Intel Celeron 2.30 socket: Socket 478

What the Celeron 2.30 is

The Intel Celeron 2.30 is a 2.3 GHz single-core value processor from March 2003. It runs one NetBurst Northwood core at 2.3 GHz with no Hyper-Threading, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 128 KB of L2 on a 130 nm process. Power is rated at 58.3 W in a Socket 478 package. The cpu_list 73 W value differs from the table 58.3 W, and the table value is used here.

The 2.30 uses a 400 MT/s front side bus with a 23x multiplier. Intel placed it as a value Northwood-128 part with a quarter of the 512 KB on Pentium 4 Northwood parts at nearby clocks. The chip supports MMX, SSE and SSE2 without Hyper-Threading. Small cache with a slow bus defines the value trade, keeping office tasks usable while trimming die cost.

Value power stays modest here. The 58.3 W rating against 73 W on faster Celeron parts reflects lower clocks at the same 130 nm base. That is why the 2.30 suited quiet office towers with small coolers.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Celeron 2.30 fits Socket 478 value desktops with DDR memory, a 400 MT/s bus and Northwood Celeron support. It needs a 478-pin board. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Office DDR towers are the natural match. Boards listing Northwood Celeron parts accept the chip with a 58.3 W cooler. Faster Celeron parts need stronger cooling where listed.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is DDR through the board chipset. The board sets speed and capacity.

A 400 MT/s bus ties the CPU to the chipset, while AGP handles graphics. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Cooling uses the Socket 478 bracket with a 58.3 W heatsink.

Upgrade paths

On Socket 478 the steps are Celeron 2.40 and 2.60 Northwood parts with the same 128 KB cache. Celeron D Prescott parts offer 256 KB on newer boards. Beyond Socket 478 a move to LGA 775 needs a new board. The 2.30 lifts with the lever, so swaps need no solder work.