# Dumb computer question: Intel Celeron chip and motherboards **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223 "2004-03-09T02:24:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223/1 "2004-03-09T02:24:15Z")
I thought I knew more about computers, but … anyhow, I’ve got a spare 1.8 GHz Intel Celeron processor, and I thought I’d build a second computer around it. Looking at motherboards on [newegg.com](http://newegg.com), descriptions for Intel-based motherboards either state that they’ll work with the Intel Pentium 4, or the Intel Pentium 4/Celeron. Are there Socket 478 motherboards that will only work with the non-Celeron P4, or will most Socket 478 boards work with both? ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223/2 "2004-03-09T03:03:03Z")
Given that a newer Celeron like you have is just a crippled P4, it should work fine in any Socket478 board. Of course, before you buy you could just check the manufacturs website and make sure celeries are supported. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223/3 "2004-03-09T04:25:59Z")
> [@RandomLetters](#): > > Of course, before you buy you could just check the manufacturs website and make sure celeries are supported. I’ve looked at the manufacturer sites, and they’re really kinda’ vauge. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223/4 "2004-03-09T17:18:21Z")
Bumpies. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223/5 "2004-03-09T19:38:46Z")
Always check to make sure the chip you have is supported by the motherboard. I just bought a new motherboard for my wife’s computer, because it was getting some strange errors. Since she had a 1.5 GHz Pentium 4, I bought a socket 478 board. Only after I took the computer apart and put it back together did I find that the motherboard only supported chips at 1.8 GHz and higher. ---
**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-computer-question-intel-celeron-chip-and-motherboards/233223/6 "2004-03-09T22:03:11Z")
You are on the right track by making sure the chip socket matches. Once you find a model or two that interests you, head to the OEM’s website and look for the technical specs (usually a PDF). If it does not list the exact range of CPUs supported, it should list the various settings the board can afford the processor. Just make certain your processor fits within the specs.