Intel Celeron CPUs
Celeron (400 MHz bus, 0.13
micron) - On September 18, 2002 Intel Corporation introduced the
Intel® Celeron® processor at 2 GHz. On November 20, 2002,
Intel introduced the 2.10 and 2.20 GHz versions of this chip. On March
31, 2003, the 2.30 and 2.40 versions of the Celeron were released,
and on June 25, 2003, Intel announced the 2.5 and 2.6 GHz desktop
Celerons.
Based on the 0.13-micron process technology, the processor
utilizes the 478-pin packaging, and features a 400 MHz system bus.
Celeron (400 MHz bus) -
Intel released the 1.7 GHz Celeron with little fanfare on May 15,
2002. This was the first Celeron designed for the 400 MHz bus and
the chip was manufactured with the older 0.18 micron process. On June
12, 2002 Intel released the 1.8 GHz Celeron.
The main benefit to using one of the 400 MHz Celerons
is that they are socket 478 compatible. When used on a motherboard
with the Intel 845E chipset, it is usually possible to upgrade to
a Pentium 4 that uses the 533 MHz bus.
Celeron (100 MHz bus,0.13
micron). On Oct. 2, 2001, Intel Corporation released the Intel®
Celeron® processor at 1.20 GHz. This desktop processor, based
on 0.13-micron process technology, represents Intel's fastest offering
for the price sensitive desktop value PC market segment. On January
3, 2002 Intel announced the 1.3 GHz Celeron and on May 15, 2002 Intel
introduced the 1.4 GHz Celeron.
The new Intel Celeron processor includes additional
design features, such as 256 KB of on-chip, level-two cache with a
high-bandwidth interface to the processor core (L2 cache was doubled
from 128 KB seen on previous Coppermine Celerons).
Desktop Intel Celeron processors are now available
at 1.20, 1.10 and 1 GHz, and 950, 900, 850 and 800 MHz (all with the
100 MHz system bus).
The main disadvantage to using any of the 100 MHz bus
Celerons is that they use the 370 socket which is not compatible with
the Pentium 4.
Older Celerons with 100 MHz Bus. On January
4, 2001, Intel introduced the 800 MHz Celeron which uses a 100 MHz
bus. On April 9, 2001, Intel released the 850 MHz Celeron and on July
2, 2001 Intel introduced the 900 MHz Celeron. On August 21, 2001,
Intel Corporation today released three new Intel® Celeron®;
processors at 1.10 GHz, 1 GHz and 950 MHz.
(Note: All of these Celerons were Coppermine Celerons released
in the 0.18 form factor. We use the 100 MHz feature to distinguish
them from Coppermine Celerons with the 66 MHz bus).
Also on January 4, 2001, Intel introduced the Intel(R) 810E2 chipset
which supports the 100 MHz bus and a variety of other system innovations.
The Intel 810E2 Chipset brings new Intel technology innovations to
value PCs, including an advanced I/O controller, support for ATA-100
Ultra DMA hard drives, and new USB controllers to support four "plug-and-play"
ports for system attachments and other consumer items.
Coppermine Celerons. Intel
Corporation on June 26, 2000 introduced the company's fastest-ever
processors for sub-$1000 PCs -- three new Intel(R) Celeron(TM) processors
at 700, 667 and 633 MHz.
Intel® "Coppermine" Celeron™ Processor on 0.18-Micron
Technology, FC-PGA Format
(Photo Courtesy of Intel) |
The processors were manufactured on the company's advanced
0.18-micron technology, which enables greater speeds, higher-volume
manufacturing and lower overall production costs.
Intel Celeron processors feature Internet Streaming SIMD extensions,
advanced microprocessor instructions which combine with faster CPU
speeds to deliver a significant performance boost over previous versions.
< SIMD instructions were previously only found on the Pentium III
and the Pentium III Xeon.>
The processors are produced using Intel's low-cost FC-PGA (flip-chip
pin grid array) packaging and feature 128 KB of on-chip level-two
cache along with a 66 MHz system bus.
<Per Intel literature, there werer actually six
"Coppermine" Celerons being produced at speeds of; 700,
667, 633, 600, 566, and 533 MHz The 533 MHz Coppermine version was
designated as the 533A to differentiate it from the older 533 MHz
Celeron. - Ed >
Coppermine Celeron and Pentium III Differences.
Now that the Celeron is in the 0.18 micron form factor
and has the SIMD extensions, one would think that there would be very
little performance difference between the Coppermine Celeron and the
Coppermine Pentium III. However, the Celeron still has a slower 128
KB half speed L2 cache while the Pentium III has a full speed 256
KB L2 advanced transfer cache. Also the Celeron is still confined
to run at the 66 MHz bus speed versus the Pentium III's 133 MHz bus
speed.
Intel performance tests of a Coppermine 700 MHz Celeron and a 700
MHz Pentium III show that the Pentium III still has about a 28% speed
advantage as follows:
| Intel Performance Test |
Pentium III 700 MHz and 815E Chipset* |
Coppermine 700 MHz Celeron and 810E* |
Pentium III Percent Faster (rounded) |
|
Business Winstone 99
|
31.3
|
22.6
|
28%
|
| CPUmark 99 |
63
|
45.1
|
28%
|
* - It is not known what type of DRAM was used in each
system. If the Pentium III was tested with RDRAM, this could have
added at least 5% to the Pentium III's speed advantage.
Should you buy a Coppermine Celeron? The Coppermine
Celeron is an intermediate chip between the Pentium III and the 2nd
Generation Celeron. It certainly should be at least 20% faster than
a 2nd generation Celeron or an AMD K6-2, however, it will continue
to lag in performance behind AMD's Athlon and Intel's Pentium III.
If Intel prices the Coppermine Celeron competitively, it could be
a good choice for price conscious consumers.
Obsolete Celerons
Second Generation Celerons -
(300-566 MHz). On January 4, Intel announced four "new"
Celerons at speeds of 300, 333, 366, and 400 MHz These four CPUs all
had 128K of integrated L2 cache. Based on a PC World review of a Gateway
G6-400C, the Celeron 400 was 11% faster than a Pentium II 333, 6%
faster than a Pentium II 350, and 4% slower than a Pentium II 400.
On March 21, Intel released the 433 MHz Celeron. Initial tests showed
only a 3 percent speed increase over the average 400 MHz Celeron.
On 26 April, the 466 MHz Celeron was released with Intel claiming
a 5-7% speed increase over the 433 MHz Celeron. On August 1, the 500
MHz Celeron was released and on January 4th the 533 MHz Celeron was
released.
On May 24, Intel officially announced the 566 MHz FC-PGA Celeron and
a low power, 400 MHz, BGA (ball grid array) Celeron for embedded applications.
Second Generation Celeron Chip Designs - Now
as you have probably noticed, the new 300A and 333 Celerons are not
so new as they have been around quite some time. What makes all four
of these CPUs new and different is that they now are made in two totally
different formats: the older S.E.P.P. design and a new 370 pin, plastic
pin grid array (P.P.G.A.) Design. The reason for the new 370 pin P.P.G.A.
Celeron is to allow computer manufactures to reduce the size of their
motherboards (also the cost of the CPU is about $10 less than the
S.E.P.P.catridge) .
*Warning* if you buy a new system with
the 370 pin P.P.G.A. Celeron, you should be aware that you cannot
upgrade to current and future Pentium II and Pentium III CPUs as the
370 pin Celeron requires a unique motherboard. However, it is possible
to buy adapters to convert 370 pin PPGA sockets to Slot 1.
The good news, for those wishing to upgrade an older S.E.P.P.
Celeron, is that upgrade 366, 400, and 433 MHz CPUs are available.
The bad news, it looks like Intel will not make the 466 MHz
or faster Celerons in the S.E.P.P. format.
Intel Celeron S.E.P.P. and P.P.G.A.
formats.
(Photo Courtesy of Intel Corporation) |
 |
ABIT BP6, Two socket 370 Celerons on the same motherboard.
This ABIT board
has become popular with overclockers (it uses the Intel BX chipset
with 100 MHz bus) and those needing a dual CPU machine which will
run Windows NT or Linux. While there have been various postings on
the web for soldering a couple of Celerons on to the same motherboard,
this was the first dual Celeron production motherboard. Rumors also
abound that Intel will disable SMP on its future Celerons making it
impossible to use two Celerons on the same motherboard.
The ABIT BP6 features support for all speeds of the Socket 370 Celeron,
an Ultra 66 IDE controller that supports four Ultra DMA66 devices,
768 MB of system RAM (max), and Soft Menu II which eliminates the
need for jumpers or DIP switches needed to set CPU parameters.
Original Celerons -
(266-333 MHz). The Celeron was developed to compete in the low end
of the CPU market. Originally, it came out in speeds of 266MHz and
300MHz. However, because these CPUs did not have an L2 cache, they
were slower than AMD and Cyrix CPUs at similar clock speeds.
To correct this problem, Intel added 128MB of L2 cache to two new
Celerons the 300(MHz)A and the 333 MHz. Sometimes these chips are
both called "A" Celerons to differentiate them from the
Celerons without L2 cache. Celerons with cache have performance characteristics
that are slightly slower than regular Pentium IIs at the same clock
speeds, as they share the same CPU core design.
All old Celerons fit in a single edge processor package (S.E.P.P.)
on a Slot 1 motherboard. As these Celerons use the Slot 1 motherboard,
they are a good upgrade path to the faster Pentium IIs and Pentium
IIIs. <Note: Intel no longer manufacturers the 266, 300,
300A, and 333 MHz Celeron processors>
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