Intel pentium 4 core. Intel Pentium4 LGA775 processors

A few days after AMD officially unveiled its latest Athlon64 FX-53 processor, Intel decided to announce the release of the 3.4GHz version of Prescott to the market, which is positioned to compete with the Athlon64, not the Athlon64 FX-53, despite the same cache size. .

While Intel's clock race strategy has been quite successful so far, it's becoming increasingly difficult to argue in favor of a Prescott processor that doesn't ramp up well compared to AMD chips that use an integrated memory controller.

Yes, Intel needs a fast platform with all the cherished features such as Socket 775, PCI Express and DDR2 memory, but you can no longer rely on the processor clock speed. This is a lesson Intel has already had to learn in the server market as AMD gains more and more support for its Opteron family. And the Pentium 4 Prescott doesn't live up to Intel's reputation too well, with a TDP of over 100 watts - and the processor doesn't offer any tangible benefits over its Northwood predecessor.

Intel, of course, is not resting on its laurels - today the company is in the process of introducing a new D0 stepping of the Prescott core, which will allow the processor to reach clock speeds up to 4 GHz - as mentioned in the company's plans. Since not all 3.4 GHz Prescott versions are D0 stepped, we decided to provide a table to help distinguish between old and new Prescott processors.

According to Intel, the latest stepping will allow higher clock speeds due to power consumption optimizations. However, the thermal package of the new processor has not changed and remained at the level of 103 W maximum. While the processor appears to be an improvement over the 3.2GHz version, its heat dissipation is still somewhat out of proportion to clock speed. In any case, when buying, you should be prepared for high heat dissipation of the processor.

CPU-Z correctly detects the new Pentium 4 processor: Model 3, Stepping 3 (CPUID 0F34h). Before us is the old stepping C0.

The new processor heats up a little more.

Pentium 4: review of models

As you probably know, the Pentium 4 Prescott is the core of the third generation Pentium 4. The first, codenamed Willamette, gained a lot of popularity due to the performance increase over the Pentium III Tualatin, while at the same time consuming much more power.

The second generation of the core, called Northwood, was manufactured using the 130-nm process technology - today it can still be called the best Pentium 4 core, since the processor provides decent performance and good overclocking capabilities. We have already been able to get several Northwood processors to work at frequencies above 4 GHz - and with ordinary coolers.

There are a large number of Pentium 4 processors on the market today based on Northwood or Prescott cores. Clock frequencies today start at around 2.4 GHz and end at 3.4 GHz, and in this segment the consumer can choose 20 different models. To give you a better idea of ​​the situation with Pentium 4 processors, we have brought all the models together in a short table:

The further down the alphabet the letter is, the better processor you will get. However, this only applies to comparing two different models with the same clock speed - such as the Pentium 4 at 2.4 GHz and the FSB400 versus the Pentium 4 B at 2.4 GHz and the FSB533. The Pentium 4 C runs on the FSB800 and supports Hyper-Threading. The only exception is the Pentium 4 3.06 GHz, which runs on the FSB533 - and is the first processor to support Hyper-Threading. The letter E denotes Prescott models with 1MB L2 cache, while the FSB533 versions of this core are denoted by the letter A.

Intel introduces model numbers

There are many reasons why it is better to use model numbers rather than clock speeds. Firstly, the number can take into account many technological details, such as FSB, cache size, frequency, or additional functions - Hyper-Threading, etc. Secondly, confusion between different versions of processors with the same clock speed will disappear - as a result, the average buyer will easily choose the fastest processor. Thirdly, there are many examples in the industry of successful use of model numbers - let's say the same AMD with the Opteron 14x, 24x and 84x family. The first digit of the number indicates the number of processors supported: 1 for a single processor, 2 for dual processor systems, and so on. The x digit can be 2, 4, 6 and 8 - indicating frequencies of 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 GHz.

Finally, we should think about the Intel Pentium M processors, especially since a new version with a 90nm process (Dothan) is coming soon. Since this chip will be substantially faster than the Banias due to the increased clock speeds, it will be very difficult for Intel to justify buying a 3GHz Prescott desktop processor, which is slower than the 2.0GHz Dothan in some applications.

According to our sources, clock speeds should completely disappear from the names of Intel processors. Since the number of available processor models is unlikely to decrease, such a step seems quite logical to us. The future processor naming system will look something like this: the Pentium 4 processor will be supplemented with the number 5xx, and the Celeron line with the Celeron 3xx number.

Test configuration

Hardware

Software and tests

Introduction

Before the start of the summer holiday season, both leading processor manufacturers, AMD and Intel, released the latest processor models in their current CPU lines aimed at high-performance PCs. First, it took the last step before AMD's upcoming quantum leap, and about a month ago introduced the Athlon XP 3200+, which is supposed to be the fastest member of the Athlon XP family. AMD's further plans in this sector of the market are associated with the next generation processor with x86-64 architecture, Athlon 64, which should appear in September this year. Intel, on the other hand, waited a short pause and introduced the last of the Penlium 4 on the 0.13-micron Northwood core just today. As a result, the Pentium 4 with a frequency of 3.2 GHz became the final model in this family. The pause before the release of the next desktop processor based on the new Prescott core will last until the fourth quarter, when Intel will again raise the bar for the performance of its desktop processors with increased clock speeds and improved architecture.

It should be noted that during the confrontation between the Athlon and Pentium 4 architectures, the architecture from Intel proved to be more scalable. During the existence of Pentium 4, produced by various technological processes, their frequency has already more than doubled and reached 3.2 GHz without any problems using the usual 0.13-micron technological process. AMD, which delayed with its Athlon XP at 2.2 GHz, cannot currently boast of such high frequencies of its processors. And although Athlon XP significantly outperforms Pentium 4 at the same frequencies, the ever-increasing gap in clock frequencies has done its job: Athlon XP 3200+ at 2.2 GHz can only be called a full-fledged competitor to Penium 4 3.2 GHz only with significant reservations.

In the graph below, we decided to show how the frequencies of the Pentium 4 and Athlon processor families have grown over the past three years:

As you can see, the frequency of 2.2 GHz is an insurmountable barrier for AMD, which will be conquered at best only in the second half of next year, when AMD transfers its production facilities to the use of 90-nanometer technology. Until then, even processors of the next generation Athlon 64 will continue to have such low frequencies. Whether they will be able to compete with Prescott at the same time is hard to say. However, it looks like AMD is in for some serious trouble. Prescott, with larger L1 and L2 caches, improved Hyper-Threading technology and higher frequencies, could be a much more attractive proposition than Athlon 64.

As for Pentium 4 processors, their scalability can only be envied. Pentium 4 frequencies have been steadily increasing since the very moment these processors were released. A slight pause, observed in the summer-autumn of this year, is explained by the need to introduce a new technological process, but it should not affect the balance of power in the processor market. By enabling Hyper-Threading technology and switching its processors to use the 800 MHz bus, Intel has achieved a tangible superiority of its older models over competitor processors and now can not worry about anything, at least until the start of mass distribution of Athlon 64.

Also on the chart above, we showed the nearest plans of AMD and Intel to release new CPUs. It looks like AMD should have no illusions about its position in the market anytime soon. The fight with Intel on an equal footing is over for it, the company is returning to its usual role of catching up. However, it's too early to make long-term forecasts, let's see what the Athlon 64 will bring for AMD. However, judging by the restrained reaction of software developers to AMD64 technology, there will be no revolution with the release of the next generation of processors from AMD.

Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz

The new Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor, which Intel announced today, June 23, is nothing special from a technological point of view. It's still the same Northwood operating at 800 MHz bus frequency and supporting Hyper-Threading technology. That is, in fact, the processor is completely identical (except for the clock speed) Pentium 4 3.0, which was announced by Intel in April.

The Pentium 4 3.2 GHz processor, like its predecessors, uses the D1 stepping core

The only fact that should be noted in connection with the release of the next Pentium 4 processor based on the Northwood core is the newly increased heat dissipation. Now the typical heat dissipation of the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz is about 85 W, and the maximum heat dissipation significantly exceeds 100 W. That is why the use of well-designed cases is one of the necessary requirements for the operation of systems based on the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz. One fan in the case is clearly not enough now, in addition, it is necessary to ensure that the air in the area where the processor is located is well ventilated. Intel also says that the temperature of the air surrounding the processor heatsink should not exceed 42 degrees.

Well, let us remind you once again that the presented Pentium 4 3.2 GHz is the last CPU from Intel for high-performance desktop systems, based on 0.13-micron technology. The next processor for such systems will use the new Prescott core, manufactured using 90-nanometer technology. Accordingly, the heat dissipation of future desktop processors will be less. Consequently, the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz will remain the heat dissipation champion.

The official price of the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz is $637, which means that this processor is the most expensive CPU for desktop computers today. Moreover, Intel recommends using the new product with expensive motherboards based on the i875P chipset. However, as we know, this requirement can be neglected: many cheaper i865PE-based motherboards provide a similar level of performance due to the activation of PAT technology by manufacturers in the i865PE chipset.

How We Tested

The purpose of this test was to find out the level of performance that the new Pentium 4 3.2 GHz can provide compared to its predecessors and older models of the competing Athlon XP line. Thus, in addition to Pentium 4 3.2 GHz, Petnium 4 3.0 GHz, Athlon XP 3200+ and Athlon XP 3000+ took part in the tests. As a platform for Pentium 4 tests, we chose a motherboard based on the i875P chipset (Canterwood) with dual-channel DDR400 memory, while Athlon XP tests were carried out using a motherboard based on the most powerful NVIDIA nForce 400 Ultra chipset.

The composition of the test systems is given below:

Notes:

• The memory in all cases was operated in synchronous mode with the FSB in a dual-channel configuration. The most aggressive timings 2-2-2-5 were used.
• Testing was performed on Windows XP SP1 with DirectX 9.0a installed.

Productivity in office and content creation applications

First of all, according to the established tradition, we measured the speed of processors in office applications and applications that work with digital content. To do this, we used test packages from the Winstone family.

In Business Winstone 2002, which includes typical office business applications, the Athlon XP family of processors is on top, the performance of which significantly exceeds the speed of the competing processor family. This situation is quite usual for this test and is determined both by the peculiarities of the Athlon XP architecture and by the large amount of cache memory in the Barton core, the total capacity of which reaches 640 KB due to L2 exclusivity.

In the comprehensive test Multimedia Content Creation Winstone 2003, which measures the speed of test platforms in applications for working with digital content, the picture is somewhat different. Pentium 4 processors with NetBurst architecture and a high-speed bus with a bandwidth of 6.4 GB per second leave the older Athlon XP models far behind.

Streaming performance

Most streaming applications are known to run faster on Pentium 4 processors. Here are the benefits of the NetBurst architecture. Therefore, the result obtained by us in WinRAR 3.2 should not surprise anyone. The older Pentium 4s are significantly ahead of the top Athlon XP in information compression speed.

A similar situation is observed when encoding sound files into mp3 format using the LAME 3.93 codec. By the way, this codec supports multithreading, so the high results of Pentium 4 here can also be attributed to the support of Hyper-Threading technology by these CPUs. As a result, the Pentium 4 3.2 outperforms the older Athlon XP with a 3200+ rating by almost 20%.

In this test, we included the results obtained by measuring the speed of encoding an AVI video to MPEG-2 format by one of the best encoders, Canopus Procoder 1.5. Surprisingly, Athlon XP shows slightly better performance in this case. However, this should most likely be attributed to the high-performance floating point operations unit present in Athlon XP. SSE2 instructions of Pentium 4 processors in this case, as we see, cannot be such a strong alternative. However, it should be noted that the speed gap between the older models Athlon XP and Pentium 4 is quite small.

MPEG-4 video encoding is another example of a task where Pentium 4 processors with Hyper-Threading technology and 800 MHz bus show their strengths. The superiority of Pentium 4 3.2 over Athlon XP 3200+ in this test is almost 20%.

A similar situation is observed when encoding video using Windows Media Encoder 9: this application is optimized for the SSE2 instruction set and is perfectly adapted to the NetBurst architecture. Therefore, it is not surprising that again the top part of the diagram was occupied by processors from Intel.

Performance in gaming applications

After the release of the patched version of 3Dmark03, the results of Pentium 4 compared to Athlon XP in this test became somewhat higher. However, this didn't change the alignment of forces: Pentium 4 was the leader in this benchmark before.

Pentium 4 confirms its leadership in the overall standings in 3Dmark03. True, the gap here is small: the fact that 3Dmark03 is primarily a test of the video subsystem affects.

After Pentium 4 switched to 800 MHz bus, Pentium 4 began to overtake Athlon XP in the older 3Dmark2001 version as well. Moreover, the gap between the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz and the Athlon XP 3200+ is already quite significant and amounts to 6%.

In Quake3 Pentium 4 traditionally overtakes Athlon XP, so the result is not surprising.

A similar picture is observed in the game Return to Castle Wolfenstein. This makes perfect sense as this game uses the same Quake3 engine.

Unreal Tournament 2003 is one of the few applications where the older model Athlon XP manages to hold the lead. I would like to note that all modern games do not support Hyper-Threading technology, so the potential of the new Pentium 4 is not yet fully revealed in games.

But in Serious Sam 2 Athlon XP 3200+ is no longer the leader. With the release of a new processor from Intel, the palm in this game goes to the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz.

The new game Splinter Cell, although based on the same engine as Unreal Tournament 2003, runs faster on Intel processors.

On the whole, it remains to admit that the fastest processor for modern 3D games at the moment is the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz, outperforming the Athlon XP 3200+ in most gaming tests. The situation is changing rapidly. Quite recently, the older Athlon XP were in no way inferior to processors from Intel in gaming tests.

3D Rendering Performance

Since 3ds max 5.1, which we used in this test, is well optimized for multithreading, the Pentium 4, which can execute two threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading technology, is a leader by a wide margin. Even the older Athlon XP 3200+ cannot compete with it.

Absolutely the same can be said about rendering speed in Lightwave 7.5. However, in some scenes, for example, when rendering Sunset, the older Athlon XP models do not look so bad, but such cases are rare.

It's hard to argue with the Pentium 4, which executes two threads simultaneously, in rendering tasks for Athlon XP. Unfortunately, AMD has no plans to introduce technologies like Hyper-Threading even in future processors of the Athlon 64 family.

Absolutely similar situation is observed in POV-Ray 3.5.

Performance in Scientific Computing

ScienceMark 2.0 was used to test the speed of AMD's new CPUs in scientific calculations. Details about this test can be found at http://www.sciencemark.org. This benchmark supports multithreading as well as all SIMD instruction sets including MMX, 3DNow!, SSE and SSE2.

It has long been known that Athlon XP processors excel in mathematical modeling or cryptography. Here we see another confirmation of this fact. Although, I must say, Athlon XP is starting to lose its former advantage. For example, in the Molecular Dynamics test, the new Pentium 4 3.2 GHz comes out on top.

In addition to the ScienceMark test, in this section we decided to test the speed of the new processors in the client of the Russian distributed computing project [email protected] devoted to the calculation of the dynamic properties of oligopeptides (protein fragments). The calculation of the properties of oligopeptides may be able to help the study of the fundamental properties of proteins, thereby contributing to the development of science.

As you can see, the new Pentium 4 solves molecular dynamics problems faster than Athlon XP. The Pentium 4 achieves such a high result thanks to its Hyper-Threading technology. The client himself [email protected], unfortunately, does not support multithreading, however, running two client programs in parallel on systems with processors with Hyper-Threading technology can speed up the calculation process by more than 40%.

findings

The conducted testing clearly shows that at the next stage of the competitive struggle, Intel managed to defeat AMD. The latest processor based on the Northwood core outperforms the older and latest Athlon XP in most tests. Recently, Intel has been able to significantly increase the frequency of their CPUs, increase the frequency of their bus, and also introduce the tricky Hyper-Threading technology, which gives an additional speed boost in a number of tasks. AMD, on the other hand, being unable to increase the clock speeds of its processors due to technological and architectural difficulties, was unable to adequately strengthen its CPUs. Even the appearance of the new Barton core did not improve the situation: the latest Pentium 4 models are clearly stronger than the older Athlon XP. As a result, the Pentium 4 3.2 GHz is quite possibly the fastest desktop CPU available today. This situation will last at least until September, when AMD will finally have to announce its new processors of the Athlon 64 family.

It should also be noted that the rating system currently used by AMD to label its processors can no longer be a criterion by which the Athlon XP can be compared with the Pentium 4. Improvements that have occurred with the Pentium 4, including the translation of these CPUs to the 800 MHz bus and the introduction of Hyper-Threading technology, the Pentium 4 with a frequency equal to the rating of the corresponding Athlon XP turns out to be clearly faster.

In general, we are looking forward to autumn when both AMD and Intel will present their new developments, Prescott and Athlon 64, which may be able to sharpen the competition between old rivals in the processor market. Now AMD is pushed aside by Intel in the sector of inexpensive processors, where, however, this company feels great: Celeron is a frankly weak rival compared to Athlon XP.

At the time of the start of sales, processor solutions of the Intel Pentium 4 series made it possible to create the most productive desktop computing systems. After 8 years, this family of chips became obsolete and was discontinued. It is this legendary CPU range that will be discussed in this material.

Processor positioning

At the very start of sales, these processors belonged to the fastest solutions. Their similar affiliation was indicated by the advanced NetBurst semiconductor crystal architecture at that time, significantly increased clock frequencies and other significantly improved technical characteristics. As a result, the owners of personal computers based on them could solve problems of any level of complexity. The only area in which these chips were not used is servers. Such high-performance computers used processor solutions of the XEON series. Also, the use of Intel Pentium 4 as part of office PCs is not entirely justified. In this case, the cores of such a chip were not fully loaded, and from an economic point of view, this approach was completely and completely unjustified. For a niche, Intel produced less powerful and more affordable Celeron series CPUs.

Equipment

In two typical delivery options, one could meet the Intel Pentium 4 processor. One of them was aimed at small companies that specialized in assembling system blocks. Also, this delivery option was suitable for home assemblers of personal computers. In the price lists, it was designated BOX, and the manufacturer included the following in it:

The chip is in a protective package made of transparent plastic.

A proprietary heat dissipation system, which consisted of a special thermal paste and a cooler.

A brief guide to the purpose and use of the processor solution.

Chip model logo sticker for the front panel of the system unit.

The second delivery option in the catalogs of computer components was designated TRAIL. In this case, the cooling system was excluded from the delivery list and it had to be purchased additionally. This type of configuration was most optimally suited for large assemblers of personal computers. Due to the large volume of products sold, they could afford to buy cooling systems at lower wholesale prices, and this approach was justified from an economic point of view. Also, this delivery option was in high demand among computer enthusiasts who purchased improved cooler modifications and this made it possible to overclock such a processor even better.

Processor sockets

The Intel Pentium 4 processor could be installed in one of 3 types of processor sockets:

The first connector appeared in 2000 and was relevant until the end of 2001. Then he was replaced by the PGA478, which until 2004 held a leading position in the list of Intel products. The last LGA775 socket appeared on store shelves in 2004. In 2008, it was replaced by the LGA1156, which was aimed at using chips with more advanced architecture.

Socket 423. Supported Chip Families

At the end of 1999 - beginning of 2000, processor manufacturers represented by Intel and AMD were constantly expanding the list of offered chips. Only the second company had a computing platform with a margin, which was based on the PGA462 socket. But “Intel” “squeezed out” everything possible at that time from the PGA370 processor socket, and it had to be offered something new to the computer technology market. This new one was the chip in question with an updated processor socket in 2000. Intel Pentium 4 debuted simultaneously with the announcement of the PGA423 platform. The starting frequency of the processors in this case was set at 1.3 GHz, and its highest value reached 2.0 GHz. All CPUs in this case belonged to the Willamette family and were manufactured using 190 nm technology. The system bus frequency was equal to the real 100 MHz, and its effective value was 400 MHz.

Processor socket PGA478. CPU models

A year later, in 2001, updated Intel Pentium 4 processors were released. Socket 478 is the socket for installing them. As noted earlier, this socket was relevant until 2004. The first family of processors that could be installed in it was the Willamette. The highest frequency for them was set to 2.0 GHz, and the initial - 1.3 GHz. Their technical process corresponded to 190 nm. Then came the Northwood family of CPUs. The effective frequency value in some models in this case has been increased from 400 MHz to 533 MHz. The chip frequency could range from 2.6 GHz to 3.4 GHz. The key innovation of the chips of this model range is the appearance of support for HyperTraiding virtual multitasking technology. It was with its help that two streams of program code were processed at once on one physical core. According to the test results, a 15 percent increase in performance was obtained. The next generation of Pentium 4 chips was codenamed Prescott. The key from the predecessors in this case was an improved workflow, an increase in the second-level cache, and an increase in the clock frequency to 800 MHz. At the same time, support for HyperTraiding has been preserved and the maximum clock frequency has not increased - 3.4 GHz. Finally, it should be noted that the PGA478 platform was the last computing platform that did not support 64-bit solutions and could only execute 32-bit program code. And this applies to both motherboards and Intel Pentium 4 processor solutions. The characteristics of computers based on such components are completely and completely outdated.

The final stage of the Pentium 4 platform. Socket for installing LGA775 chips

In 2006, processor manufacturers began to actively move to 64-bit computing. It is for this reason that the Intel Pentium 4 switched to a new platform based on the LGA775 connector. The first generation of processor devices for it was called exactly the same as for the PGA478 - Prescott. Their technical specifications were identical to previous chip models. The key difference is the increase in the maximum clock frequency, which in this case could already reach 3.8 GHz. The final generation of the CPU was the Cedar Mill. In this case, the maximum frequency dropped to 3.6 GHz, but the process technology improved and energy efficiency improved. Unlike the previous platforms, within the framework of the LGA775 Pentium 4 smoothly moved from the segment of mid-range and premium solutions to the niche of budget-class processor devices. In its place came Pentium 2 series chips, which already boasted two physical cores.

Tests. Comparison with competitors

In some cases, Intel Pentium 4 can show quite good results. This processor is great for executing program code that is optimized for a single thread. In this case, the results will be comparable even with current mid-range CPUs. Of course, now there are not so many such programs, but they still occur. Also, this processor is able to compete with current flagships in office applications. In other cases, this chip cannot show an acceptable level of performance. The test results will be given for one of the last representatives of this family "Pentium 4 631". It will compete with Pentium D 805, Celeron E1400, E3200 and G460 processors from Intel. AMD products will be represented by E-350. The amount of DDR3 RAM is 8 GB. Also, this computer system is equipped with a GeForce GTX 570 adapter with 1 GB of video memory. In the three-dimensional packages Maya, Creo Elements and Solid Works in the current versions of 2011, the Pentium 4 model under consideration shows quite good results. According to the results of tests in these 3 software packages, an average score was derived on a hundred-point scale and the forces were distributed as follows:

"Pentium 4 631" loses to processors with a more advanced architecture and higher clock speeds G460 and E3200, which have 2 physical cores. But at the same time, it bypasses the full-fledged dual-core model D 805 on a similar architecture. The results of the E-350 and E1400 were predictable. The first chip is focused on building PCs, in which power consumption comes to the fore, and the destiny of the second is office systems. The forces are distributed completely differently when encoding media files in Lame, Apple Lossless, Nero AAC and Ogg Vorbis programs. In this case, the number of cores already comes to the fore. The more of them, the better the task is performed. Again, on an average hundred-point scale, the forces were distributed as follows:

Even the E-350 with a priority on energy efficiency bypasses the Pentium 4 model 631. The advanced semiconductor crystal architecture and the presence of 2 cores still make themselves felt. The picture changes when testing processors in WinRAR and 7-Zip archivers. The results of the chips on the same scale were distributed as follows:

In this test, many factors influence the final result. This is the architecture, this is the cache size, this is the clock frequency, this is the number of cores. As a result, the tested "Pentium 4" in the 631 version turned out to be a typical middling. The reference system, the performance of which corresponded to 100 points, was based on the Athlon II X4 model 620 CPU from AMD.

Overclocking

The Intel Pentium 4 boasted an impressive increase in performance. Overclocking these processor devices made it possible to reach clock speeds of 3.9-4.0 GHz with an improved air cooling system. If we replace air cooling with nitrogen-based liquid cooling, then it is quite possible to count on conquering the value of 4.1-4.2 GHz. Before overclocking, the computer system must be equipped with the following:

The power supply must be at least 600W.

The computer must have an advanced model of the motherboard installed, on which you can smoothly adjust various parameters.

In addition to the main cooler, the processor in the system unit should have additional 2-3 fans for improved heat dissipation.

The frequency multiplier in these chips was blocked. Therefore, by simply raising its value, it is impossible to overclock the PC. Therefore, the only way to increase performance is to increase the real value of the system bus clock frequency. The order of acceleration in this case is as follows:

The frequency values ​​of all PC components are reduced. This list only does not include only the system bus.

At the next stage, we increase the working value of the frequency of the latter.

After each such step, it is necessary to check the stability of the computer using specialized application software.

When a simple increase in frequency is no longer enough, we begin to increase the voltage on the CPU. Its maximum value is 1.35-1.38 V.

After reaching the highest voltage value, the chip frequency cannot be increased. This is the maximum speed mode of the computer system.

An example is the Pentium 4 processor model 630. Its starting frequency is 3 GHz. The nominal clock frequency of the system bus in this case is 200 MHz. The value of the latter can be increased on air cooling up to 280-290 MHz. As a result, the CPU will already operate at 4.0 GHz. That is a performance gain of 25 percent.

Relevance for today

To date, all Intel Pentium 4 processors are completely and completely outdated. The temperature of their operation, power consumption, technological process, clock frequencies, cache memory size and organization, the amount of addressable RAM - this is not a complete list of those characteristics that indicate that that this semiconductor solution is obsolete. The capabilities of such a chip are only enough to solve the most simple tasks. Therefore, the owners of such computer systems need to update them urgently.

Price

Although the CPUs in question were discontinued in 2008, they can still be purchased in new condition from stock. At the same time, it should be noted that Intel Pentium 4 chips can be purchased in the LGA775 version and with support for NT technology. The price for them is in the range of 1300-1500 rubles. For office systems, this is quite an adequate level of cost. Processor solutions that were in use can be found on various marketplaces on the Internet. The price in this case starts at 150-200 rubles. A fully assembled used personal computer can be bought at a price of 1,500 rubles.

By the beginning of 2004, Intel managed to successfully transfer its processors to the new Prescott core. True, the core itself cannot boast of improved characteristics. In particular, in terms of performance in most applications, it is inferior to the Northwood core (in some - up to 15%), and in terms of heat dissipation it significantly exceeds it. But the problem of increased energy consumption is inherent in C0 stepping. And recently, Intel switched to the release of processors on a new stepping - D0, in which this problem is partially solved. And finally it will be solved in the next stepping - E0, which will introduce a mechanism for reducing the frequency during processor idle. But for now, the main stepping is D0, on which processors of both Socket478 and Socket LGA775 form factors are produced.

What caused the need for a new socket? The main version is a more even distribution of power consumption between different blocks of the processor core. In addition, Intel will soon introduce several new technologies such as EM64T (64-bit command extension), NX-bit (advanced security features), as well as an improved power saving mechanism. It is possible that additional contacts will be needed to support them. By the way, according to preliminary information, all these technologies are already present in today's Prescott processors, but in a blocked form.

Another new technology that should appear in the near future (tentatively - in the E0 stepping) is SpeedStep. Thanks to it, the processor during idle time will reduce the clock frequency, and as a result, generate less heat. And if the frequency reduction is serious (for example, by 2 times), and will be accompanied by a decrease in the Vcore voltage, then a drastic decrease in the typical level of heat generation is possible. Let me remind you that AMD Athlon64 processors already support a similar technology - Cool "n" Quiet, which, by reducing the frequency and voltage, reduces heat dissipation by more than 2 times (35W vs. 89W for details in the AMD Athlon64 review).

And again we return to the problem of energy consumption. Intel experts estimate the technological potential of the Prescott core - 4GHz. And at this frequency, the maximum heat dissipation can reach 150W. Therefore, the use of a new socket, a new design of the power module and a new design of the cooling system is intended to realize this potential.

Intel has decided to go beyond simply changing the processor socket. In fact, a completely new platform is presented to the public: support for DDR2 memory, support for the PCI Express bus, as well as advanced options for connecting peripherals. For this, the i925X and i915P chipsets were released. We will not dwell on them in detail, because we have already carefully analyzed the i925X capabilities in the review of the Abit AA8 DuraMAX board.

Back to the processors - for the LGA775 socket, Intel announced the following processors:

Bold type indicates "processor number", which is intended for a clear division of processors into classes. In fact, this means a departure from the outdated system of classifying processors by clock frequency.

After the transition of Pentium4 processors to a faster 1066 MHz bus, the corresponding models will most likely make up the "sixth" series, and will occupy an intermediate position between the "fifth" and "seventh" series (the "seventh" series includes Pentium4 Extreme Edition processors with 2 MB L3 cache).

As for the Celeron processors, it is worth noting their increased characteristics. In particular, the amount of L2 cache has increased from 128 to 256 KB, and the system bus frequency has increased from 100 to 133 MHz (QPB: from 400 to 533 MHz, respectively).

So, let's see what the Pentium4 540 processor is.

The CPU-Z utility correctly determined all processor parameters, including stepping (D0). As for the appearance, there are no surprises for regular readers.

Socket478 on the left, LGA775 on the right

And for those who see the LGA775 processor for the first time, please pay attention to the complete absence of legs.

Now the legs are directly on the processor socket (you can see all the stages of installing the processor in the preview of the LGA775 platform). By the way, almost immediately after the appearance of the first samples of motherboards with LGA775, many observers began to complain about the fragility and unreliability of the processor socket. The most common problem is that after a few CPU socket installs, the legs become deformed (or bent).

Naturally, after receiving the LGA775 platform, I installed the processor with great care. However, no difficulties were identified during the installation process. Moreover, in my opinion, the problem with the unreliability of the socket is somewhat exaggerated (on the other hand, "crooked" hands can break anything :). In any case, as soon as the first "budget" board with LGA775 gets to us, we will conduct a kind of "stress testing" of the LGA775 socket for multiple processor installations.

The series of Intel Pentium 4 processors is the most successful when compared with other modifications of the developer, since over the years of work the right to its existence has been proven. In the presented article, you can find out how these processors differ, get acquainted with their technical characteristics.

Generations of processors are constantly changing one after another due to the race of developers for frequencies. Of course, new technologies also appeared, but they were not in the foreground. Thus, not only users, but also manufacturers were well aware that one day the effective frequency of the processor would be reached. This happened after the release of the fourth generation of Intel Pentium.

The operating frequency of a single core at 4 GHz has become the limit. This happened for the reason that the crystal needed a lot of electricity to work. Thus, the dissipated power in the form of enormous heat dissipation called into question the functioning of the entire system. Further modifications of Intel processors and analogues of rivals began to be produced in the region of 4 GHz. We should also mention technologies that used multiple cores, as well as the introduction of special instructions that can optimize data processing work.

The first pancake is lumpy

In the field of high technologies, the monopoly in the market did not lead to anything good. This is confirmed by numerous electronics manufacturers who have been able to verify this on their own experience. But Intel and Rambus decided to make good money. As a result, a promising joint product was released. Thus, the first Intel Pentium 4 processor, running on Socket 423, saw the light and communicated with Rambus RAM at a fairly high speed. As a result, many users wanted to become the owners of this fast computer. True, these two companies did not become monopolists in the market.

This was hindered by the opening of the dual-channel memory mode. The results of the testing showed a high performance increase. Thus, all developers of computer components immediately became interested in the new technology. As for the first Pentium 4 processor, it and socket 423 became history, since the manufacturer did not provide the platform with the possibility of upgrading. To date, components for this platform are in demand. It turns out that several state-owned enterprises have purchased ultra-fast computers. Thus, the replacement of components is somewhat cheaper than a full upgrade.

A step in the right direction

Most owners of personal computers who play games and prefer to work with documentation and watch multimedia content have Intel Pentium 4 (Socket 478) installed. Many tests that have been carried out by professionals and enthusiasts indicate that the power of this platform is quite enough to perform all the tasks assigned to the average user. Such a platform uses two kernel modifications:

Willamette;
Prescott.

Their characteristics indicate that the differences between the two processors are small. The latest modification provides support for 13 new instructions designed to optimize data, which were briefly called SSE3. The frequency range of the crystals is in the range of 1.4-3.4 GHz, which fully satisfies the requirements of the market. The developer took a risk and introduced an additional branch of processors for socket 478. These devices were supposed to attract the attention of game lovers and overlockers. The new series became known as the Intel Pentium 4 CPU Extreme Edition.

Pros and cons of 478 socket

Feedback from IT professionals indicates that the Intel Pentium 4 processor, which operates on the socket 478 platform, is still considered in demand. Not every user can afford an upgrade that requires the purchase of three basic components. It is worth noting that for many tasks designed to improve the performance of the entire system, it is worth simply installing a more powerful crystal. It's good that the secondary market is full of them, since the processor is even more durable than the motherboard.

When designing an upgrade, priority should be given to the most powerful members of this category, the Extreme Edition, which today perform well in the performance test. One of the minuses of processors for Socket 478 is the dissipated power, which requires decent cooling. Thus, the need to purchase a decent cooler is added to the user's expenses.

Processors at low cost

Surely, many users have come across models of Intel Pentium 4 processors on the market. They have the inscription Celeron in the marking. These devices are the younger line of units that have less power due to the reduction of instructions, as well as the disabling of internal memory blocks of the microprocessor (cache). Intel Celeron is designed for users who are primarily concerned with the cost of the computer, and not its performance. Many owners of such devices express the opinion that the junior line of processors is considered a rejection during the production of Intel Pentium 4 crystals.

This assumption appeared on the market in 1999, when some enthusiasts proved that the Pentium 2 and its junior Celeron model are the same processor. However, the situation has changed a lot in recent years. Now the developer has a separate line for the production of a relatively cheap device intended for undemanding buyers. In addition, it is worth remembering that there is still a competitor to AMD, which claims to oust Intel from the market. Thus, all price niches should be occupied by high-quality products.

A new round of evolution

Most experts working in the field of computer technology are of the opinion that it was the appearance on the market of the Intel Pentium 4 Prescott processor that marked the beginning of the era of devices with multiple cores, and also completed the race for gigahertz. With the introduction of new technologies, the developer needed to switch to socket 775, which made it possible to unleash the potential of personal computers in working with programs and dynamic games that require large amounts of resources.

Statistics show that more than 50% of all devices that exist on the planet are able to work on the legendary Socket 775 provided by Intel. The release of the Intel Pentium D processor caused a stir in the market, as the developer managed to run two instruction streams on one core, thereby creating a prototype of a dual-core device.

This technology became known as Hyper-threading. Today it is an advanced solution in the production of crystals with high power. Intel did not stop there and presented Dual Core, Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad technologies, which have several microprocessors on a single chip at the hardware level.

Two-faced processors

If we take a benchmark for the "price-quality" criterion, then processors with two cores turn out to be an advantage. They differ in such important characteristics as low cost and high productivity. Microprocessors Intel Pentium Dual Core and Core 2 Duo are considered the best-selling in the world. The main difference is that the latter has two physical cores that work independently of each other. As for the Dual Core processor, it is made in the form of two controllers installed on one chip, the joint work of which is inextricably linked.

True, the frequency range of devices with two cores is slightly underestimated and is in the range of 2-2.66 GHz. The main problem is the power dissipation of the crystal. It gets quite hot at higher frequencies. An example is the eighth line of Intel Pentium D (D820-D840). They were the first to receive two separate cores, as well as operating frequencies exceeding 3 GHz. The power consumption of these processors reaches about 130 watts.

Busting with four cores

The four-core enhancements with the Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 cores were aimed at consumers looking to stock up on components for the future. But the software market suddenly stopped. Thus, the development, testing, and implementation of applications is carried out for equipment that has one or two cores at most. What to do with systems that have 6, 8 or more microprocessors?

This is an ordinary marketing ploy, which is aimed at potential buyers who want to purchase a computer or laptop of the highest power that exists in the world. You can draw an analogy with megapixels on a camera - the best is not the one that says 20 megapixels, but a device with a larger matrix and focal length. In processors, what matters is the set of instructions that are processed by the application's program code. They give the result to the user.

Thus, programmers must optimize this move so that the microprocessor can process it without problems and at high speed. It should be noted that there are many weak computers on the market, so it becomes profitable for manufacturers to develop non-resource-intensive programs. From this we can conclude that a large computer power at this stage of evolution is not required.

Upgrade Tips

Owners of the Intel Pentium 4 processor (775 socket) who want to upgrade at minimal cost are advised to look towards the secondary market. First you need to familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the motherboard installed in the system. It is easy to do this on the official website of the developer. There you should find the "processor support" section. Then, in the media, you need to find a table of processor performance, and then compare it with the characteristics of the motherboard, selecting several optimal options. It is also necessary to study the reviews on the selected devices.

Then it is proposed to start searching for the required processor, which was already in use. For most platforms that support quad-core microprocessors, it is desirable to install the Intel Core Quad 6600. When the system is capable of running only dual-core chips, you should find an Intel Xeon server option or a tool designed for the Intel Extreme Edition overlocker. Their market price is in the range of 800-1000 rubles, which is much cheaper than any upgrade.

Mobile device market

In addition to desktop computers, Intel Pentium 4 processors can be installed on laptops. For this, the developers provided a separate line, which contained the letter "M" in its own marking. As for the characteristics of mobile processors, they were similar to stationary computers. True, an underestimated frequency range was observed. Thus, Pentium 4M 2.66 GHz has the highest power among notebook processors. Although, with the development of platforms in mobile versions, everything is so confused that even the developer Intel himself has not provided a processor development tree on its official website until today.

With the use of the 478-pin platform in laptops, the company changed only the technology for processing processor code. As a result, it turns out to breed many processors on one socket. The most popular, as evidenced by statistics, is the Intel Pentium Dual Core crystal. It is worth noting that it is the cheapest device in production, and its power dissipation is quite small when compared with analogues.

The race to save energy

It should be noted that for computers, the power consumed by the processor is not considered critical for the system. In the situation with a laptop, the situation is somewhat different. In this case, Intel Pentium 4 devices have been supplanted by less volatile microprocessors. If the user gets acquainted with the tests of mobile processors, he will be able to make sure that the performance of the old Core 2 Quad, which is part of the Pentium 4 line, is not far behind the modern Core i5 chip. As for the energy consumption of the latter, it is 3.5 times less. Thus, the difference is reflected in the autonomy of the device. If you follow the market for mobile processors, it is easy to see that the developer has returned to the technologies that were popular in the past decade.