2.2GHz Pentium systems cut a swath
By Rick Broida, Lori Grunin, and Bill O'Brien
(1/7/02)
Today Intel introduces the 2.2GHz Pentium 4--just another speed bump on the highway of computing? Not really. With this release, Intel doubles the level-one cache from 256K to 512K and moves to fabricating its processors using a .13-micron process (code-named Northwood), which is down from .18 microns. The result is an increase in performance up to 30 percent over the old 2GHz chip, which is beyond the best-case 10 percent you might expect to get from just the extra clock cycles.
Whether coupled with RDRAM, as in the ABS Digital 1 and the Gateway 700XL, or DDR SDRAM, as in the MicronPC Millennia TS Professional, the new P4 delivers excellent performance. The three systems reviewed here are all deskworthy. The Gateway 700XL distinguishes itself through high-end components--a 120GB hard drive, DVD-RAM, and an LCD monitor--but you pay more for them. The ABS Digital 1 strikes a better balance between price and features, but it falls short of the Gateway's support offerings. And the most novel desktop of the bunch, the MicronPC Millennia TS Professional, is a good value marred by a couple of minor design irritations. Read on and find out how these three systems redefine high performance. |
