P4 Northwood or Prescott?

[pookie69]

Hi there guys.

Quite simply, i have the choice of either getting a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 CPU "Northwood" @800FSB, HT 512k cache, or a 3.0GHz Pentium 4 CPU "Prescott" @800FSB, HT 1MB cache - which one should i get???

Both cost around the same >>> only hang-up i have is over the well-known HEAT problems of the 90nm tech Prescotts. Having said that, it has 1MB cache - how much of a performance gain does 1MB cache over 512k offer exactly?

Finally - which of the two have better overclockability?

Thanks - appreciated as always

 

[AristoV300]

The 3.0c is the better overclocker. The 1mb of cache only helps the deep pipelines on the prescott which are killing it running at these low speeds. The Prescott starts to show performance in the high 3 ghz range and above. I would go with the 3.0c, a good one should overclock to 3.6~3.7.

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: AristoV300
The 3.0c is the better overclocker. The 1mb of cache only helps the deep pipelines on the prescott which are killing it running at these low speeds. The Prescott starts to show performance in the high 3 ghz range and above. I would go with the 3.0c, a good one should overclock to 3.6~3.7.

Hmm... 3.6-3.7... sounds good, but would my case have melted by then? LOL.

Seriously - i am rather concerned about the heat issue regarding Prescotts. Im not using any sort of liquid cooling - just your standard air - am i making too big a deal about the heat?

 

[AristoV300]

the 3.0c is the northwood that I am recommending, the 3.0e is the prescott. No the heat is a very big deal with the prescott, and their performance is not very good at the current speeds. You would need a good water cooling or prommy to get good performance out of a prescott IMO.

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: AristoV300
the 3.0c is the northwood that I am recommending, the 3.0e is the prescott. No the heat is a very big deal with the prescott, and their performance is not very good at the current speeds. You would need a good water cooling or prommy to get good performance out of a prescott IMO.

pookie dumb. apologies.

Thanks for the input :thumbsup:

 

[PhoenixOrion]

For the same clock speed comparison, P4 northwood bench tests are better than prescotts.

Prescott cores are more overclockable but you will definitely need watercooling. Just a reference bench test, stock 3.2 prescott pegged 78C while on CPUburn test.

If you are sticking with fan cooling, go with 3.0 and see what others have clocked theirs at www.overclockers.com database.

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: PhoenixOrion
For the same clock speed comparison, P4 northwood bench tests are better than prescotts.

Prescott cores are more overclockable but you will definitely need watercooling. Just a reference bench test, stock 3.2 prescott pegged 78C while on CPUburn test.

If you are sticking with fan cooling, go with 3.0 and see what others have clocked theirs at www.overclockers.com database.

Yup - just had a look over at overclockers... woah... LOOK at some of those overclocks!

Seems as though some ppl manage alright on air-cooling alone. Hmm.. will be interesting to see how my Zalman CNPS7000B-Alcu manages

 

[pookie69]

... cant get the stupid link to work so ill just post the average o/c details...

Total Entries in Database for Pentium 4 3.0 800 - 36
Average overclocked speed - 3680 Mhz

 

[stevty2889]

I would go with the Northwood. I got a 2.8 prescott just to see if it was really all that bad, and it is. With my 2.8 prescott at 3.2ghz, it still benches lower than my 3.06ghz northwood, and also runs hotter at stock speed than the 3.06.

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
I would go with the Northwood. I got a 2.8 prescott just to see if it was really all that bad, and it is. With my 2.8 prescott at 3.2ghz, it still benches lower than my 3.06ghz northwood, and also runs hotter at stock speed than the 3.06.

Hmmm, thats pretty messed up.

Thanks for the heads-up mate.

 

[lookin4dlz]

For some reason, everyone on this board hates Intel & Prescotts in particular... On other boards however, I'm seeing more & more people who are overclocking their Prescott's to 4GHz and who also state that at that speed it's faster than a similarly overclocked Northwood.

With that said... I just bought a used 3.0c 12 cap for $150 off of eBay that's doing 3.75GHz on air with no problem on an Asus P4P800-E Deluxe. This flys & HT really helps.

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: lookin4dlz
For some reason, everyone on this board hates Intel & Prescotts in particular... On other boards however, I'm seeing more & more people who are overclocking their Prescott's to 4GHz and who also state that at that speed it's faster than a similarly overclocked Northwood.

With that said... I just bought a used 3.0c 12 cap for $150 off of eBay that's doing 3.75GHz on air with no problem on an Asus P4P800-E Deluxe. This flys & HT really helps.

Nice o/c

Are you using the stock Intel cooler or something else?

Ive been thinking about either sticking the P4 in an ABIT IC7-MAX3, or the ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe that you're working with. Both seem like good mobo's, but i can't make up mind

 

[dguy6789]

Ok here it comes.


1st. The idea that Prescotts are Huge heat makers is a MYTH. On average the Prescott runs around 5C hotter then an equally clocked Northwood with same cooler. That is by NO MEANS huge.

2nd. The Prescott actually wins MORE tests then the northwood counterparts contrary to popular belief.

3rd. The Prescott supports SSE3, which if in the future, benefits it as much as sse2 did the P4, then the prescott will own.

4th. The prescott has a much improved HT system. If you thought the origonal HT was good, the Prescott one is around 25% more effective then the northwood HT.

5th. The 2.8E is cheaper then the 2.8C. And you know what? The WORLD Record for a cpu overclock on P4 was done with the 2.8E. It got up to 5.6Ghz.


With all that aside now, I suggest prescott, as it is an overall better chip.

 

[LTC8K6]

I agree, there is no real reason not to buy a Prescott. It's only a little warmer than a Northwood and they overclock well.

 

[lookin4dlz]

Originally posted by: pookie69
Nice o/c

Are you using the stock Intel cooler or something else?

Ive been thinking about either sticking the P4 in an ABIT IC7-MAX3, or the ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe that you're working with. Both seem like good mobo's, but i can't make up mind

Hey pookie69!

It's a stock Intel cooler, but not what comes with a retail 3.0c - what I have is aluminum w/ a copper core, but I think the retail version is all copper...

You have pm about the two boards...

 

[Gikaseixas]

Avoid the 2.8, 3.0 or even the 3.2 prescott. They perform poorly compared to northwood P4's at the same speed. Prescott only does well above 3.4 ghz.

Heat is also another issue, if you want to overclock especially

 

[CosmicPuppet]

Article from inquirer

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16952

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: CosmicPuppet
Article from inquirer

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16952

Blimey! I just dont understand this at all >>> there are numerous articles, just like this Inquirer article, that all seem to 'suggest' that the Prescott is one HOT MOTHER, yet there are some ppl saying that thats all nonsense and that the Prescott is in fact only a lil hotter than the Northwood.

I have no first hand experience with Prescotts so i suppose i really cannot judge >>> all i can do is decide for myself based upon what ppl are telling me, BUT PPL ARE TELLING ME DIFFERENT THINGS!

Confusing as heck.

I think im gonna play this one safe and just go ahead and stick to the good old Northwood.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: pookie69

Originally posted by: CosmicPuppet
Article from inquirer

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=16952

Blimey! I just dont understand this at all >>> there are numerous articles, just like this Inquirer article, that all seem to 'suggest' that the Prescott is one HOT MOTHER, yet there are some ppl saying that thats all nonsense and that the Prescott is in fact only a lil hotter than the Northwood.

I have no first hand experience with Prescotts so i suppose i really cannot judge >>> all i can do is decide for myself based upon what ppl are telling me, BUT PPL ARE TELLING ME DIFFERENT THINGS!

Confusing as heck.

I think im gonna play this one safe and just go ahead and stick to the good old Northwood.

Its simple pookie, when you have one advantage over your competitor, no matter how small it is, you have to have constant parades on the internet in its honor.

 

[ROJAS]

I have a Prescott P4-3.2E overclocked so far to 3.8Ghz with Corsair memory DDR400. Using a Koolance PC2-650 water-cooled case. I have had the Prescott for only one month. When my new memory comes in I will push the 4Ghz mark.

 

[pookie69]

Originally posted by: ROJAS
I have a Prescott P4-3.2E overclocked so far to 3.8Ghz with Corsair memory DDR400. Using a Koolance PC2-650 water-cooled case. I have had the Prescott for only one month. When my new memory comes in I will push the 4Ghz mark.

Nice o/c. Unfortunately im too chicken to venture into the realms of water-cooling - i have to rely on good old fashioned air for the time being.

So, what freq is your memory currently clocked at? ~ 476DDR (single channel)? Thats pushing it quite far past its DDR400 spec then - impressive indeed.

So what kinda temps does your Prescott read with water cooling at the o/c its at?