddle?

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

TerryRK

Well it seems there is something a number of us agree on. Why is the Ubuntu Unity launcher so ugly? I thought perhaps it was something to do with...

4 hours ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Freebies202

Duplicate comments are not made intentionally. Its very good to know that now you are keeping check on this problem because sometimes a commenter...

13 hours ago by Freebies202 on Microsoft fixes blog comments, speeds up blogs with open source
kevinmchapman

"the very significant number of users" and "many (most) of us" - you have no evidence for these statements. It is a fact that most users are saying...

21 hours ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Marg Menzies Harrison

Another grammar faux pas is the improper use of "you". When sitting down down in a restaurant, for example, I get cringe when the waitress...

23 hours ago by Marg Menzies Harrison via Facebook on 10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
zdnetukuser

And NOW, folks, for Canonical's next trick... Kubuntu is late. Here's a pencil. Draw your own conclusions. cf.:...

24 hours ago by zdnetukuser on Linux Minterface
Moley

@kevinmchapman. The discussion here reflects the very significant number of users who really do like the traditional menu system and who wish to...

1 day ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

Er, no... It is an efficient means of finding the application/file/setting you need in one place. The icons are a simply a fallback for when you...

1 day ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

Isn't the provision of a text based search an admission by the developers that the mass of icons approach does not work? I don't need to use a...

1 day ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

"Unity and GNOME 3 both abandon the old text-based cascading menus in favour of a graphical icon-driven system." Point truly missed. Both use a...

1 day ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

whs001 - Thank you, I'm glad you liked the article. I absolutely agree with you on your first point. I should perhaps have made it clearer that...

1 day ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Dennis Nilsson

If we allow corporate interest to dictate the way our government circumvents due process against foreign entities then we should accept the same...

1 day ago by Dennis Nilsson via Facebook on ACTA stumbles in Germany
GHar123

I totally dislike pirating of works, I fear that artists will be deterred from creating works if they think that they are going to get ripped off....

1 day ago by GHar123 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
JCB33

How dare film makers, artists or anybody that invests in creativity stop us pirating their works for free. I want to be able to walk into my local...

2 days ago by JCB33 on ACTA stumbles in Germany
Moley

@GrueMaster. I prefer horses for courses rather than one size fits all. I, and I suspect most other computer users, do not really wish to have...

2 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
greycynic

The product that scares me every time I have to use it is the Office 2007 version of Excel. The first bug that I found was applying the median...

2 days ago by greycynic on Ten flawed products that derail productivity
GrueMaster

Nice review and very informative. One thing I'd like to add (in reply to whs001's 1st question), the main reason to have the same interface from...

2 days ago by GrueMaster on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Frederick Wrigley

I'be been using Mint 12 since the RC came out, and I am far more happy with the Cinnamon, the Mate, and, yes (with extensions), theGnome 3...

2 days ago by Frederick Wrigley via Facebook on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
bdantas

Excellent article. One small correction, though--although a fresh installation of Linux Mint 12 will, indeed, provide the user with a version of...

2 days ago by bdantas on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

2 days ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material
Alan Ralph

In related news, the ISPs club together to get the members of the Home Affairs Select Committee (ya goofed on that part, ZDNet UK) copies of "The...

2 days ago by Alan Ralph via Facebook on MPs urge ISPs to take down terrorist material

Latest in IT Strategy

Heart of England NHS begins massive digitisation plan

Hard-drive woes hit PC shipments in fourth quarter

Featured white papers

Value of a team: Five pillars to strengthen employee culture

Citrix Online

Value of a team: Five pillars to strengthen employee culture

This white paper explores how to define objectives for employees and clients and how the business can benefit from encouraging... Read more

Key trends driving global business resilience and risk

IBM

Key trends driving global business resilience and risk

This IBM research paper looks at how businesses are thinking more about business resilience by improving the ability to adapt to a continuously changing business... Read more

Cloud computing security: A practical guide

SunGard Availability Services

Cloud computing security: A practical guide

Cloud computing has been the belle of the IT ball, but can you trust it to keep data reliable and... Read more

Inside ZDNet UK

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

2012 Predictions: VCE FastPath, VI SAN Probe & Hadoop

BlackBerry Bold 9790

BlackBerry Bold 9790

Make faster, smarter decisions using BI

Make faster, smarter decisions using BI

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Ten factors that make Ubuntu 11.10 a hit

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

Toshiba Portégé Z830-10P Review

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault

BT's archive: Pictures from the vault