Intel Corporation always reminds system builders and mainboard makers to ensure that all 2003 platforms, namely i865PE/i865G and i875P, are ready for Intel’s next-generation Prescott processor. Unfortunately for all those, who already got certain i865- or i875P-series mainboards, it looks like at least some 2003 platforms will not support Intel Prescott processor.

AnandTech web-site claims that due to a mandatory voltage regulation spec change from VIN 1.0 to VIN 1.5, Intel fast and furious Prescott processors designed for Socket 478 will not be compatible with some or all current mainboards with support for 800MHz Quad Pumped Bus and the Hyper-Threading technology. Even though Intel and mainboard makers are reportedly in a process of finding a workaround, there is no information if they are likely to succeed or not.

In fact, Intel is famous for the constant changes it makes to the CPU sockets and slots and I probably do not have to remind most of you the famous stories about incompatible old sockets and newly released microprocessors, so, we all can easily believe that the upcoming Prescott chips will not be able to function on mainboards powered by chipsets that officially support this chip. The same happened to certain Slot 1 and Socket 370 mainboards back in 1999, when Intel introduced its Pentium III processors utilizing Coppermine core made using 0.18 micron.

We will try to get more information on the matter, but it will not be easy, as Intel continues to remind all the receivers of its Roadmap Update to ensure that 2003 platforms are Prescott ready. It looks like mainboard makers will test the Prescott CPUs and only after that officially announce the support for Intel’s new processor. That is still seems to be too bad for those, who already purchased i865PE or i875P platform, if the whole piece of information is correct.