The Pentium 4 2.8GHz Processor
Intel ups the ante once again

By, Dave Altavilla
August 26, 2002

 
Please take note of our systems specs for both the Intel and AMD test platforms.  Comparable system components were used in each system and a clean install of Windows XP was setup before each run of benchmarks.

HotHardware's Test Systems
Fast and furious

Intel Platform:
Pentium 4 Northwood Processors at 2.4GHz, 2.53GHz and 2.8GHz
Motherboard and RAM Config
Iwill P4R533-N Motherboard
512MB of Samsung PC800 RDRAM
512MB of Samsung PC1066 RDRAM
Other Hardware and Software:
NVIDIA GeForce 4 Ti 4600
On-Board Sound
IBM DTLA307030 30GB ATA/100 7200 RPM
Windows XP Professional
Direct X 8.1
NVIDIA Detonator 4, version 28.32
Intel Chipset Driver  v4.00

AMD Platform:
Athlon XP 2100+, Athlon XP 2600+
Motherboard and RAM Config
EPoX 8K3A+ VIA KT333 Motherboard (2600+)
Gigabyte GA-7VRX KT333 Motherboard (2200+)
512MB of PC3200 DDR RAM @ CAS 2
Other Hardware and Software:
NVIDIA GeForce 4 Ti 4600
On-Board Sound
IBM DTLA307030 30GB ATA/100 7200 RPM
Windows XP Professional
Direct X 8.1
NVIDIA Detonator 4, version 28.32
VIA 4-in-1 Chipset Driver v.4.42


 

Pentium 4 Northwood - 2.8GHz
We're in 3GHz territory

CPUID and Hardware Temp Monitor - Click images for full viewing
 

   

CPUID shows the 2.8GHz Pentiurm 4's 133MHz System Bus with a 21X multiplier.  Additionally, we ran hardware monitor on an Asus motherboard we have in the lab and recorded an amazingly chilly 34C core temp.  We were skeptical of this figure, so we decided to load the system down with a Prime 95 burn in run.  After about 5 minutes the core did reach nearly 47C, so it seems the readings we were getting are at least somewhat accurate.  This new stepping seems to run cooler than any Northwood we've seen to date.  However, again Intel reported to us that there shouldn't be much of a difference in operating temp with the 2.8GHz chip. 

So, let's see what happens where the rubber meets the road, in our overclocking tests.

Overclocking The Northwood
We hit 3GHz but not fully stable

Although Intel of course doesn't recommend overclocking as a general rule, the fine art is so commonplace today in the enthusiast market, that it almost seems like "everyone" is doing it.  Here's what our the 2.8GHz Pentium 4 we had in the lab could achieve, with a little coaxing.

CPUID @ 3.15GHz and Sandra's Processor Tests @ 3.15GHz. - Click images for full view

3.150GHz  

   


3.150GHz -
Sandra Tests


CPU Test

Multimedia

Memory

With the Front Side Bus set to 150MHz, the 2.8GHz Pentium 4 clocked in nicely at 3150MHz or 3.15GHz.  The memory bus was heavily overlocked at an RDRAM 1.2GHz clock (600MHz X 2).   As you can see, the chip at this speed smokes every other reference system in the Sandra suite.  However, it was interesting to note that the 2.4GHz overclocked Athlon from our 2600+  review edges out the Pentium 4 in these synthetic Sandra tests.  As you are aware however, Sandra scores are hardly indicative of real world performance but instead just another metric for reference only.

SiSoft Sandra Benchmarks
Stock speed light duty benchmarking

Here are the rest of the Sandra scores for the 2.8GHz Pentium 4.  These were taken at the stock 2.8GHz clock speed with PC1066 RDRAM.

CPU 2.8GHz

Multimedia 2.8GHz
Memory 2.8GHz

Once again, the new Pentium beats out any reference system on the charts here but fails to out perform our AMD Athlon 2600+, at stock speed in the Sandra tests, from last week.  Is this a sign of things to come?  Will the Athlon XP 2600+ beat out a 2.8GHz Pentium 4?  Click next and your questions will be answered.

 

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