Intel Celeron 1200 socket: Socket 370

What the Celeron 1200 is

The Intel Celeron 1200 is a 1200 MHz single-core desktop processor from October 2001. It runs one P6 Tualatin core at 1200 MHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 256 KB of full-speed L2 with 32 KB of L1 on a 130 nm process with 44 million transistors. Power is rated at 30 W in a Socket 370 FC-PGA2 package with part numbers SL5XS and SL6C8 on a 100 MHz front side bus with a 12x multiplier at 1.5 V.

The 100 MHz bus with a high 12x multiplier separates Celeron Tualatin parts from Pentium III Tualatin parts on 133 MHz paths, which is why the 1200 suits value boards with PC100 memory while Pentium III 1200 parts need PC133 paths. Intel launched the Celeron 1200 in October 2001 with the 1100A. The chip supports MMX and SSE with no SMP paths.

A 1.2 GHz clock on a slower bus with a 30 W envelope suits value Socket 370 desktops with SDRAM and integrated graphics. The high multiplier keeps board timing relaxed. That is why the 1200 shipped in budget towers with chipset video.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 1200 fits Socket 370 value desktops with Tualatin Celeron support. It needs a 370-pin FC-PGA2 Tualatin-ready board with a 100 MHz bus path and a BIOS that lists Celeron 1200. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Value SDRAM towers are the natural match. Boards listing SL5XS accept the chip with a 30 W cooler. Boards set only for 133 MHz Pentium III operation still run it, but the bus tables must include the 100 MHz setting.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is PC100 SDRAM through the board chipset at the 100 MHz bus rate, matched to the board DIMM sockets. The CPU has no memory controller, so the chipset sets the type and speed. Value 815 boards commonly run PC100 pairs for Celeron Tualatin parts.

A 100 MHz front side bus ties the CPU to the chipset, while AGP and PCI hang off the chipset. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Cooling uses the Socket 370 lug clip on the FC-PGA2 spreader with a cooler rated for 30 W.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket, a move to a Celeron 1100A such as Intel Celeron 1100A drops 100 MHz at equal power when a slower spare matters. A Pentium III 1200 such as Intel Pentium III 1200 moves to a 133 MHz bus with the same cache for higher throughput when the board supports it. A Celeron 1000A on the same list is a further step down.

A move to Pentium 4 needs Socket 478 with a new board. The Socket 370 page lists the Tualatin Celeron range for planning.