As mentioned earlier, both models share some components:
- Case
- 350W ATX power supply
- MS-7012 motherboard
- CPU cooler with air duct funnel
- Two optical drives
The motherboard is based on the Intel 865PE chipset with ICH5 and is equipped with a PGA 478 socket. DDR RAM is provided, with clock speeds depending on the CPU used (FSB). AGP is used as the graphics interface, with support up to AGP 8x.
⧉ TheRetroWebSupported processors
Theoretically, all Intel processors for the 478 socket of the Pentium 4 (Prescott), Pentium 4 (Northwood), Celeron D (Prescott-256), and Celeron (Northwood-128) types should be compatible. If you look at the lists on Wikipedia and keep in mind that the maximum FSB clock speed supported by the motherboard is 800 MHz, then either the Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.4 (Northwood) or the slightly more energy-efficient Pentium 4 HT 550 (Prescott) would be the most powerful processors for this socket or motherboard.
⧉ Intel
⧉ Intel
⧉ IntelWhich one did I choose?
None. I left the processors as they were when delivered. The reason is simple: the existing performance is sufficient for the intended purpose. In addition, the Pentium 4 HT in the second PC is already close to its limit (3.0 GHz). Very little problematic software needs to run under Windows 98, and the system requirements for 98 SE are far, far removed from the given ones:
- x86 processor compatible with 486DX or 486SX (from Windows 98 SE: at least 66 MHz)
- 16 MB RAM
- Approximately 195 MB of free hard disk space is required for the standard installation (between 120 MB and 295 MB, depending on the system configuration and selected installation components)
- CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive (for installation)
- VGA-compatible graphics card
- Mouse or compatible pointing device
And the rest?
First of all, I checked what components I had available. For AGP, of course, virtually nothing – that was standard when I had hardly anything to do with PC hardware. However, the ATI Radeons were already quite powerful for the time. It was easier with hard drives; I had a few PATA models to choose from. The rest was basically available.