Is this 100% true?

[IntelConvert]

I came across this post in TomsHardware forum and I wanted to pass it by you AnandTech gurus for validation:

"A 200MHz T-bird can be used in any of the new 266Mhz-DDR FSB mobos as long as the mobo has an option to lower the CPU-multiplier. All you have to do is unlock the processor and lower the multiplier. That's the only difference between the 200Mhz and 266Mhz Athlons!"

Is this completely correct? And if so, what then is the big deal about the new 266MHz T-birds?

 

[Guilty]

Yes it's true. The big deal is that the KT133 chipset cant do 133MHz FSB, and tests have shown it greatly benefits the Athlon.

 

[etech]

Think about the PIIIE and EB processors. They the same silicon with different mulitpliers that are locked.

As far as I know right now, the report on Toms Hardware is correct. The 200Mhz athlons and durons will run at 266. Apparently it has been the chipsets holding them back.

Hang around and read all the posts from satisfied AMD owners, perhaps you will change your name to AMDconvert.

Guilty, that's the KT133A chipset that does 133, the KT133 is 100Mhz.

 

[pm]

Do you have a link?

First of all, calling it a 200MHz or 266MHz bus is incorrect. It's really a double-data rate 133MHz bus - which is a matter of semantics, but worth mentioning.

Second the timing of a 100MHz DDR bus and a 133MHz DDR bus is different. The second requires tighter pin timings than the first. The only company that can authoritively say "this part can run at 133MHz DDR" is AMD. And they have labelled it a 100MHz part. So they are not the same thing.

My point, and one that the author clearly doesn't realize, is that just because a chip is capable of, for example, running at 1GHz when run at 100MHz x 10 doesn't necessarily mean that it will run at 133MHz x 7.5. The pins of the CPU may not be capable of transmitting and receiving data at 133MHz, and so the transistors in the CPU may be capable of running faster but won't because the pins on the CPU package aren't fast enough.

The statement "That's the only difference between 200MHz and 266MHz Athlons!" is incorrect because AMD has tested the 133MHz DDR parts and is banking their reputation on the parts working at 133MHz DDR. They are the only people who can say that there's no difference between the two. The have the multi-million dollar testers, they have the comprehensive test suite that tests for pin timing and they are the only ones who can claim that a CPU's pins will meet 133MHz FSB timing.

Patrick Mahoney
IPF Microprocessor Design
Intel Corp

 

[IntelConvert]

Ok, then let me pose my last question again "what then is the big deal about the new 266MHz T-birds?" - i.e., why wait for them and (most likely) pay more for them?

 

[IntelConvert]

Woops, Pat slipped his post in before I hit "reply".

Makes good sense to me!

 

[Packet]

Maybe because it would be easier, if you were buying a whole new system to buy a 266mhz over a 200. Kinda same idea as getting a EB processor over a lowerclocked E processor.

 

[IntelConvert]

No arguement here with that reasoning. Now all ya have to do is find a "C" part Thunderbird. Got about as good a chance doing that as locating a KT133A mobo!