Intel Prescott to Emerge Only in Q1 2004?

[Adul]

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/display/20031003092506.html

Sources among Taiwanese mainboard makers state that due to some major issues with Intel?s Strained Silicon 90nm fabrication technology commercial availability of Prescott processors is expected only in the first quarter next year. In December 2003 Intel is very likely to paper-launch its Prescott processors and supply only a handful of such chips to selected solution providers for systems intended for gaming, just like AMD did with its Athlon XP 2800+ processor last year, sources claim.

Originally set to come in the second quarter of 2003, Intel?s code-named Prescott processor is based on the same NetBurst architecture as all Pentium 4 CPUs, but is made using 90nm technology. As a result of some problems with this fabrication process, Intel postponed the release of the chip till the Q4 this year, but, as we see now, the new CPUs will be de facto available in commercial quantities only next year.

 

[thorin]

No big deal, even if they did have manuf problems or whatever they've managed to keep up "the fight" without releasing it so it's all that much better for them to spend time perfecting it, and working out supporting chipsets etc..... Why rush when there's no reason to.

Thorin

 

[grant2]

It sure won't stop people from trotting out the "but 'x' processor has to compete with prescott!" in the AMD v. Intel arguments..

Just look at ATI v. Nvidia, nvidia was late to market to compete with 9700, but still the fanatics kept saying how people should wait for Nvidia because surely their product would be way better!

 

[Rectalfier]

What does anyone need a prescot for anyway? We got the Pentium 4 EE.

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: Rectalfier
What does anyone need a prescot for anyway? We got the Pentium 4 EE.

Do we? where can I buy one right now?

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: BudmanDo we? where can I buy one right now?

The same place you can get a retail Athlon FX. :beer: Just kidding - you can get OEM Athlon FXs no problem.

This brings the whole "the P4EE will be the fastest processor released this year" back into the picture. Many people took that as a claim that Prescott must not have much performance boost over the current P4. But if the Prescott is delayed, then that statement is still true and Prescott may be a decent performer. Who knows at this point though - maybe Prescott is delayed and isn't a good performer.

Intel had really better not paper launch Prescott as well. Along with the paper launched P4EE, Intel will really lose credibility and anger many of its customers. Good news for AMD all around.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Budman

Originally posted by: Rectalfier
What does anyone need a prescot for anyway? We got the Pentium 4 EE.

Do we? where can I buy one right now?

I can get you one.... have to see the cash first though.

 

[Rectalfier]

This is starting to look like what happened when the original Athlon came out. This might even be a worse situation for Intel, as the coppermine held it's ground against the Athlon, except for the paper launched 1.13Ghz.

 

[Accord99]

The P4 3.2 holds its ground against the A64, and the AFXs are too expensive and too rare to seriously threaten Intel.

 

[Rectalfier]

Yeah, but the Athlon will likely scale to 2.4Ghz which would make it a model 3700. Can the Northwood compete with that?

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: Rectalfier
Yeah, but the Athlon will likely scale to 2.4Ghz which would make it a model 3700. Can the Northwood compete with that?

We are talking about the Prescott here not northwood,Prescott will use Intel's .09 micron process and should be able to reach 4ghz IMO.

 

[Rectalfier]

Exactly, we are talking about the delay of Prescot which will leave Intel shorthanded when competeting against the Athlon64. But when Prescot does comes out, AMD probably won't have thier .09 process ready. It swings both ways.