Pentium 4
series of single-core Intel CPUs
Pentium 4 is a series of single-core CPUs for desktops, laptops and entry-level servers manufactured by Intel. The processors were shipped from November 20, 2000 until August 8, 2008. All Pentium 4 CPUs are based on the NetBurst microarchitecture, the successor to the P6, and were the flagship processors in Intel's CPU lineup until 2004 before being relegated to mid-range upon the release of the Pentium Extreme Edition.
The Pentium 4 Willamette (180 nm) introduced SSE2, while the Prescott (90 nm) introduced SSE3 and later 64-bit technology. Later versions introduced Hyper-Threading Technology (HTT). The first Pentium 4-branded processor to implement 64-bit was the Prescott (90 nm) (February 2004), but this feature was not enabled. Intel subsequently began selling 64-bit Pentium 4s using the "E0" revision of the Prescotts, being sold on the OEM market as the Pentium 4, model F. The E0 revision also adds eXecute Disable (XD) (Intel's name for the NX bit) to Intel 64. Intel's official launch of Intel 64 (under the name EM64T at that time) in mainstream desktop processors was the N0 stepping Prescott-2M.
In 2001 and 2002, Intel stratified the Pentium 4 family by releasing the NetBurst-based Celeron line of processors for low-end computers (often referred to as Celeron 4) and the Xeon line for multi-socket servers and workstations. In 2004, the Pentium 4 was complemented by the top end Pentium Extreme Edition, and in 2005, the more advanced dual-core-brand Pentium D. All were succeeded at the top range by the Core 2 brand, while production continued until 2008, when it was replaced by the Pentium Dual-Core.
Microarchitecture
In benchmark evaluations, the advantages of the NetBurst microarchitecture were unclear.
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