Pentium 4: What is "loadline A" ???

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt,comp.sys.intel,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 09:06:22 -0400, Some Guy <Some@Guy.com> wrote:

>
>I see the following on some spec printouts:
>
>"These Pentium 4 processors on 90nm process support loadline B."
>
>Specifically on BX80546PG3000E / sSpec Number SL7KB as here:
>
>http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sS...
>
>Sometimes I see no reference to "loadline" even for the same box part
>number, as in this example:
>
>http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sS...
>
>What does "loadline" refer to, and do I have to make sure my
>motherboard has this same feature or specification (or is "prescott
>compatible" good enough?)

Loadlines define a processor's peak power and transient response requirements
for its Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) or VR Down (VRD) logic.

Ironically, many of Intel's own designs don't actually meet their own loadline
specs, apparently due to the desire to cheapen the component costs in any way
possible (and ultra-low on-resistance FETs and hunky OSCONs aren't cheap...)

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt,comp.sys.intel,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Some Guy wrote:
> I see the following on some spec printouts:
>
> "These Pentium 4 processors on 90nm process support loadline B."
>
> Specifically on BX80546PG3000E / sSpec Number SL7KB as here:
>
> http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sS...
>
> Sometimes I see no reference to "loadline" even for the same box part
> number, as in this example:
>
> http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sS...

Perhaps written before there was more than one loadline.

> What does "loadline" refer to, and do I have to make sure my
> motherboard has this same feature or specification (or is "prescott
> compatible" good enough?)

Unlike previous processors Vcore on a P4 is not static and changes with the
load and what Vcore should be over the range of load is the loadline.

There's A and B load lines but I don't know whether just "Prescott
Compatible" is enough.