• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Can we put the P4 throttling issues to rest, now?

W

Wingznut

Elite Member
If you remember, a couple months ago inquest posted an article about the P4's Thermal Management. Many people jumped on the bandwagon, and slammed the P4. Shortly thereafter, consensus was that inquest was full of crap.

A few weeks later, the schmucks from inquest teamed up with Hardware-unlimited to once again "prove" there was a throttling issue causing poor performance.

Hardware-Unlimited posted a blurb today...

"I would like to apologize to Intel on behalf of our throttling issue dealing with the Pentium 4 1.7Ghz. We thought we uncovered throttling in our original review, however we were testing the GeForce 3 simultaneously and the numbers were mixed up on accident, which made the Pentium 4 1.7Ghz look like it was throttling. We have resolved the issue with Intel, corrected our review, and reformulated the graphs. I would like to personally apologize to George Alfs about the issue, who has helped us work it out and has been very helpful, kind, and understanding. This is a terrible mistake on our part and I am extremely sorry if this caused any suspicion or confusion among our readers. We were not trying to steer you into the wrong direction or mislead you about Intel in any sense."

Btw, I haven't found any issues with Thermal Management either.
 
"Because my experience in the industry has been so utterly disheartening, I have submitted my resignation to InQuest and am searching for another job. I will likely return to programming." --Van Smith (who headed up that inquest article)

Heh, if you didn't lie, then maybe the industry wouldn't be "so utterly disheartening". 😉
 
didn't know it will still an issue...

Sounds like some cover may *ss so I don't get sued comments..."We have resolved the issue with Intel, corrected our review, and reformulated the graphs. "

Do you know if Intel contacted him first?
 
Nice find, hanpan... But I'm thinking that AMD's methods aren't enabled, or simply aren't working so well (considering how easy it is to fry an Athlon, when the cooling fails).
 
We still talking about this???

For people who is afraid of throttling will hurt performance on your P4, there is an option to turn it off in the bios. At least in the Asus P4T. Not sure on other i850 boards.
 
I doubt the issues will be put to rest completely, at least not until InQuest states that it's not an issue as they seem to be the main site intent upon investigating it.
Hardware-Unlimited may have changed their stance, but Inquest hasnt.

BTW, the regular Athlon does NOT feature the "throttling" mentioned at overclockers.com, only the Palomino core currently features that. Which is effectively limited to AthlonMP only at present, besides their mobile lineup.

Personally I don't believe this supposed clock-throttling is much of an issue however.
 
It's called Thermal Management. When the P4 gets too hot, it throttles the clock to 1/2 speed, instead of either locking up or burning up. "Too hot" is a temp well above average cooling. Basically, the only time you might see Thermal Management kick in, is if your cpu fan quits working.

inquest wrote an article about how they could get it to happen, simply by playing Quake 3. They wrote this long article, citing the P4 s-spec (.pdf file) as evidence. Unfortunately they included all sorts of other misinformation. You really ought to read their article and the .pdf file. How they drew their "conclusions" is actually kind of humourous.
 
I'll pipe up as I was one of the people involved in one of the threads about this. I'll go on the record as saying that thermal throttling is not an issue with the Pentium 4. I think that's a lot coming from an AMD zealot.

😱
 

@Wingznut PEZ

what are your actual temps with the p4 when overclocked like in your system ???
i'd really like to know, please gimme an answer
 
Rand - My A7V133 bios has a CPU throttling option. I didn't think this was just to prepare for the Palomino core.

The way I've interpreted the info on the Palomino is that,since it has an on-die temp probe, the CPU itself and activate the throttling. With the current Athlons the throttling has to be controlled by the Motherboard.
 
drewski: That is true.

Clock throttling has been a feature on motherboards since the Intel 486....and it is certainly present on most Pentium motherboards as well. Just go check out your BIOS on any AWARD motherboard....there's an entry called Throttle Duty Cycle.
 
but the P4 does have a throttling issue.

it's throttling the trust towards clockspeed as the no.1 factor in CPU performance 🙂
 
Thanks for the info Wingznut - if you could provide me links (PM if you want 🙂 ) for the stuff you mentioned up top, I'd be very thankful.

P4 throttling - never encountered it. Just use decent chassis & a decent fan - you'll never have a problem. That's my experience with the little blghters at any rate. Has anyone other than InQuest actually SEEN this happen?
 
So - I found the Hardware-unlimited site by myself - by InQuest is proving to be a ah heck - anyone here have the site?

Would appreciate it. Thanks 🙂.

I'm sure I was there once, to read this article, but don't seem to have it's site addy anymore... Pls help 😀.

Thanks.
 
Thanks Pez for the hard work. Damn people loved jumpin' all over this crap didn't they? 🙂

"All I want is for someone to duplicate the tests!"

Name the person who spoke (over & over again) this famous quote...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top