Intel Pentium III 933 socket: Socket 370

What the Pentium III 933 is

The Intel Pentium III 933 is a 933 MHz single-core desktop processor from June 2001. It runs one P6 Coppermine T core at 933 MHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 256 KB of full-speed L2 with 32 KB of L1 on a 180 nm process. Power is rated at 27 W in a Socket 370 FC-PGA2 package with part numbers SL5HH and SL5QF on a 133 MHz front side bus with a 7x multiplier at 1.75 V.

Lower power at higher clocks than the 866 makes the 933 the efficiency pick of the Coppermine T set, which is why it suited small office towers with limited airflow. Intel placed the Coppermine T 933 in June 2001 with the 800 through 1133 parts. The chip supports MMX and SSE.

Near-gigahertz clocks with a 27 W envelope suit compact Socket 370 desktops with SDRAM and integrated graphics. The 7x ratio is a clean multiple of the 133 MHz bus. That is why the 933 shipped in small-form office boxes.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 933 fits Socket 370 compact desktops with Coppermine T support. It needs a 370-pin FC-PGA2 board with a 133 MHz bus and a BIOS that lists Coppermine T parts. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Compact SDRAM systems are the natural match. Boards listing Pentium III 933 Coppermine T accept the chip with a 27 W cooler. The lower envelope allows smaller fans than the 38 W 800 and 866 parts.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is PC100 and PC133 SDRAM through the board chipset, matched to the board DIMM sockets. The CPU has no memory controller, so the chipset sets the type and speed. Compact 815 boards commonly run a single PC133 module for 933 MHz parts.

A 133 MHz front side bus ties the CPU to the chipset, while AGP and PCI hang off the chipset. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Cooling uses the Socket 370 lug clip on the FC-PGA2 spreader with a cooler rated for 27 W.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket, a move to a Pentium III 1000 such as Intel Pentium III 1000 keeps the board and memory when the support list names it. The 1000 adds 67 MHz with Tualatin efficiency gains on newer board revisions. A Pentium III 866 on the same list drops 67 MHz at higher power.

A move to Tualatin Celeron needs a Tualatin-compatible board with a BIOS update. The Socket 370 page lists the Coppermine T to Nehemiah range for planning.