NetBurst

Updated: 02/04/2024 by Computer Hope
Intel logo

Launched on November 20, 2000, NetBurst is the codename for a microarchitecture used in Intel's Pentium 4 processors. NetBurst came directly after the P6 technology used in Pentium Pro, Pentium II, and Pentium III CPUs (central processing units).

NetBurst aimed for higher clock speeds and better performance by including a longer pipeline, which allowed faster clock cycles. However, this implementation led to higher power consumption and heat generation, requiring better airflow and cooling than the previous generation in the x86 line. Furthermore, longer pipelines sometimes result in delays for particular instructions.

Consequently, while the Pentium 4 processors had high clock speeds, they received criticism for not always delivering proportional performance results in real-world applications. Eventually, NetBurst was succeeded and replaced by the Intel Core chip, released in July 2006.

CPU terms, Intel, Pentium II, Pentium III, Pentium IV, Pentium Pro, x86