Latest developments at Intel

Starting in mid 2004 were Intel's LGA 775 processors. Intel moved the goal posts again. Any previous 478 pin motherboard can't be upgraded anymore as the 478 pin processors are being phased out. The LGA775 is different from all previous Intel formats in that the pins are now on the board and the CPU itself has just sockets. This is claimed to reduce the number of CPUs that get returned with bent or broken pins. The FSB is still 800 and CPU speeds are still largely the same - up to 3.4 GHz in both 478 pin and LGA 775 - but with one or two new CPUs like the LGA775 3.6 GHz. In another major departure Intel is moving away from the focus on clock speeds and have dreamed up a new number system with the "520 Intel" being an LGA 775 P4 2.8 GHz, the "540 Intel" being the same in 3.2 GHz and the "560 Intel" being the 3.6 GHz version. Confusion is good because you can then be sold a "faster internet" if you go for the latest Intel processor!