In the world of high-end processors, there is more than one way to skin a Pentium 4. Ramping up processor clock speeds used to be the primary method of increasing performance, but this entails lower yields, higher core temperatures, and the risk of running up against the limits of the core technology. A far less costly method is to update other platform components, and achieve higher performance in that area, while leaving the CPU untouched.
Intel has done this on many occasions, such as their move to the 533 MHz system bus. This increased overall system speed, while maintaining CPU core speeds. The same technique was used with the E7205 chipset, and it featured a dual-DDR memory architecture that made use of the higher Pentium 4 bus, increased Intel DDR performance levels, and all without raising CPU core speeds an inch. These are what are referred to as "quick wins", or the ability to raise overall system performance while not jumping through too many hoops, or showing your hand too quickly.
Intel's latest announcement actually combines the above scenarios into one killer release. The i875P "Canterwood" chipset supplies a dual-DDR400 architecture, while the Pentium 4-3.0C sports a slightly lower clock speed than its 3.06 GHz sibling, yet makes hay by running on the 800 MHz CPU bus. This Intel double-play is sheer genius, and not only does the motherboard chipset receive a nice performance jump, but the top-end CPU speed is maintained as a result. Even better, the system architecture is unchanged, and the new i875P platform is backwards compatible with older Pentium 4 processors and DDR266/333 memory.
In this review, we'll be taking a close look at the new i875P chipset, its features, support and performance options, while also examining the new Pentium 4-3.0C variant and letting it run loose on the 800 MHz bus. The benchmark results are a rare treat, and we've gone all-out on the configuration, including a set of high-end CPUs and platforms, the Radeon 9800 Pro and even upgrading to a Serial ATA RAID setup. So strap on your seatbelts and get ready to hit the 800 MHz CPU bus in style.
