Another important piece of this Intel product announcement is the updated Intel 850E chipset. This chipset is basically a revision to the powerful i850E, which certifies its use at a 533 MHz front-side bus and with PC1066 RDRAM. Other than support for USB 2.0, the other specifications such as ATA100, AGP 4X and four RIMM sockets remain unchanged. Another constant is the rock solid performance and stability of the i850E. Throughout the entire test period, the Intel D850EMV2 motherboard was a joy to use, from the initial Windows XP install and right through the stress testing and benchmarking we subjected it to.
The release of the i850E should also ring the dinner bell for many tweakers and overclockers. One of the main complaints regarding the original i850 was that it had grown a bit long in the tooth, and other DDR chipsets had passed it by. When choosing a platform for a potential Pentium 4-1.6A GHz overclock, the i850 usually was not even on the list. Once high-profile i850E motherboards really hit the market, it will be interesting to see what sort of performance options become available. And let's not forget the currently low RDRAM prices and the effect this may have on buyers.
Our Intel D850EMV2 reference motherboard allowed synchronous or asynchronous memory/FSB speeds, although these were unfortunately assigned using an auto-detect routine. Still, the option exists for a 533 MHz Pentium 4 running at PC800 speeds, and potentially overclocking your RDRAM to PC1066 may also be an option in some serious enthusiast motherboards. We'll have to wait for the retail boards to start trickling in, but the i850E is certainly an impressive chipset and the presence of a true 533 MHz FSB also makes it an intriguing performance option for Pentium 4 overclocks.
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