45 replies to this topic

[Christian]

I just bought a computer with a Pentium 4 3.8GHZ worth of CPU power, a 512MB of RAM and Installed Vista on it.

Now, i want a faster processing time for this computer other than a Pentium 4 because i want to play certain PC games that require a faster CPU. I am planning on buying an Intel Celeron Dual Core Processor at 2.4GHZ to install on my motherboard. My question is, will my motherboard support it?

Here are my motherboard specs:
Motherboard ID: <DMI>
Motherboard Name: Hewlett-Packard 09E8h

Front Side Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel: NetBurst
Bus Width: 64-bit
Real Clock: 200 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock: 800 MHz
Bandwidth: 6400 MB/s

[Siguy]

The Pentium 4 uses a 478 socket, and a 3.8ghz P4 is the absolute most powerful CPU for that socket. All Intel Dual Core or better Intel CPUs use LGA775, 1156, or 1366 sockets. Some P4s did use the 775 socket, but the 3.8ghz Prescott was not one of them.

Basically, you're best just upgrading the RAM and Graphics card for gaming. I'd recommend at least a gig of ram, for Vista probably 2 gigs, and faster memory (800mhz DDR2?) helps as well. What games are you trying to play?

[Christian]

Here is my Processor specs:

Processors Information
Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores: 1 (max 1)
Number of threads: 2 (max 2)
Name: Intel Pentium 4 531
Codename: Prescott
Specification: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Package: (platform ID) Socket 775 LGA (0x4)
CPUID: F.4.1
Extended CPUID: F.4
Core Stepping: E0
Technology: 90 nm
Core Speed: 2991.0 MHz
Multiplier x FSB: 15.0 x 199.4 MHz
Rated Bus speed: 797.6 MHz
Stock frequency: 3000 MHz
Instructions sets: MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, EM64T
L1 Data cache: 16 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
Trace cache: 12 Kuops, 8-way set associative
L2 cache: 1024 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control: no
Front Bus Speed: 800MHz

I have tried a couple of 3D games and i am surprised it can handle 3D extremely well with full speed but since my local computer store is selling an Intel celeron Dual core processor for 39.99, i want to take advantage of that offer and buy it.

I have an intergrated intel graphics card with 128MB of RAM and 2.0 shading support.

Edited by Christian, 26 January 2010 - 10:10 PM.

[Nicholas Steel]

Celerons are the worst thing you can do, if anything you will notice a performance drop in games. Celerons are good at basic business applications and simple internet sites, anything flash heavy or graphically demanding will perform poorly.

You did not list your motherboard specs/model. DMI is referring to another section of the information tool that you are using to get your information.


A Pentium 4 Dual Core processor is likely Socket 775 which matches your current socket so as far as I know, it should work. You likely won't be able to use Core 2 DUO or better CPU's though due to voltage differences.


Also, if your processor is running at 3.8 gigaherts, then your processor is overclocked by 800mhz. I would slow that sucker down to 3ghz again for optimum stability.

Edited by franpa, 26 January 2010 - 11:13 PM.

[Linkus]

Currently, what you've got is basically going to be maxed for your current configuration; if you want a faster processor and better performance, you're going to need a new motherboard as well, with a matching RAM upgrade and perhaps a new PSU (which I doubt anyways).

[Christian]

Celerons are the worst thing you can do, if anything you will notice a performance drop in games. Celerons are good at basic business applications and simple internet sites, anything flash heavy or graphically demanding will perform poorly.

You did not list your motherboard specs/model. DMI is referring to another section of the information tool that you are using to get your information.
A Pentium 4 Dual Core processor is likely Socket 775 which matches your current socket so as far as I know, it should work. You likely won't be able to use Core 2 DUO or better CPU's though due to voltage differences.
Also, if your processor is running at 3.8 gigaherts, then your processor is overclocked by 800mhz. I would slow that sucker down to 3ghz again for optimum stability.

No wonder that celeron dual core cpu was cheap. I thought both pentium and celeron were basically the same.
Ah, here are my motherboard specs:
DMI BIOS
vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version: 786C2 v01.02
date: 12/01/2004
DMI System Information
manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
product: HP Compaq dc5100 SFF(PZ578UA)
version: unknown
serial: MXL53501QP
UUID: B9DB79DB-AF19DA11-BBDAC20D-88FC0014
DMI Baseboard
vendor: Hewlett-Packard
model: 09E8h
revision: unknown
serial: MXL53501QP
DMI System Enclosure
manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
chassis type: Low Profile Desktop
chassis serial: MXL53501QP
DMI Processor
manufacturer: Intel
model: Intel® Pentium® 4 531 CPU 3.00GHz
clock speed: 3000.0 MHz
FSB speed: 800.0 MHz
multiplier: 4.0x
DMI Physical Memory Array
location: Motherboard
usage: System Memory
correction: None
max capacity: 4096 MBytes
max# of devices: 4

It seems that my RAM capacity is 4GB of memory which i think is pretty good. Are there any processors that would fit my motherboard?

Currently, what you've got is basically going to be maxed for your current configuration; if you want a faster processor and better performance, you're going to need a new motherboard as well, with a matching RAM upgrade and perhaps a new PSU (which I doubt anyways).

Hopefully they are not too expensive out there...or do i need a better graphics card?

[Bourkification]

It's not really worth trying to upgrade a 6 year old computer these days. If you had to upgrade it, a Core 2 Duo E4300 may fit, as it uses the same FSB speed, socket and voltage. But those processors are three years old so it would be hard to track one down. Even then you still can't be guaranteed it would work. And the clock speed of it is only 1.4GHz, which is like half of what yours currently is. Even though it is a Dual Core, it wouldn't matter very much as only very recent games are made to utilise Dual Core processors. So I would say no real difference would be seen in gameplay.

You would be best to upgrade the RAM to the full 4Gb, and to buy a graphics card. You need to make sure your Computer has a PCI-Express slot, but if it doesn't have that you could get an AGP graphics card.

[Christian]

And the clock speed of it is only 1.4GHz, which is like half of what yours currently is. Even though it is a Dual Core, it wouldn't matter very much as only very recent games are made to utilise Dual Core processors. So I would say no real difference would be seen in gameplay.

But wouldn't it be faster since the Core 2 brand is actually higher technology than the pentium and dual core? would a Pentium dual core work better?

You would be best to upgrade the RAM to the full 4Gb, and to buy a graphics card. You need to make sure your Computer has a PCI-Express slot, but if it doesn't have that you could get an AGP graphics card.

I think that's what i'm going to do. RAM for this computer isn't that expensive and i need it for gaming.

[Bourkification]

But wouldn't it be faster since the Core 2 brand is actually higher technology than the pentium and dual core? would a Pentium dual core work better?

Well I think the premise behind the Core 2 is that is works smarter not faster. The clock speed on the Core 2 is 1.4Ghz, and the one on your Pentium 4 is 3Ghz. So if you're game can only use 1 of the cores, the Pentium would likely run faster. But if the game can utilise the two cores at once it would probably run quicker as it can process double the amount of things at once.

But this area of 1 fast core Vs 2 slower cores can be debated. I just depends on what you're doing with the computer.

[Christian]

So would a Pentium Dual Core E2220 2.40Ghz overclocked to 3.00Ghz work with my motherboard? It's 69.99 at my local computer store, but i wouldn't mind paying that to get higher clock speed.

Edited by Christian, 27 January 2010 - 07:32 AM.

[Bourkification]

It doesn't make any difference if you clock it to the same speed as your processor, I was just making a point that the gains you would make from getting a Dual Core would probably be minimal if compared to the effort you go to to make the changes.

That processor would probably be better than you Pentium 4, and it could possibly work with your computer, however I can't guarantee you anything. It would be best to ask the people at the Computer Store.

[Siguy]

Guess I was wrong about it being a 478.

Anyway, are this generation of Celerons really that bad? I got the impression from the Newegg ratings that Celeron Duals run very cool and can even overclock nicely. Granted, that doesn't mean that there blazing fast or anything, but I'm sure a 2.4ghz Celeron Dual Core is going to be a lot faster than a 1.4ghz Core2Duo or even 3.8ghz P4.

[Nicholas Steel]

Celerons suck at complex math, and stuff. They can process fast, just that they have to do complex stuff step by step and emptying the cache every so often as most things won't fit entirely in the cache of a celeron these days.

Cache has a pretty massive roll in CPU's ya know.


Your most likely upgrade path is the "Pentium 4 Dual Core" range of processors if you are after a performance gain. (not core 2 solo or core 2 duo)

At the moment you have a Pentium 4 (single core) with Hyperthreading. The only advantage I can see with hyperthreading on the Pentium 4 range is prevention of complete system lock-ups due to processes that occupy 100% CPU time, becomes less relevant with multi-core processors.

Edited by franpa, 27 January 2010 - 08:09 PM.

[Siguy]

Is it even worth it to upgrade an old low end Compaq, aside from maybe the video card and ram?

[Christian]

At the moment you have a Pentium 4 (single core) with Hyperthreading. The only advantage I can see with hyperthreading on the Pentium 4 range is prevention of complete system lock-ups due to processes that occupy 100% CPU time, becomes less relevant with multi-core processors.

My L2 cache can hold 1024MBs. So i think the pentium dual core would work ( if i am understanding right ) overclocked to just a few little Mhz. I mean, the pentium 4 is really fast. Vista operates perfectly and 3D games run excellent.Except games that have PS2 graphics. The games that i want to play needs at least 2 cores to run at full fps. I'm planning on buying at least 2Gbs of RAM tomorrow because i want to install windows 7 on it.

Is it even worth it to upgrade an old low end Compaq, aside from maybe the video card and ram?

If you just want to use the computer without playing high spec games then no, but maybe an RAM and Video card upgrade is what i need since i am a bit scared on messing with the processor, fan, and heatsink

Edited by Christian, 27 January 2010 - 10:24 PM.