Robert,
One thing you have to consider is that Intel killed it's own upgrade market by changing Sockets as often as socks. One platform that was around for reasonable amount of time was Slot 1, and that was long time ago. Since then, it has been a disaster. 3 versions of Socket 370, completely incompatible, now, about year into the life of Socket 423, it is obsolete, replaced by socket 478.
Add changes to FSB, and the fact that Intel CPUs are multiplier locked, an upgrader is forced to upgrade the motherboard, and may just say "to hell with Intel", with their strategy of "instant obsolescence" (TM Win)
By instant obsolescence, just consider the last version of Socket 370, which does not work with Tualatin, Tualatin being the last member of P6 generation is a dead end. Socket 463 was obsolete on the day it ws released, since Intel revealed plan that it will be scrapped. It was launched with RDRAM - and instantly obsolete technology, replaced by another obsolete technology - SDR SDRAM, which the morons who have no clue about computers buy today together with P4. Of course, next came transition to 478 with SDR SDRAM - instantly obsolete, since Intel is switching to Socket 478 with DDR.
So after a year and a half of selling instantly obsolete technology, Intel will finally arrive at one that someone who is not a complete moron may actually consider - Socket 478 with DDR, which should arrive in Q1 2002.
Joe |
