Do the Celeron and Duron Make Sense Anymore?
Sometimes it’s amusing to look back at our crazy industry and see how much has changed — as in old computer-magazine headlines like, “Is the 386 Too Powerful for Desktops?” or “Inside the 486 Server CPU.” Yep, back in the days of Intel’s virtual monopoly, each new processor was advertised for high-end server and workstation implementations, and only later did rabid enthusiasts think about getting one. Mainstream consumers waited for a trickle-down effect with previous processors. Today, both Intel and AMD have taken CPU market segmentation to new heights, producing server, mobile, and both high-end and entry-level mainstream chips. This business model has worked well over the last few years and hastened product development in important areas. But we’re starting to reach a point where some products no longer make sense. I’m referring to value processors like the Intel Celeron and AMD Duron — which once served a very real purpose, but are now losing their mass-market appeal to higher-e
