Intel's 1.13-GHz Pentium III Delayed Again
(10/13/00, 7:37 p.m. ET) By Mark Hachman, TechWeb News
Intel Corp. is entirely reworking the 1.13-GHz Pentium III chip on its own,
delaying the processor until the second quarter of next year.
All of Intel's 0.18-micron Pentium III line is undergoing a new core
"stepping," or manufacturing revision, according to a product change
notification notice sent out by Intel (stock: INTC) and obtained by TechWeb.
A second, newer stepping will be used to fabricate the new 1.13-GHz chip, an
Intel spokesman said.
Such steppings are uncommon, although expected through the course of a chip's
life. New steppings are usually used to fix errata in the chips, or allow
those chips to run at higher speeds.
What is unusual, said industry sources, is that the new steppings are usually
planned to prevent an interruption in the steady introduction of faster clock
speeds.
Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., announced "limited production volumes" of the
1.13-GHz Pentium III in July, in a war of press releases the company has
waged with rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (stock: AMD).
However, Intel pulled the plug on the 1.13-GHz chip at the end of August
after noting an intermittent glitch that could result in data loss.
Observers said the delay makes sense, given that Intel had already made what
hay it could with the announcement of the chip.
"Why bother jumping through hoops with a part that was going to be released
in limited availability?" one analyst asked.
All of the Pentium III microprocessors from 800-MHz on up will be affected by
the so-called "C0" stepping, which has been in circulation for some time now,
albeit in sample form.
The C0 stepping shrinks the Pentium III's die size by 5 percent, also
correcting some latent errata.
Intel's plan is to release the new 1.13-GHz chip in a "flip-chip" FC-PGA
package only, which will use an entirely new stepping, the Intel spokesman
said without elaboration.
The chip will still apparently be manufactured upon an 0.18-micron process. A
second 1.13-GHz chip, the Coppermine-T, is expected a quarter later,
according to sources and other published reports, but will use a finer
0.13-micron process.
The delay will also provide a neat segmentation between the Pentium III and
Pentium 4.
While the Pentium 4 is expected to ramp from 1.4-GHz and 1.5-GHz at its
launch Nov. 20 upwards to about 2.0-GHz in the second quarter of next year,
OEMs aren't clear on the minimum speed of the Pentium 4 at the time.
What this means is that there might be a sizeable gap between a 1.13-GHz
Pentium III and a 1.4-GHz Pentium 4, if it still exists.
That doesn't bother Intel.
"Certainly our focus is the Pentium 4," the Intel spokesman said. "The way I
look at is by market segment. Here's a 1.4-GHz for consumer enthusiasts and
business power users, and it's the fastest thing since a 1-GHz Pentium III."
Before the Pentium 4's launch, AMD, Harrisburg, Pa., will attempt to cut into
Intel's lead.
The launch of the 1.2-GHz Athlon desktop processor and the 800-MHz Duron are
expected soon; according to one unconfirmed source, and the chip is scheduled
to be announced before Oct. 30, the day of the original release of the
Pentium 4.
The chips have shown up on Pricewatch.com and other online retailers for $109
and $519, respectively, on an individual basis; a 1-GHz Athlon now sells for
about $300.
A spokesman for AMD would say only that the chips are expected "shortly."
----------------------------
spidergoolash: "heh, a cup of diesel dan - mwahhha"
me: "heh, a cup of me is like a cup of heaven!"
(10/13/00, 7:37 p.m. ET) By Mark Hachman, TechWeb News
Intel Corp. is entirely reworking the 1.13-GHz Pentium III chip on its own,
delaying the processor until the second quarter of next year.
All of Intel's 0.18-micron Pentium III line is undergoing a new core
"stepping," or manufacturing revision, according to a product change
notification notice sent out by Intel (stock: INTC) and obtained by TechWeb.
A second, newer stepping will be used to fabricate the new 1.13-GHz chip, an
Intel spokesman said.
Such steppings are uncommon, although expected through the course of a chip's
life. New steppings are usually used to fix errata in the chips, or allow
those chips to run at higher speeds.
What is unusual, said industry sources, is that the new steppings are usually
planned to prevent an interruption in the steady introduction of faster clock
speeds.
Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., announced "limited production volumes" of the
1.13-GHz Pentium III in July, in a war of press releases the company has
waged with rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (stock: AMD).
However, Intel pulled the plug on the 1.13-GHz chip at the end of August
after noting an intermittent glitch that could result in data loss.
Observers said the delay makes sense, given that Intel had already made what
hay it could with the announcement of the chip.
"Why bother jumping through hoops with a part that was going to be released
in limited availability?" one analyst asked.
All of the Pentium III microprocessors from 800-MHz on up will be affected by
the so-called "C0" stepping, which has been in circulation for some time now,
albeit in sample form.
The C0 stepping shrinks the Pentium III's die size by 5 percent, also
correcting some latent errata.
Intel's plan is to release the new 1.13-GHz chip in a "flip-chip" FC-PGA
package only, which will use an entirely new stepping, the Intel spokesman
said without elaboration.
The chip will still apparently be manufactured upon an 0.18-micron process. A
second 1.13-GHz chip, the Coppermine-T, is expected a quarter later,
according to sources and other published reports, but will use a finer
0.13-micron process.
The delay will also provide a neat segmentation between the Pentium III and
Pentium 4.
While the Pentium 4 is expected to ramp from 1.4-GHz and 1.5-GHz at its
launch Nov. 20 upwards to about 2.0-GHz in the second quarter of next year,
OEMs aren't clear on the minimum speed of the Pentium 4 at the time.
What this means is that there might be a sizeable gap between a 1.13-GHz
Pentium III and a 1.4-GHz Pentium 4, if it still exists.
That doesn't bother Intel.
"Certainly our focus is the Pentium 4," the Intel spokesman said. "The way I
look at is by market segment. Here's a 1.4-GHz for consumer enthusiasts and
business power users, and it's the fastest thing since a 1-GHz Pentium III."
Before the Pentium 4's launch, AMD, Harrisburg, Pa., will attempt to cut into
Intel's lead.
The launch of the 1.2-GHz Athlon desktop processor and the 800-MHz Duron are
expected soon; according to one unconfirmed source, and the chip is scheduled
to be announced before Oct. 30, the day of the original release of the
Pentium 4.
The chips have shown up on Pricewatch.com and other online retailers for $109
and $519, respectively, on an individual basis; a 1-GHz Athlon now sells for
about $300.
A spokesman for AMD would say only that the chips are expected "shortly."
----------------------------
spidergoolash: "heh, a cup of diesel dan - mwahhha"
me: "heh, a cup of me is like a cup of heaven!"
