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Mis-labelled Processors on OCUK

Baris Balic

Baris Balic

Baris Balic

Associate
Joined
31 Dec 2007
Posts
2
Hi ...everyone,

I contacted OcUK the other day after purchasing a 'Intel Core 2 Duo E2180', when my motherboard politely informed me that it was incompatible, despite the board being compatible with 'all' core 2 duo, pentium 4 and pentium D processors.

After checking the box I noticed the sticker actually said 'Pentium Dual Core' which I researched a little and discovered that the E2140 E2160 E2180 processors are not actually core 2 duo processors, but some poorly balanced intermediate. I contacted OcUK and they immediately agreed to refund the product but they seemed hesitant to change the on-site labels, so this post is meant to serve as a pre-warning.
 
Baris, When new processors come out they require a bios update. This is why it probably won't have been compatible. Alough I don't see why this would be a problem if your board supports C2D.
 
They're just C2D E4000 processors with half the cache disabled. I'm sure updating your motherboard's BIOS to the latest version would have solved your problem.

Just curious, what motherboard do you have?
 
they just label them as Pentium Dual Core... it's infact a normal Dual Core processor with just some cache and virtualization technology removed. It should work on your motherboard, if it doesn't then it probably needs an updated bios or your mobo is weird, what mobo you have.

Very weird OC uk agreed.

Welcome to the forum btw ;)
 
These are indeed Core 2 Duo processors, but Intel decided to call them
pentium dual core for some reason to help confuse every body :eek: :)

Rob
 
Well my "poorly balanced intermediate" runs like the clappers :D
Have to aggree with the whole C2D / Pentium thing, what where they thinking?
 
You're posting the thread as a warning...in a CPU dedicated sub section of a computer dedicated forum? I think people are aware of what you're saying. :)
 
intels naming conventions have NEVER been particularly accurate. juse take a look at "Pentium M's" they were actually PIIIs with more cache and funny gubbins!

still beat the pants off of PIVs on everything that mattered (like Quake!)
 
As others have said, the E2*** series chips have the same core architecture as all the other Core2 chips to date, just with less onboard cache. They are called Pentium for marketing reasons, that's all, and are in no way related to the old Netburst Pentiums.

Intel had spent millions of pounds making Pentium the most recognised CPU brand name in history, which makes it a valuable one, and so calling these chips Pentiums recoups more of that investment and doesn't dilute the mainstream Core2 brand.

A motherboard Bios update would have sorted your situation, 100% guaranteed.
 
Thanks for the welcomes and whatever-elses.

I think I was misreading what was written, my apologies, there was some suggestion that there were two different cores on the one chip and that is where I had perceived the inefficiency, upon closer reading it looks like there are just variants some based on one core, the rest based on another, rather than mismatched pairs.

Sorry for any confusion :( The motherboard is at home so I can't check the model, it's a dell board though.
 
Baris Balic said:
Thanks for the welcomes and whatever-elses.

I think I was misreading what was written, my apologies, there was some suggestion that there were two different cores on the one chip and that is where I had perceived the inefficiency, upon closer reading it looks like there are just variants some based on one core, the rest based on another, rather than mismatched pairs.

Sorry for any confusion :( The motherboard is at home so I can't check the model, it's a dell board though.
Click to expand...

its okay mate. everyone was new at one point in time!

i remember when i first got into PCs that i thought that AMD processors were 100% inferior to Intel, and were overclocked by the shop to make them sell better!

how wrong i was... ;)
 
In fairness to the OP and OCuk, this is Intel's fault for being deliberately confusing. And wanting to reuse a brand name as well known as pentium tbh.
 
Intel can call them what they want its thier product, they don't really want to de value the Core 2 Duo brand (yes its a brand:)) by having them at a low price point. And yeah it is a bit off OcUK mis naming them on thier site. I remember when the first skt 478 Celerons were launched some resellers used to call them P4 celerons.
 
Baris Balic said:
that the E2140 E2160 E2180 processors are not actually core 2 duo processors, but some poorly balanced intermediate.
Click to expand...

As said they ARE Core 2 Duos with only 1mb cache, and they are anything but "poorly balanced intermediate" check out melbourne720's review and my comparison in sig and you'll see there is very little difference between these and the more expensive C2Ds.

However I do agree OCUK should still sell them as Pentium Dual Cores regardless.
 
Actually, I think OCUK's description of these processors is more helpful than Intels official Pentium naming!!

More people are likely to buy them if they know they are 'Core2's', so you can't blame OCUK for that.
 
I think Intel just wanted to ressurect the old Pentium brand. I don't think there's a brand in computing that is so universally recognised so it makes sense. Makes it easier for the highstreet shops to shift systems with them in too. Good marketing by Intel if you ask me and as stated above, we know they're C2D's anyway!
 
I don't know what Intel were thinking either. Customer sees Pentium written on the new computer that they are looking at, thinks "Pentium is old crap". Customer then looks at e4xx c2d computers and thinks "these cost too much". Then customer sees Athlon 64 X2 computers and thinks "I know these are better than Pentium and I can afford one". And walks out of the shop with one. Losing Intel sales.
 
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