Virtually ever since the rumors of Intel?s Prescott processor first began to surface, we?ve been pondering whether current small form factor systems can handle the temperature and power requirements of Intel?s new 800 lb. gorilla CPU. Opinions abound, from "there?s no way" to "why not?", but only a definitive test could answer the question. Early reviews pouring in over the net have shown varied temperature, power, and performance numbers for the Prescott processor within standard desktop systems, but few, if any, have attempted to test the new beast within the confines of a small form factor box. Perhaps their insurance premiums weren?t paid up so they didn?t want to take the risk. Nevertheless, the question still stands, do Prescott and SFF mix?

With power dissipation rumored to be in excess of 100 Watts, how could an SFF system handle such an energy hog? And even if it could, how would you keep it from burning up? Many are still wondering if current SFF Bios?s and motherboards will even handle the new CPU. Most manufacturers have been rather quiet, but what?s the real story?

Today we aim to answer these questions and more by stress testing our review sample Intel Prescott 3.2 GHz E processor within the Shuttle SB75G2 XPC. As you?ll see in the review, we showed that Prescott has essentially the same performance as Intel?s Northwood core and was actually slower in some tests. This coupled with the excessive heat made us conclude that, at this time, the Intel Northwood should still be the processor of choice. Nevertheless Intel plans to push forward with the Prescott core and that means our SFF readers will want to upgrade. Should they?

Let?s just say you?re in for quite a rollercoaster of a ride. Unfortunately, the ending isn?t very pretty, nor did it smell good. But like most stories, everything begins on a positive note?

next >

---

• Meet Prescott (1 of 5)
• Testbench Setup (2 of 5)
• An Overclocking Experience to Remember (3 of 5)
• Performance, Temperatures and Noise (4 of 5)
• Conclusion (5 of 5)