Modified processors are nothing unusual these days. A quick search on AliExpress will confirm the existence of different mutations with mobile chips and server hardware. However, the processor we have here dates back to the late '90s, a time when Intel ruled the PC universe with its Pentium II. This is the Genesys B52 MMX, launched on the Italian market by the company of the same name. Its shiny white cartridge and pin-to-pin Slot 1 compatibility force one simple question: Where did this thing come from?
Its Origins
According to history, Genesys was founded in the town of Monopoli (Bari, Italy) by Marcello Console in 1998. The company's business strategy was based on the 'modification' of Pentium II processors with the Deschutes core, the second generation of 0.25 microns, although available information suggests the existence of some Klamath units of 0.35 microns.
The Genesys B52 MMX hit the market offering four frequencies: 300, 350, 400 and 450 MHz, with a significant discount compared to its Intel equivalents. For example, the 450 MHz B52 had a price equivalent to $450 in 1998, while the Pentium II at 450 MHz cost $669. The difference certainly caught attention, but Genesys also talked about "three years warranty, and a 5 percent extra performance". What was the trick?
Genesys B52 MMX: "Overclocking for Sale"
One of the first reviews of the Genesys B52 MMX-450 indicates that its internal structure is identical to that of the Pentium II at 300 MHz with Deschutes core under the SL2W8 series, which apparently is an OEM processor due to the lack of a factory heatsink (SL2YK is the 'boxed' version).
This makes a lot of sense: Intel processors with a 66 MHz FSB were popular because of their ease of overclocking (especially the Celeron 300A). In this specific case, all Genesys had to do was take a Pentium II-300 and modify the FSB from 66 to 100 MHz, keeping the 4.5 multiplier.
Another old review from hwupgrade.it offers a more extreme hypothesis: Genesys was recovering Celeron Mendocino cores with their internal cache disabled (or defective), and installing them on PCBs with L2 cache memory produced by NEC, thus forming a 'hybrid' of 450 MHz.
A third possibility, based on old messages from an Italian overclocking group on Usenet, suggests that Genesys had found a way to alter the FSB 'and' the multipliers on Pentium II processors. Unfortunately, it is impossible to confirm or deny this without physical access to one of its chips, but the story doesn't end there: The L2 cache memory of the Genesys B52 MMX was faster than that of the Pentium II, between 8 and 10 percent.
The key was in the L2 cache memory timings. Genesys sold both individual processors and complete computers. If someone bought a system, the company took care of applying all the necessary modifications. On the other hand, when purchasing a 'loose' processor, the user had to confirm compatibility with their motherboard and send a copy of the BIOS to Genesys via email for editing and subsequent flashing. The official Genesys website began sharing some modified BIOS for the most popular Slot 1 boards, including classic models from Abit and Asus.
Intel Had One or Two Things to Say...
Obviously, Intel did not like the situation in Italy at all, and filed a lawsuit against Genesys. Modifying a processor or creating a new casing was not illegal, nor was it counterfeiting. However, Intel focused on the use of 'MMX', which is a registered trademark. In February 1999, the court ruled in favor of Intel. Genesys did not hesitate to remove the 'MMX', and the number of affected processors did not exceed 150.
In its second legal phase, Intel targeted the modification of BIOS on motherboards, but it did not prosper. Finally, Intel returned to court in June 1999 and sued Genesys for $1.4 million in damages. Now, we must not lose sight of a detail: Intel was in its element. AMD, UMC, Cyrix... Intel sued them all. Fighting with an Italian company and driving it to extinction would not keep it up at night. As the original article mentions, Genesys won the battles but lost the war, and the Genesys B52 MMX became a fabulous collector's piece.
Source: CPU Shack
