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Pentium 4/Prescott Upgrade Path Strategy?

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bcatwilly

New Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2003
Hi all,

I am ready to upgrade my PIII 733MHz for video editing primarily and want your inputs on my proposed processor upgrade path. I am well aware that this is all guesswork somewhat, but many of you have much more experience and knowledge of how this stuff works. Thanks in advance.

So I have read great reviews of the Pentium 4 2.4GHz 800MHz FSB chip, which is currently available at places like newegg.com for about $170. I know that it apparently overclocks to 3.0GHz pretty easily (even with stock cooling as I will start off with). Intel's next round of desktop CPU price cuts is expected about 10/26 (per web sites such as theinquirer.net). My first question is how long do you think this particular chip will be available for purchase? And will it drop in price in October or be discontinued so that it may only be available at an increased price for a while? FYI, the 2.8GHz chip was still supposed to be about $218 after the October price cuts.

Secondly, I know that there has been much discussion on various forums about motherboard compatibility with the next Intel processor, Prescott. I would like to buy a motherboard that guarantees compatibility so that I have a ready made upgrade path to an increase of more than a GHz in processor speed and chip improvements (1MB cache over 512K for instance). Abit is supposedly coming out with a motherboard tomorrow (per xbitlabs.com) that will guarantee Prescott compatibility.

My question to those of you with more experience would be whether the first couple iterations of the Prescott chip that will be Socket 478 (hence compatible) are likely to ever be available (say in a year or so) at a good discount price (closer to the $170 I want to pay for the 2.4GHz)? Or since Intel will be changing over relatively quickly to a new socket type, PCI express on mainboards etc. mid next year or so, will these only ever be available at a relatively marked up price?

Looking forward to your replies.

Thanks,
Chris
 
the 2.4c is officially gone when the next price cut happens. bottom of the line will be the 2.6c so if you want a 2.4c you should get it fairly soon.

there will still be chips left like when the 1.6a was discontinued but prices will go up on them.

i think by december we should have a prescott that is in the affordable range of 150-225, if not earlier.
 
Thanks, Prescott 478 follow up

Yeah, I assumed as much about the 2.4GHz being gone when the next round of price cuts comes.

To clarify on the Prescott and what you said "i think by december we should have a prescott that is in the affordable range of 150-225, if not earlier."

You must mean December 2004, and I am really only interested in whether the Socket 478 versions of Prescott will ever be available in enough volume at the right time to pick it up in that time frame for the price range you state. My concern is with the whole change to another socket next year for the Prescott and whether this will make the 478 versions effectively discontinued so quick that they are only ever available at a high price point or something?

Thanks again for any inputs.
 
if the prescott (3.4ghz) comes out around Oct. then you may see another price drop on the 2.8c...say at or just below $200.

also, just like the 800 bus chips...
maybe one month after the 3.4 prescott hits, lower speed (better OCing) prescotts may show up. say, 2.8-3.2, all prescotts.

Dec.-Jan. may be the next time you'll see prices fall....
even if intel doesn't have a major price drop.

you may well get a 2.8 prescott for $230.....not bad.
but don't hold me to this.

I'm looking at the 3.2ghz prescott....250fsb and 1/1 mem ratio for 4.0ghz goodness. (if it can go to 280fsb, then I'll run at 5/4)
I may have to wait untill Jan.-Feb.

btw, just like the P3, the newer prescotts will also come in the 478 flavor.
they may not be as good an OCer as the new form factor ones...
but the real need for a new mobo, may not be as important as you think.

mica
 
Last edited:
Re: Thanks, Prescott 478 follow up

bcatwilly said:
Yeah, I assumed as much about the 2.4GHz being gone when the next round of price cuts comes.

To clarify on the Prescott and what you said "i think by december we should have a prescott that is in the affordable range of 150-225, if not earlier."

You must mean December 2004, and I am really only interested in whether the Socket 478 versions of Prescott will ever be available in enough volume at the right time to pick it up in that time frame for the price range you state. My concern is with the whole change to another socket next year for the Prescott and whether this will make the 478 versions effectively discontinued so quick that they are only ever available at a high price point or something?

Thanks again for any inputs.
remember the 800fsb chips... the 2.4c from the start was only about 230-240. it only took a month or two to drop to 200 and now 3-4 months later its at 175. the prescotts will arrive in sept-oct and will probably initially have just the 3.2ghz then they will fill the line in the next couple weeks. this is to get all the power hungry people to buy the 3.2 even though the others are very likely ready at that time. after the others are released prices will be similar to when the 800fsb chips were released. i predict the low end prescott will be 250 at launch. give it a couple months and we'll see them around 210-220. just in time for xmas! :)
 
hmm makes me think ifI should wait till it is released and the new mobos are out.

What I was going to get was a Asus P4C800-E which I read some where was Prescott compatialble ( True or not ? ) and a 2.4c P4 and upgrade to the Prescott when prices have dropped on it . :(
 
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