Intel Platform Technologies and the Transition to 915/925x

Improvements in processors are generally pretty easy to quantify. There is a basic understanding that a 3.0 Ghz processor is faster than a 2.8 Ghz processor on a high level. It is also not hard to understand that a Pentium 4 is faster than a Celeron once a consumer is told that. Although this may seem like it is trivial information for the computer enthusiast, for the average consumer this is not so trivial. The last few months have seen Intel transfer from a processor family and megahertz rating to a strict numerical rating with the first digit describing the processor family and the subsequent digits describing the speed; the 500 series is faster than the 300 series; the 550 is faster than the 520. This is easy enough to understand.

What is not as easy to understand and what is not as easy to quantify are the underlying mechanics behind different platform technologies. What differentiates the 875 from the 865? What about the 925 and the 915? Is it simply faster or are there reasons why one should chose one over another.

The move from the high-end 865PE and 875 chipsets from Intel to the 915 and 925X boards with LGA-775 is a pretty significant move. Not only did the processor packaging change, but Intel also introduces BTX, DDR2, NCQ, HD Audio and PCI Express which means that the average enthusiast looking to upgrade has to basically start from square one. The last time I recall such a sweeping change taking place was the transition from Pentium MMX and Pentium Pro to the Intel Pentium 2 line up which introduced AGP, SDRAM, ATX, and Slot-1. Change is not a bad thing - it drives the computer industry forward. Though it may be hard on the wallet, there are valid reasons as to why the enthusiast and even the average computer user should be excited about the 915/925x chipsets. That said, we will take a look at everything the 915/925x brings to the table starting with, diving straight into PCI Express.