John - Re: "...what is the maximum frequency the socket 7 can support?"
The 233 MHz frequency that you refer to is (I presume) the internal clock frequency of the CPU. The external clock frequency is the system clock which today is 60 or 66.66 MHz (typically) with a few systems at 75 MHz or even 83 MHz.
The external clock drives the CPU chip. Inside the CPU there is a clock multiplier that generates a new clock frequency that is some multiple (1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5...) of the external clock and phase locked to the external system clock. Hence, the internal CPU runs at higher frequency (internally) than the actual system clock.
Outside the CPU, the system clock drives the chip set, L2 cache, PCI bus ( at 1/2 the system clock currently), and main memory.
Thus - there is a "black box" - the CPU- that internally runs much faster than the chips that surrround it - outside the "black box". Any time that the CPU has to communicate with the outside world - memory access, I/O reads and writes, the communication takes place at the speed of the SYSTEM clock (slower) and not the CPU internal clock.
Depending upon process technology and CPU design and cooling mechanisms, the internal CPU clock can go much higher. I think Intel has discussed at least 300 MHz Pentiums that may be possible on a 0.25 micron process - and AMD seems to have the same target.
As for external clock frequancy - 100 MHz is the target for both Intel and AMD in the near future. Of course, the external system components - chip sets, main memory, L2 cache, etc., all have to be capable of matching that speed to provide optimum performance.
Paul |
