Intel pushes Pentium II to 333MHz

Electronic News, Feb 2, 1998 by Jim Detar

Santa Clara, Calif.--Intel's introduction of a 333MHz Pentium II microprocessor for desktop systems last week raises the high end of the company's speed level by a little more than 10 percent, from the previous high 300MHz internal operating frequency version introduced when Intel debuted the Pentium II family last spring (EN, May 12, 1997).

Although there are those who will want the fastest processor available in their systems, the relatively modest speed increase two-thirds of a year after introduction of the Pentium II line can be seen as a reflection of the market's move away from higher performance PCs toward more cost-effective systems such as the much-touted sub-$1,000 class PC. In 1,000-unit quantities, the 333MHz Pentium II is $722 and is available today in a variety of PCs and workstations.

The processor is also the first Pentium II to be built on Intel's 0.25-micron process technology, although the company previously introduced 0.25-micron Pentium Pro chips for portable systems last year and, simultaneous with the introduction of the 333MHz Pentium II, the company also rolled out flash memory devices on the smaller geometry (see related story on p. 22).

Mike Fister, VP of Intel's Microprocessor Products Group, commented: "The power of Pentium II processor-based systems is driving the adoption of visual computing for both businesses and consumers. As businesses move to new opportunities in electronic commerce, they are looking for the performance engine to drive image and data-rich applications."

The 333MHz Pentium II contains the same feature set as the previously-introduced 233-, 266- and 300MHz Pentium IIs including: dual independent bus architecture, dynamic execution, Intel MMX multimedia technology and a closely coupled 512 kilobyte L2 cache bus running at half the speed of the processor (for the 333MHz processor the L2 cache runs at 166.5MHz).

Cheryl Rigby, Intel product manager for the P6 Microprocessor Division, which includes the Pentium Pro, Pentium II and in-design P6 core microprocessors, said that the 0.25-micron process will enable Intel to achieve 450MHz speeds for the Pentium II line by the end of 1998.

Simultaneous with Intel's introduction of the 333MHz Pentium II, a variety of companies introduced systems for the new platform including Gateway 2000, ALR (a Gateway 2000 subsidiary, Intergraph, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and NEC.