PENTIUM 4 2.8GHz
Verdict: The 2.8GHz is amazingly fast (and also widely available), but it still suffers from a restrictivly high price.
Price: $1,100 est.
Supplier: Intel (02) 9937 5800
Link to: www.intel.com.au
Specifications: Socket 478;   0.13 micron process; 512KB L2 cache; 533MHz front side bus; 1.525V power consumption; NetBurst microarchitecture
Issue: December 2002

The Athlon XP 2700+ represents a significant leap forward for the Athlon line – it solves a long-term problem by stepping up the default frontside bus (FSB) speed from 266MHz to 333MHz. This means that the Athlon XP can finally run in sync with 333MHz DDR RAM. While most currently available Athlon motherboards support 333MHz DDR, there is virtually no performance boost between this and 266MHz DDR when running an Athlon XP with a 266MHz FSB. The extra speed offered by the RAM quite simply goes to waste, because the CPU can't keep up with it.

Having RAM in sync with the CPU can speed up the whole PC, decreasing load times and  improving overall system performance.

AMD has complained for some time now that MHz is no longer a good method by which to evaluate CPUs. However, it's still quite useful when comparing CPUs in a specific family. Up to the 2600+, Athlon XP's have generally used an increase of 66MHz for every 100 points on their performance rating system. (The 1700+ runs at 1,466MHz, while the 1800+ runs at 1,533MHz.) Starting with the 2700+ however, this will increase to 83MHz, (the 2700+ runs at 2,166MHz compared to the 2800+ at 2,250GHz) and performance should hopefully increase in line with this.

The 333MHz FSB of the processor has also further complicated the Athlon XP rating system. The official AMD line is that Athlon XP ratings compare back to the Thunderbird Athlon (which maxed out at 1.4GHz). But due to the step to 333MHz, this rating system now understates the actual CPU speed compared to previous Athlon XPs, and it's completely out of whack with the underlying MHz.

Intel's 2.8GHz P4 doesn't offer anything new in terms of features or design over the previous 2.53GHz model – it's just another iteration, albeit the fastest clocked consumer CPU available as we go to press.

We ran a series of benchmarks on both CPUs. The P4 was universally ahead, thanks mainly to a higher FSB and the use of PC-1066 RDRAM, which proves to be an almost unbeatable combination. The real surprise, however, was just how small a lead it managed. The 2700+ comes very close to matching the 2.8GHz in many areas – the largest difference in 3DMark scores was a fairly minimal 5.8%, and even less in SYSmark2001 at a mere 3.8%.

The main problem facing the Athlon XP 2700+ is availability, and like the 2400+ and 2600+ before it, it will most likely be at least eight weeks between when reviewers get hold of the CPU and when it becomes widely available.

With the naked eye, most people won't be able to tell the difference between a PC running an Athlon XP 2700+ and a P4 2.8GHz.
While they differ quite significantly in theoretical benchmarks, the gap gets a lot smaller in real-world stress tests.

On the whole, the new CPUs from both camps don't do a lot to change the overall landscape. AMD's Athlon XP still proves to be a stellar performer at a competitive price – if you can manage to get a hold of one. If you want the edge in speed though, then the Pentium 4 is the obvious choice – but it still doesn't do a lot to justify the extra price. We'll also soon have the 3.06GHz Pentium 4 with HyperThreading, which is released in November.