Existing P4 Chips upgraded to 1mb L2 Cache!!

Flakk

Senior member
Dec 12, 2002
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"At the same time [as releasing the P4 Extreme Edition processor], Intel will enhance the 2.8GHz, 3GHz and 3.2GHz Pentium 4s? 512K L2 cache memory to 1MB. Prices for the new version will stay the same, although Intel has not yet confirmed a transition schedule." - link here

I hadn't heard about that `til just now! That sounds really good. These new chips for the same price as the old ones too. Does anyone know anything more about it? How soon we can see these? How much of an impact on performance will this equate to? Kinda hard to find info on this....

Also, the p4 Extreme Edition raises the L3 cache while these new p4 chips will raise the L2 cache... what difference will that be? Is more L2 better than more L3?

this same thread here also
 

Jeff7181

Lifer
Aug 21, 2002
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That's what they should have done in the first place and not even created an "Extreme Edition"
 

jose

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
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Hope they're available soon.

Flakk, maybe you should post this in the General forum, maybe other members know about this.

Regards,
Jose
 

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
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Originally posted by: Flakk
"At the same time [as releasing the P4 Extreme Edition processor], Intel will enhance the 2.8GHz, 3GHz and 3.2GHz Pentium 4s? 512K L2 cache memory to 1MB. Prices for the new version will stay the same, although Intel has not yet confirmed a transition schedule." - link here

This sounds really good, however wasn't 1MB of L2 supposed to be with Prescott? This looks really bad for Prescott - first we get it's 800MHz FSB and Hyperthreading and now the 1MB L2. However, since no Prescott is available right now, I'll happily take the extra L2 instead :).

I hadn't heard about that `til just now! That sounds really good. These new chips for the same price as the old ones too. Does anyone know anything more about it? How soon we can see these? How much of an impact on performance will this equate to? Kinda hard to find info on this....

I would guess a 0-10% performance increase, mostly around the 5% mark. Probably less than when Northwood got 512K of L2 from 256K but still an improvement.

Also, the p4 Extreme Edition raises the L3 cache while these new p4 chips will raise the L2 cache... what difference will that be? Is more L2 better than more L3?

Both run at full speed. I'm not sure if there's a latency or bandwidth difference, but Intel always has awesome bandwidth on their chips (I think the 512K L2 has a 64GB/s path to the core, whereas the Athlon's L2 has a 4GB/s path I believe). So I think the L3 would be similar to L2.
 

dexvx

Diamond Member
Feb 2, 2000
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L2 Cache is better than the L3 Cache deployed on the current Xeons.

Everything in the L1/L2 has to be duplicated in the L3 in the Pentium4 hierarchy. Thats why the 1MB L3 Cache Xeons arent that big of a deal since 512KB of the L2 has to be in the L3, cutting its effectiveness to 512KB L3 cache.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
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Originally posted by: jiffylube1024
What the heck - you have to be a paying member to see the link? That makes no sense!
Links working for me.
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
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i want a 2.6 or 2.8ghz version for like 150 bucks....

when i see them drop that low (prob not till the .09u die shrink) then i'll prob jump on the extra cache


btw anyone know if sse3 chips will be socket 478 compatible ????

 

Flakk

Senior member
Dec 12, 2002
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Originally posted by: jose
Hope they're available soon.

Flakk, maybe you should post this in the General forum, maybe other members know about this.

Regards,
Jose
yeah, good idea. I posted it in the general forum to get some extra visibility: thread here
 

jjyiz28

Platinum Member
Jan 11, 2003
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Originally posted by: jose
Hope they're available soon.

Flakk, maybe you should post this in the General forum, maybe other members know about this.

Regards,
Jose

arg. dont tell him to cross post. its against the TOS of anandtech.

anyways, check xbitlabs. intel changed its mind. it will NOT release this 1mg L2 cache northwood chips.
 

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
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Originally posted by: jjyiz28
Originally posted by: jose
Hope they're available soon.

Flakk, maybe you should post this in the General forum, maybe other members know about this.

Regards,
Jose

arg. dont tell him to cross post. its against the TOS of anandtech.

anyways, check xbitlabs. intel changed its mind. it will NOT release this 1mg L2 cache northwood chips.

Yeah, saw this in GH too. Disappointing...
 

Duvie

Elite Member
Feb 5, 2001
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The question is what is the usefullness of more then 512kb of l2 cache...will the programs load into it, or will it be like the L3 cache and benefit the gamers but in multimedia we see no real benefit???

Is the L4 shite for real???