Following the launch of Pentium 4 processors with 800 MHz system speed, the market called out for a low-cost budget version. The 865 was therefore revised on the spot to make it work for the fastest P4s under another name as a single-channel platform.

Who'd have thought that anyone would want to run a high-end processor on a low-cost chipset platform? While the theory makes little sense, the practice is rampant. These cost-cutting measures allow discount sellers to slash their prices. The fantastic offers must not be at the expense of memory, hard drive and even clock speed, so the chipset is a good place to save costs.

In the case of an Intel platform, the use of the 848P instead of the two-channel chipsets often means performance tradeoffs (see Benchmarks). Each case must be considered individually, however, since applications with high bandwidth by their very nature suffer more than office apps. What this all means is that for everyday tasks and some games, the 848P is certain to suffice for some time to come - its DDR400 and 800 MHz clock speed mean above-average performance is available. However, for computing intensive applications such as high-end games, CAD/CAM or video editing, the 865PE or 875P, or to the dual-channel chipsets from SiS and VIA, better fit the bill.

Besides the performance issue, using the 848P does not entail any glaring disadvantages since it uses the same Southbridge and drive packet as the performance chipsets. Even a ready system based on an 865/875 platform can be run just as well on an 848P mainboard.