Intel Pentium III 866, 850

FC-PGA is here

As we mentioned in our review of the first Pentium IIIs based on the Coppermine core, by the middle of this year, over half of all desktop Pentium III CPUs will be available in FC-PGA versions. 

At this point in time, you can get both 133MHz FSB and 100MHz FSB Pentium III CPUs in speeds up to 750MHz in FC-PGA Socket-370 versions.  The major reason for moving to FC-PGA Socket-370 is that it is cheaper for Intel to produce a socketed chip than it is for them to produce essentially the same chip but on a SECC2 card where most of the PCB space is wasted. 

From the prices we have seen, SECC2 Pentium IIIs (Slot-1) are running for anywhere from 1% up to 10% more expensive than their FC-PGA counterparts.  There is a definite shift towards FC-PGA, and by the end of this year, we can expect almost all desktop Pentium III processors to be FC-PGA Socket-370 chips. 

We are noticing a similar push by motherboard manufacturers towards their Socket-370 motherboards with Pentium III (FC-PGA) support.  In the coming few months, expect more Socket-370 motherboards to hit the streets, including dual Socket-370 (FC-PGA) motherboards. 

Currently FC-PGA Pentium IIIs will not work in dual processor mode using Socket-370 to Slot-1 converter cards with SMP support for Celerons.  The Dual Processor Celeron trick does not work with the FC-PGA Pentium IIIs, although it is very clear that Intel does have plans to take FC-PGA parts to the dual processor world as indicated by their chipset design guide entitled: Dual FC-PGA Intel Pentium III Processor and Intel 840 Chipset Design Guide.

For now, if you’re looking to run a dual Pentium III (Coppermine) system, you’re in luck, because every Pentium III CPU is now available in a SECC2 interface (including the 500E/550E) which do currently work in dual processor configurations.  The problem with FC-PGA CPUs right now is that no one has discovered how to get them properly working in dual processor mode with something like the Dual Celeron trick. 

We experimented with some possibilities in the lab last weekend and managed to get a dual FC-PGA system to boot using two modified Iwill Slocket-II adapters, but unfortunately, the setup was not stable enough to be considered a viable solution.  But, once again, since all Pentium III CPUs are available in SECC2, if you really want dual Pentium IIIs then you can simply get the Slot-1 versions that currently work properly in dual, otherwise wait for more results on what modifications need to be made to the current crop of Socket-370 to Slot-1 adapters.