Members wheresgrant3 Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 I just got a bonus check and my sister has hit some hard times. She has been on the brink of bankrupcy and last fall she finally pulled the trigger. In the past, she has borrowed money from me and has not been able to pay me back. In addition to her day job (as a police dispatcher) she does some side work for a marketing company collating data via excel. The laptop she was using, finally bit the dust. So I've decided to help her buy a PC. I found a great deal on a Celeron, from Dell Just the box for ...Celeron 2.33GHz533 FSB256 MB80 GB Hard DriveWindows XP HomeCDRW/DVD Combo Drive$269 free shipping I have a 17" monitor, keyboard and mouse I can give her... MS Office Small Business is $120 w/excel So for $389 she can be setup with a fully functioning PC to complete her work. All she needs it for is to complete this Excel work and use dial up to access the net. How will the celeron hold up for those limited functions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jigg Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 I would very strongly advise against it, even for her uses. The problem with Celerons is that they have no Level-2 cache, which is essentially an additional buffer directly on the CPU. Without this cache, everything crawls. Every experience I've had with a Celeron has been painfully slow, even for apps which you'd think don't require a lot of overhead. MS Office is more of a resource hog than most people think. Personally, I'd put together a custom box with a better processor. It'd probably cost about the same, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 For those purposes, it will be fine. My dad has an 800 Mhz Celeron computer and it's great for that kind of stuff. Sounds like a great deal to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted February 8, 2005 Author Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by jigg I would very strongly advise against it, even for her uses. The problem with Celerons is that they have no Level-2 cache, which is essentially an additional buffer directly on the CPU. Without this cache, everything crawls. Every experience I've had with a Celeron has been painfully slow, even for apps which you'd think don't require a lot of overhead. MS Office is more of a resource hog than most people think. Personally, I'd put together a custom box with a better processor. It'd probably cost about the same, too. I could build a Linux box for her, for a few dollars more, however I will not be around to maintain it. Also I haven't had any experience using MS Office in a Linux environment. Unfortunately the only option is to stay within a $300 budget. That means opting for a used Pentium III machine off Ebay or getting a new 2.33 Ghz Celeron with twice the features. Her computing needs are minimal and she just needs a cheap box to get her through the next year or so. Our agreement is for her to buy the software and pony for the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jigg Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 I feel your pain. Software's always the thing that bites you in the ass on cost. There's always OpenOffice.org. Completely free and compatible with any Office docs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted February 8, 2005 Author Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by jigg I feel your pain. Software's always the thing that bites you in the ass on cost. There's always OpenOffice.org. Completely free and compatible with any Office docs. I've tried using it... there are some small compatibility issues with it, regarding the work she's required to do. She works by day as a police dispatcher for $13.50 an hr. She does this side work for $18 per hour. It's not regular work, but when it's there she needs a PC to be able to work on the projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike51 Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 ""All she needs it for is to complete this Excel work and use dial up to access the net. How will the celeron hold up for those limited functions?"" It will handle the tasks she does flawlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unfed Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 true, i've used nothing but my Celeron for the past 5+ years. then again, i'm running Win98 on it, but it's actually pretty quick most of the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jigg Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 If by "flawlessly", you mean like a pig trying to pull a hen-house, then yes, it will be flawless. Celerons choke way too easily on anything. Try running any dial-up ISP software or Excel without it stuttering incessantly, or worse yet, try running them at the same time. Go get a cup of coffee and relax, it's gonna be a while. Yes, I'm very opinionated about the celery processors. They're garbage for which Intel should feel deep shame for releasing on an unwitting public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mike51 Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 jigg you must have had a crappy motherboard. A Celeron will run Excel fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sinner6 Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 My work computer has a 2.33 Ghz celeron in it. It runs roughly 1/3 to half as fast as my home computer that has a Athlon xp 1800 (1.53 Ghz). I am with the "its gonna crawl" camp here, though for your budget it may be ok as it will function, just much slower than the specs would lead you to belive. Celeron = paper hampster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by Mike51 jigg you must have had a crappy motherboard. A Celeron will run Excel fine. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unfed Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 so why would they put Celeron chips in computers if it made them so 'useless'? i've only got 96mb RAM in this thing (how can i check mHz?) and i can screw around here on the internet, listen to mp3s, and edit photos or write emails, etc all at the same time w/ no real noticable lag. if i wanted to actually *burn* a CD while doing all this, i'd run into some problems. it's funny, because i've found my computer to be much quicker than just about anything i've used running Win2000 or better and using a Pentium3 or 4... i've always found them to stall quite a bit while simply jumping to different websites... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jigg Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Actually, I have the good fortune to not own one. Sadly, many of my relatives do own them. And, I'm their support. So, guess who has to sit and wait for the damn machine to respond to a double-click for 10+ minutes? I can see how Win98 would run on a Cel pretty easily, provided there are no background apps running. Anything beyond that, Win2k/XP or God forbid Me, will have a very difficult time of it. Some other platforms of Linux or BSD (heavily configured) might be able to handle it as well. But, given that most newer apps and games won't even run on 9x, what's the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UnderDriven Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by jigg Actually, I have the good fortune to not own one. Sadly, many of my relatives do own them. And, I'm their support. So, guess who has to sit and wait for the damn machine to respond to a double-click for 10+ minutes? I can see how Win98 would run on a Cel pretty easily, provided there are no background apps running. Anything beyond that, Win2k/XP or God forbid Me, will have a very difficult time of it. Some other platforms of Linux or BSD (heavily configured) might be able to handle it as well. But, given that most newer apps and games won't even run on 9x, what's the point? Okay, if you are waiting 10 minutes for a double-click something is more wrong than just having a Celeron processor. The two most likely culprits are not enough memory or adware/spyware/viruses running on the machine. Windows XP, like all modern operating systems, requires more and more memory as features are added or the system is upgraded (patches fixing security bugs for example). I have a 600 MHz Celeron at home with a 100 MHz FSB, which is a pretty lame machine these days. I was running with 192 MB of memory until a couple weeks ago and it was *very* slow, since every action required page swapping to/from the hard drive. I upgraded to 384 MB and it is usable again. I think a 2.3 GHz Celeron with a 566 MHz FSB is fine for running Excel, but I would question only getting 256 MB of memory--512 MB would be a much better idea as long as it doesn't break the bank... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by UnderDriven Okay, if you are waiting 10 minutes for a double-click something is more wrong than just having a Celeron processor. The two most likely culprits are not enough memory or adware/spyware/viruses running on the machine. Windows XP, like all modern operating systems, requires more and more memory as features are added or the system is upgraded (patches fixing security bugs for example). I have a 600 MHz Celeron at home with a 100 MHz FSB, which is a pretty lame machine these days. I was running with 192 MB of memory until a couple weeks ago and it was *very* slow, since every action required page swapping to/from the hard drive. I upgraded to 384 MB and it is usable again. I think a 2.3 GHz Celeron with a 566 MHz FSB is fine for running Excel, but I would question only getting 256 MB of memory--512 MB would be a much better idea as long as it doesn't break the bank... +2 Memory is very important. Since the parent will be installing XP, it would be wise to shut off the stuff that requires memory, like the candy GUI. I have mine set to "Classic" and the change from the candy version was very noticeable, even though I have a ton of memory. Other programs that shouldn't be running - BESIDES spyware, etc. - should also be turned off. The average computer has a ton of stuff running in the background, doing virtually nothing useful, so it's prudent to shut them off. Not only do they gob megs of memory, but also can slow down the whole computer. The Celeron is a great chip, because it is designed for purposes that the parent is seeking. Doing heavy graphics work? Doing heavy video work? Running math-heavy programs? If so, you need a different chip, but for basic needs like word processing, spreadsheets, internet access, etc., etc., it's perfect. P.S. I have seen 2.5 Ghz Athlons virtually DIE because of the problems I mentioned above. It's like having a 700 horsepower turbocharged engine in a sedan, but loading it up with lead and bricks. Not gonna work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 I just got a bonus check and my sister has hit some hard times. She has been on the brink of bankrupcy and last fall she finally pulled the trigger. In the past, she has borrowed money from me and has not been able to pay me back. In addition to her day job (as a police dispatcher) she does some side work for a marketing company collating data via excel. The laptop she was using, finally bit the dust. So I've decided to help her buy a PC. I found a great deal on a Celeron, from Dell Just the box for ... Celeron 2.33GHz 533 FSB 256 MB 80 GB Hard Drive Windows XP Home CDRW/DVD Combo Drive $269 free shipping I have a 17" monitor, keyboard and mouse I can give her... MS Office Small Business is $120 w/excel So for $389 she can be setup with a fully functioning PC to complete her work. All she needs it for is to complete this Excel work and use dial up to access the net. How will the celeron hold up for those limited functions? Grant - I agree w/scubyfan + others who say: it's FINE - do it, don't listen to the Celeron nay-sayers... The only thing I will say is that dial-up Internet will give you ulcers waiting for it. Front her another 360 bucks and get her DSL for a year, 'til she can pay you back... (I love spending other people's money). BTW - You're a nice brother. So, what happened to sis - bad marriage/divorce? Not that it's any of our business, but you offered up the info in the 1st place. Also - Where does one find such a deal? What vendor/catalogue? - Oh, wait I just noticed it's a Dell deal - cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HuskerDude Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 I have a Celeron 1.2gHz (I think), and it runs fine. I have XP home edition, and as I'm typing this, I'm playing MP3's from my iPod through iTunes, have 2 windows of Trillian open, and MS word running behind Firefox, with no slowdown at all. Earlier I was playing Vsampler along with MP3's and reading from a chord sheet in Word and had no stutter at all. They aren't the best machines, but they work fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GigMan Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by scubyfan +2 Memory is very important. Since the parent will be installing XP, it would be wise to shut off the stuff that requires memory, like the candy GUI. I have mine set to "Classic" and the change from the candy version was very noticeable, even though I have a ton of memory. Other programs that shouldn't be running - BESIDES spyware, etc. - should also be turned off. The average computer has a ton of stuff running in the background, doing virtually nothing useful, so it's prudent to shut them off. Not only do they gob megs of memory, but also can slow down the whole computer. The Celeron is a great chip, because it is designed for purposes that the parent is seeking. Doing heavy graphics work? Doing heavy video work? Running math-heavy programs? If so, you need a different chip, but for basic needs like word processing, spreadsheets, internet access, etc., etc., it's perfect. P.S. I have seen 2.5 Ghz Athlons virtually DIE because of the problems I mentioned above. It's like having a 700 horsepower turbocharged engine in a sedan, but loading it up with lead and bricks. Not gonna work. xcellent points, scube - you get 3 scubysnacks for that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scubyfan Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by GigMan xcellent points, scube - you get 3 scubysnacks for that one! Rooby doo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kn364 Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 The celeron is fine for basic day to day tasks, but I do agree that you should get at least 512 megs of ram. That will help a lot. I've used a 2.0Ghz celeron for writing music and it was fine until I started to run a lot of softsynths >_<. go figure.....> And Jigg - youre wrong about the Celerons not have any L2 cache. The first version they released didnt have it, the newest celerons are built on the P4 Prescott core (blah!) with 256K L2 cache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cyanhue Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 a celeron should be fine for the tasks you specify, if installed properlay and it has enough ram (at least 256, more is better...), I would reccomend looking aroung for a deal on a duron/sephrom processor from AMD (they generaly offer a better processor for the money), there should competitively priced models to the celerons. although you might have a hard time competing with the price you quoted... good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted February 8, 2005 Author Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 Originally posted by GigMan BTW - You're a nice brother. So, what happened to sis - bad marriage/divorce? Not that it's any of our business, but you offered up the info in the 1st place. Thanks for the advice boys... As much as I agree with Jigg about Celeron performance it's the best that I can do... and she'll be more than grateful. Without a computer she can't this part time work. I don't mind sharing the info... this post is OT and it really affects the realities of harsh living in the Northeast. My sister lost her job in 2002 (just as I did) as part of the massive economic turndown that affected the Northeast. She worked for Verizon telephone for about 5 years at an account manager. She was doing pretty well, making about $50K her last year there. Then she was out of work for nearly 13 months, having to supplement her living expenses with waitressing at a local diner. She got behind on her credit cards and furiously started borrowing to pay the gap for her living expenses. She took the civil service exam for Police Dispatcher for a local municipality. she was hired at a rate of $13.00 an hour... ouch! With more bills coming in than income, she finally filed for bankrupcy last summer. She kept her car and dissolved $16K in debt. It's pretty sad, considering I know several people in NY that have dealt with the same thing. The cost of living, taxes, gas prices, an unemployment have been so high and alot of people have suffered. I know these types of discussions always turn political and it's sad that they do, because a "tit for tat" match ignores the reality that the last 5 years many Americans in the Northeast and other areas of the country have experienced "depression-era" hardships... and even with a noted 'recovery' will probably continue to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted February 8, 2005 Members Share Posted February 8, 2005 How are the AMD 64 chips rated? I hope I made a good choice. I just got the AMD 64 3500 with a SLI equipped Gigabyte mobo, 1 gig of XMS Corsair and a 6800 GT. Will I have lagging with that CPU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sevensinner Posted February 9, 2005 Members Share Posted February 9, 2005 Originally posted by jigg I would very strongly advise against it, even for her uses. The problem with Celerons is that they have no Level-2 cache, which is essentially an additional buffer directly on the CPU. Without this cache, everything crawls. Every experience I've had with a Celeron has been painfully slow, even for apps which you'd think don't require a lot of overhead. MS Office is more of a resource hog than most people think. Personally, I'd put together a custom box with a better processor. It'd probably cost about the same, too. Uhh where do you come up with this {censored}? The only Celerons that didn't have an L2 cache were the Slot-1 266 and 300MHz "Covington" chips, from around 1998. Starting with the Celeron 300a "Mendocino" core, they added the 128KB of full speed L2 cache within the core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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