P4 processor desktop vs laptop

[nibugeorge]

Hello,
I have a Dell laptop with Pentium 4 processor, 2.66GHz. One of the pins on it is broken, so I want to replace the processor with a new one. But most of the ones that sell on ebay say they are for desktops but the specs match. There are also P4's with 3.2Ghz. So will this work on the dell laptop or do I have to get the exact same processor and that too the laptop version? I was told by one of the tech persons at where I work that as long as the socket type matches I can get the 3.2 GHz processor. I just don't want to buy it and then end up having to send it back.

Thanks.

 

[festerovic]

Technically this may work, but Dell does not usually support other CPUs in their machines. I have seen others ask this question of desktops, and sometimes it works (if the chip is the exact same series (like P4 northwood 2.6 to p4 northwood 3.2). Many times the chip is unrecognized. It really depends on the motherboard and it's Bios.

Dell might provide this information, you should hit them up.

 

[enzo matrix]

^ lol beat me to it. +1
Basically, you can only be 100% sure it will work if the CPU you are looking at was one of the models that came with your laptop.
Like festerovic said, if you can't find that out, try to get the same model type (northwood, northwood). I'd avoid the prescott, not only because it might not work, but also the power requirements were intense and I doubt your laptop would have sufficient cooling.

 

[nibugeorge]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will buy a processor with exactly the same specs as the one that came with the laptop. The laptop being an older model does not have the best cooling and thats why I opened it up to clean the fan and ended up with a broken pin on the cpu...

 

[Nils]

Are you sure the pentium 4 in your laptop is a normal desktop version of the p4? Normally they use mobile versions in laptops as they get less hot and consume less energy. As far as I know, P4's for desktops get very hot. No way the same ones are used in laptops.

 

[nibugeorge]

This is what it says on the processor : Pentium 4 2.66GHZ/512/533 SL6PE. I looked at P4 2.8GHZ/512/533 SL6PF on ebay and the sellers says it should work. I am not sure now.

 

[zenmaster]

Post the Dell Laptop Model and provide an eBay Link.

 

[nibugeorge]

The Dell model number is Inspiron 5100. I ended up buying a processor that had the same specs of the OEM processor. Sh hopefully that works. Thanks all for your replies.

 

[enzo matrix]

Are you sure the pentium 4 in your laptop is a normal desktop version of the p4? Normally they use mobile versions in laptops as they get less hot and consume less energy. As far as I know, P4's for desktops get very hot. No way the same ones are used in laptops.

Tell that to the two idential pentium 4 2.0GHz CPUs I have. One from a desktop dell and the other from a toshiba laptop. Socket 478.
This is his CPU:
http://www.cpu-world.com/sspec/SL/SL6PE.html

It's usually mixed in the old computers (if they use mobile or desktop) but all are socket 478. I do however, very much doubt they would have used a prescott CPU in a notebook, if they decided against the mobile version.

I said previously:
I'd avoid the netburst not only because it might not work, but also the power requirements were intense and I doubt your laptop would have sufficient cooling.

What I meant to say was:
I'd avoid the prescott not only because it might not work, but also the power requirements were intense and I doubt your laptop would have sufficient cooling.

All are netburst. My error. I also corrected my previous post.