Socket Info: PBGA479, PPGA478

[dalauder]

So a friend is interested in this laptop for the obvious reason that it has reasonably proficient discrete graphics card for $270: http://micronesia.craigslist.org/sys/2624892265.html

Of course, it is probably on the cheap side largely because of the Pentium 4 CPU in it. Has anyone heard of upgrading Pentium 4 laptops CPUs? I've upgraded Core Duo Yonah CPUs to Core 2 Duo Meroms, but those were both socket M. What I can't get a clear info on is whether a mobile Pentium 4 actually uses the same socket as a Merom mobile Core 2 Duo?
Pentium 4: http://ark.intel.com/products/27371/Mobile-Intel-Pentium-4-Processor-552-supporting-HT-Technology-(1M-Cache-3_46-GHz-533-MHz-FSB)
T7200: http://ark.intel.com/products/27255/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-T7200-(4M-Cache-2_00-GHz-667-MHz-FSB)

Both can share socket PPGA478 on the intel website linked above. Is this socket M? Because if I could actually upgrade the CPU, I'd be doubling the CPU strength. I have Merom and Yonah CPUs I could test it with if they're even the same socket.

 

[dalauder]

Anyone know about sockets or should I post elsewhere?

 

[MU_Engineer]

So a friend is interested in this laptop for the obvious reason that it has reasonably proficient discrete graphics card for $270: http://micronesia.craigslist.org/sys/2624892265.html

Of course, it is probably on the cheap side largely because of the Pentium 4 CPU in it. Has anyone heard of upgrading Pentium 4 laptops CPUs? I've upgraded Core Duo Yonah CPUs to Core 2 Duo Meroms, but those were both socket M. What I can't get a clear info on is whether a mobile Pentium 4 actually uses the same socket as a Merom mobile Core 2 Duo?
Pentium 4: http://ark.intel.com/products/27371/Mobile-Intel-Pentium-4-Processor-552-supporting-HT-Technology-(1M-Cache-3_46-GHz-533-MHz-FSB)
T7200: http://ark.intel.com/products/27255/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-T7200-(4M-Cache-2_00-GHz-667-MHz-FSB)

Both can share socket PPGA478 on the intel website linked above. Is this socket M? Because if I could actually upgrade the CPU, I'd be doubling the CPU strength. I have Merom and Yonah CPUs I could test it with if they're even the same socket.

Mobile P4s did exist. Most used the standard desktop Socket 478 (PGA478). There were desktop P4s shoved into laptops, Mobile Pentium 4-Ms with <= 35-watt TDPs, and then Mobile P4s that were basically desktop P4s with SpeedStep enabled.

You can upgrade P4 laptops to some extent. It all depends on how much CPU wattage the laptop can handle as well as what CPUs the BIOS supports.

Intel uses essentially the same physical socket for Socket 478 P4s, Socket 479 Pentium Ms, and Socket M and Socket P Core 2s. Some chips will fit in sockets that they are not designed for (I know 478 and P are physically identical) but they are not electrically compatible and will NOT work. Socket 478 laptops only take P4s, Socket 479 laptops only take Pentium Ms, Socket M takes Core Solo/Duo and some Core 2s, and Socket P only takes Socket P Core 2s. Your laptop using the P4 552 is NOT upgradeable to a Core 2.

 

[dalauder]

Thanks. That's too bad, but honestly what I was expecting.

I'd previously upgraded a T2050 to a T7600 on a Vaio to get about 200% the performance. I was hoping for something awesome--thanks for clearing it up though.

 

[dalauder]

Best answer selected by dalauder.