[JetDriver]

Hello,
I currently have a celeron 466 w/slot 1 adapt and want to install a P3 550 - slot 1. Also I have a socket 370 next to this. I've checked prices and I notice a 550E and 550 - What is the difference. The 550 is 2x the 550E. I net surf and use Photoshop, Publisher, etc. 550 is the highest cpu that the board will handle. How do I know which FSB I have? I know that memory is back compatible but how about the processor or does it matter. Thanks for the info.

 

[Jason]

This is what intel has said about the markings:
Note: ‘A’,‘E’, ‘B’ and ‘EB’ nomenclature is used to differentiate processors within a processor speed designation when there is an overlap between processor frequencies and functionality.
- ‘A’ designates 0.13 micron manufacturing process
- ‘E’ designates Advanced Transfer Cache and Advanced System Buffering support.
- ‘B’ designates 133 MHz System Bus support.
- ‘EB’ designates Advanced Transfer Cache, Advanced System Buffering and 133 MHz System Bus support

Basically your paying for a better cache system.

 

[JetDriver]

Thanks. I just noticed that the 550 E was 256k and the 550 was 512k. Not sure if it's worth the difference in price given my computers performance. Not quite sure how the cache works for the cpu.

 

[Jason]

The E is less cache but runs at full speed, the other has 512k cache but runs at half speed.

 

[JetDriver]

Ok. The way I understand it is that they are basically the same. Which would you install. I must be missing something, besides 80.00 which is the cost difference. The 512 running at half speed must have better longevity?

 

[Jason]

Me, personaly? I'm cheap. I don't think the cost is worth the little bit of extra performance. With games and doing photos there might be a difference, but I still couldn't justify the cost difference. Again thats me. I still have old 133 pentiums running in my house. I think I finally got rid of the 486 or two laying around.

 

[JAMMAN]

I recently put a 550e in an Abit VA6 and it runs at 730+ with no additional cooling. I was able to keep my pc100 sdram also 'cause the VA6 has a handy "clock-33" adjustment for ram. Point being, it's a good chip IMHO, buy it.