Intel Pentium 4 HT 2.60 socket: Socket 478

What the Pentium 4 HT 2.60 is

The Intel Pentium 4 HT 2.60 is a 2.6 GHz single-core desktop processor with Hyper-Threading from May 2003. It runs one NetBurst Northwood core at 2.6 GHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 2 threads. Cache is 512 KB of L2 on a 130 nm process. Power is rated at 69 W in a Socket 478 package with part numbers SL6WH and SL6WS.

The 2.60C uses an 800 MT/s front side bus with a 13x multiplier at 1.475 V to 1.525 V. Intel sold it at 218 dollars in May 2003. The chip supports MMX, SSE and SSE2 with Hyper-Threading. Celeron 2.60 parts at the same 2.6 GHz offer 128 KB without threads on a 400 MT/s bus, so cache, bus and threads separate value from mainstream at identical frequency.

Small power steps mark the Northwood HT line. The move from 66.2 W on the 2.40 to 69 W on the 2.60 needs no cooler change, since the envelope stays near 70 W. That is why boards qualified for the 2.40 normally accept the 2.60 with the same heatsink.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Pentium 4 HT 2.60 fits Socket 478 desktops with an 800 MT/s bus and Northwood HT 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. Intel 865 boards accept the chip with a 69 W cooler.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

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

An 800 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 69 W heatsink.

Upgrade paths

On Socket 478 the steps are the Pentium 4 HT 2.80 and 3.00 Northwood parts. Celeron 2.60 offers the same clocks without threads or cache. Beyond Socket 478 a move to LGA 775 needs a new board. The 2.60 lifts with the lever, so swaps need no solder work.