Computer enthusiasts should very well know that Intel is going through a slump, an extreme slump. They were great two years ago when they introduced dual channel and a quad-pumped 800FSB CPU. It was indeed the fastest processor at the time, not just by CPU megahertz, but in actual performance. However, it came with a major problem-extreme heat. It had always been AMD who faced thermal issues, but since the launch of Socket 478 CPUs, the tides have turned. The problematic trend continues with Intel as they introduced their new CPUs based on the Prescott core. The Prescott featured a smaller core size than the Northwood brother to allow higher scaling of megahertz, but the heat it produced was outrageous.
With the Northwood, a 50 degree Celsius on load was considered to be pretty high, and now with the Prescott, it's considered to be typical. Many will argue that as long as the CPU runs fine, there is nothing to worry about. And to this day, I still don't understand why people choose to think this way when hundreds of dollars were spent going into a high-end computer system. It's like buying a Porsche and not taking care of it. But to each his own, it's their choice.
With the recent release of the LGA775 platform, Intel continues to manufacturer CPUs based on the Prescott core. The existing heat issue is still a tough battle and Intel is barely making the corner with the included retail stock cooler. It has been a few months since the release of the LGA775 platform and heat sink manufacturers have yet to release a better solution. Currently Thermaltake is the only contender with their SilentTower, and now, Swiftech joins the competition with their newly released MCX775-V.
