Pentium or Celeron?

[jdrake90]

Hey....

Doing a build test (just checking prices and setting up a system... in my imagination). I am trying to get a really cheap pc, like for the person who doesn't need a lot... just a simple working system.

The biggest expense of course... is the proc. Pentium doesn't really go below 2.4... so what is the deal with celeron? Are they reliable? Are they just a lower ghz pentium... Please give me your opinion (backed up by fact please, lol)

jdrake90

 

[Lionsault_100]

would have to know if you're going with socket 478 or 775

celeron = held back pentium ---

In northwood terms (478 for the most part)
celeron usuaully come with 128kb cache ( AND NO HT)
capped at 400fsb
p4 usually come with 512 cache and come in, 400 533 or 800fsb flavors (HT with 800mhz flavor, and 3.06 533 flavor)

In prescott terms (775 for the most part

celeron D usually comes with 533 fsb (NO HT) and 256kb cache
where as p4 comes with 800 fsb and up, with 1 mb cache, (WITH HT).

for the most part if you're going with a budget build you're better off going with a socket 478 533fsb p4 rather than a celeron, since pentium 533fsb cpus are around the same price as celeron D's.

 

[ZL1]

a celeron is a stripped p4, lower fsb, less cache and no ht, but for a basic pc it will do just fine
reliability comes from the rest of the system not the cpu (well unless OCed of course)

D

 

[batboy]

Looks like Lion and ZL pretty much hit the nail on the head. The Celeron is a P-4 with castrated cache with no Hyperthreading. I would not really recommend the Northwood Celeron, they are 400 bus and only 128k cache, but the Prescott Celeron D is a good low budget CPU. The Celly D has 533 bus and 256k cache, plus they are amazing overclockers if you get the E0 stepping. I got a cheap 2.53 Celeron D for my Mom and was able to run 3.8 gig stable with good cooling in my "green" signature rig. Bottom line, if you are on a tight budget and this system is just for basic computing like surfing the net and business apps, then a Celeron D is fine. If you are a gamer, then you probably should save up for something better.

 

[jdrake90]

I get the feeling that they overclock well though... are they worth it as a cheap ocing solution... with a moderate mobo and such?

thanks guys,

Jrdake90

 

[jdrake90]

Oh and its 478... here is the celeron I was looking at...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819112190

Thanks,

Jdrake90

 

[9mmCensor]

There is also sempron for cheap stuff. Or even Athlon XP chips.

 

[Shelnutt2]

Don't go 478 ofr only a few more bucks you can get the 775 model. You will be much happier with it if its 775.