Introduction; Processor Road Map - Compaq Armada 6500 - Notebook PC Manual

ECG050/0698
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I
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Intel has announced new 350 MHz and 400 MHz versions of the Pentium II processor. This
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processor was previously known by the code name Deschutes Slot 1. In addition, Intel has pre-
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announced details of the Pentium II Xeon processor, previously called Deschutes Slot 2. The
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Deschutes processors are part of Intel's newest sixth-generation processor family based on 0.25-
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micron technology. Deschutes processors will replace the Pentium Pro as the processor of choice
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for high-end systems and will continue the Pentium II line in workstations and mainstream servers.
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This technology brief outlines the current processor roadmap from Intel, describes the significant
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features of the Deschutes processors, and provides some relative performance information
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comparing the new processors with older versions.
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Note on naming conventions: Intel is continuing the Pentium II brand name to include the newest
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Deschutes processors. Pentium II processors with processor speeds of 350 MHz or more are based
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on Deschutes technology. Pentium II processors with speeds equal to 300 MHz or less are based
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on older Klamath technology. In order to differentiate the newest versions of the Pentium II, this
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technology brief will refer to Deschutes-based processors as Deschutes Pentium II and Pentium II
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Xeon. This brief refers to older versions of the Pentium II processor as Klamath Pentium II
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processors.
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P R
R O C E S S O R
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Figure 1 illustrates Intel's processor roadmap from 1995 into early 1999.
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Pentium Pro
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200 MHz, 1 MB
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August 1997
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Pentium Pro
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200 MHz, 512 KB
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November 1995
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Figure 1. Intel 32-Bit Processor Roadmap – 1995 through early 1999.
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The current Pentium Pro processor is reaching its end of life. Intel does not plan any speed or
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cache size improvements beyond the current 200-MHz model with 1-MB level 2 (L2) cache. The
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Pentium Pro will be phased out over the next year. Intel's strategy calls for segmenting the
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processor market by targeting different processors to different markets. The Klamath Pentium II
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processor was launched in 1997. It was designed to replace the Pentium and Pentium Pro
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processors in the desktop, consumer, mainstream server, and mainstream workstation markets.
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However, Klamath Pentium II processors have several limitations that make them unsuitable for
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. . high-end applications. For example, the processors are limited to two-processor (2P) symmetric
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(cont.)
M
O A D A P
Pentium II Xeon
(Deschutes Slot 2)
400-450 MHz
Mid-1998
High-End (4P/8P)
Mainstream (1P/2P)
Pentium II Pentium II
(Klamath) (Deschutes Slot 1)
233-333 MHz 350-400 MHz
May 1997 April 1998
Pentium II
Xeon
>450 MHz??
Pentium II
>450 MHz??
1999