iXBT Labs - Intel Low-End Processors - Page 1: Introduction, testbed

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We continue our series of large-scale tests aimed at dotting all i's in regard to various processor families of AMD and Intel -- if not for good, then at least for a long time. In the previous review we took a look at the entire Athlon 64 X2 family. This time we are going to review three entire processor series at once: Intel Celeron based on the new core, Intel Celeron dual-core and Intel Pentium dual-core (also known as "Pentium E2xxx").

Moreover, as a bonus to performance tests, we have a great reason to discuss how the number of cores and cache size affects performance. Because today four processors have the same 2 GHz clock rate: single-core Celeron 440 (512 KB L2), dual-core Celeron E1400 (also 512 KB L2), dual-core Pentium E2180 (1024 KB L2) and dual-core Core 2 Duo E4400 (2048 KB L2).

Also, as the title implies, there's a couple of not so obvious surprises related to comparative performance of processors from different series. At least, we were really surprised to see certain test results.

Hardware and software

Testbed configuration

CPU	Mainboard	Memory	Video
Intel processors	ASUS Maximus Extreme	Corsair CM3X1024-1800C7DIN	GeForce 8800 GTX

RAM: 4 x 1GB
HDD: Samsung HD401LJ (SATA-2)
Coolers: Thermaltake TMG i1, TMG a1
PSU: Cooler Master RS-A00-EMBA

CPU	Core clock, MHz	FSB clock, MHz	Multiplier	Memory clock, MHz	Number of cores	L1 I/D cache, KB*	L2 cache, KB**	Socket	Process technology, nm	TDP***
Celeron 420	1600	200 (800)	8	400 (800)	1	32/32	512	LGA775	65	35
Celeron 430	1800	200 (800)	9	400 (800)	1	32/32	512	LGA775	65	35
Celeron 440	2000	200 (800)	10	400 (800)	1	32/32	512	LGA775	65	35
Celeron E1200	1600	200 (800)	8	400 (800)	2	32/32	512	LGA775	65	65
Celeron E1400	2000	200 (800)	10	400 (800)	2	32/32	512	LGA775	65	65
Pentium E2140	1600	200 (800)	8	400 (800)	2	32/32	1024	LGA775	65	65
Pentium E2160	1800	200 (800)	9	400 (800)	2	32/32	1024	LGA775	65	65
Pentium E2180	2000	200 (800)	10	400 (800)	2	32/32	1024	LGA775	65	65
Pentium E2200	2200	200 (800)	11	400 (800)	2	32/32	1024	LGA775	65	65
Pentium E2220	2400	200 (800)	12	400 (800)	2	32/32	1024	LGA775	65	65
Core 2 Duo E4300	1800	200 (800)	9	400 (800)	2	32/32	2048	LGA775	65	65
Core 2 Duo E4400	2000	200 (800)	10	400 (800)	2	32/32	2048	LGA775	65	65
Core 2 Duo E4500	2200	200 (800)	11	400 (800)	2	32/32	2048	LGA775	65	65
Core 2 Duo E4600	2400	200 (800)	12	400 (800)	2	32/32	2048	LGA775	65	65

* Per single core in multi-core processors.
** "X x Y" means "X KB per each of Y cores".
*** Specified differently in Intel and AMD processors, so a direct comparison would be incorrect.

Software

Application	64-bit	Multi-threaded*
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2	+	+
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP1	+	+
Autodesk 3ds max 9 SP2	+	+
V-Ray 1.5 SP1	+	+
Autodesk Maya 2008 Ultimate	+	+
NewTek Lightwave 3D 9.2	+	+
SolidWorks 2007SP0.0	+	+
PTC Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 3.0M120	+	-
UGS NX55.0.0.25	+	+
Wolfram Research Mathematica 6	+	+
MapleSoft Maple 11	-	+
MathWorks MATLAB 2007	+	+
Adobe Photoshop CS3 10.0	-	+
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008	+	+
Apache HTTP Server 2.2.8	-	+
PHP 5.2.5	-	+
MySQL Community Server 5.0.51a	-	+
ACDSee 10 Photo Manager	-	+
xat.com Image Optimizer 5.10	-	-
IrfanView 4.10	-	-
XnView 1.93.4	-	-
Paint.NET 3.30	+	+
7-Zip4.57	+	+
WinRAR 3.71	-	+
UltimateZip 3.2	-	-
FLAC 1.2.1	-	-
LAME-MT3.97	+	+
Musepack MPC Encoder 1.16	-	-
Nero Digital Audio Encoder 1.1.34.2	-	+
Ogg Encoder 2.83 (Lancer)	-	+
Canopus ProCoder 3.0	-	+
DivX Codec 6.8.2	-	+
XviD Codec 1.1.3 Final	-	-
x264 Codec rev 807	-	+
VirtualDub 1.8.0	-	+
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Patch 1.5)	-	+
Call of Juarez (Patch 1.1.0.0) + DX10 Enhancements Pack	-	-
Crysis (Patch 1.2)	+	+
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (Patch 1.006)	-	+
Unreal Tournament 3 (Patch 1.2)	-	+
Company of Heroes (Patch 1.71)	-	+
World in Conflict (Patch 1.007)	-	+

* Means that two or more simultaneously active threads are actually present during tests; not just the fact that a process generates several threads.

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Intel Low-End Processors

It's not as obvious as it seems.

Hardware and software

Testbed configuration

Software