Unlocked xeons?

[ScHpAnKy]

Why do P4-based xeons have unlocked multipliers?
Is it for thermal reasons or power reasons, or does intel figure that if people are going to spend that much, they should have unlocked multipliers?

 

[widefault]

Well, they're only unlocked downward, they have a max multiplier. Why? Who knows.

 

[Stugots]

new prescotts also have some unlocked multipliers, always lower. they are for some new speedstepping control on desktop cpu's.

 

[ScHpAnKy]

Well, they're only unlocked downward, they have a max multiplier. Why? Who knows.

downwards multis are all you need, upping the multiplier is just stupid.

 

[widefault]

Maybe you see it that way, but when your board is FSB limited it would be much nicer to just go up to the next one

 

[Stugots]

downwards multis are all you need, upping the multiplier is just stupid.

tell that to all the athlon xp overclockers.

 

[ScHpAnKy]

Maybe you see it that way, but when your board is FSB limited it would be much nicer to just go up to the next one

I suppose, I'm used to boards like my gigabyte and my IC7 where FSB is basically unlimited

 

[ScHpAnKy]

tell that to all the athlon xp overclockers.

I used to be one! I just dropped the multi and upped the FSB
Got 2.5Ghz out of a t-bred 1700+! (1.47 stock)
Had some hella hot temps, too (130 at some points! )

 

[elm669]

tell that to all the athlon xp overclockers.

My ram won't do anything over ddr400 so that's all i have is multipliers lol