CPU 101

[jamnkats]

I'm trying to understand the various possibilities and configurations out there as I look to replace a Toshiba and a T30.

My (broken) T30 has a Pentium 4 1.9 something CPU. The 2nd T30 has a P4 1.6 something CPU. Does this mean that they are both Dothans or is the P4-M different somehow from the Pentium M? Assuming I have a Dothan (or two), I can't get a faster CPU until I move into a T60. Correct? After the P4M (or Pentium M assuming I have understood incorrectly), comes the Core Solo and then the Core Duo and then the Core2Duo?

Other than USB 2.0, what would the benefit be in upgrading from a T30 to a T40series?

[rkawakami]

Can't claim that this is a complete (or accurate) list, but you might try:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_In ... processors

As far as upgrading to a T4x, yes you gain the USB 2.0 but at the same time if you get the ATI graphics chip, you also get the chance of developing the loose GPU problem. Intel-based video in T43 systems appear to be unaffected by this issue.

edit: "From the horse's mouth...": http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/quickreffam.htm

[ajkula66]

The CPUs used in T30 are completely different from ones in T4x series, mainly it's P4M vs. PM and they're not interchangeable.

The fastest P4M you can put in T30 is 2.6 Ghz, and that one would roughly equal the speed of PM 1.6 or 1.7, but that's not really a proper comparison.

Hope this helps.

[jamnkats]

THank you Ray and George! It was Wiki that got me started but I couldn't figure out the P4-M vs PM - if they were the same or different and thank you George for pointing that out.

I'm guessing that CPU isn't such a huge deal for the (text, little graphics, internet, email) that I do but more important for the kids who are doing Runescape and graphics.

And I know about the GPU problems with the T4x series and that is definitely a concern. Thanks!

So, after the Pentium M (which is "above" the P4-M) you go to Core Solo, then Core Duo and then C2D? I know there is Celeron and Athelon (or something like that) and other CPUs but right now I'm just tyring to understand Intel...

[RealBlackStuff]

Celerons are cut-down versions of the standard PM.
I'm not aware of a Celeron P4-M.
The main difference is the amount of on-board L2 cache (Celeron 1MB vs. PM 2MB).

Athlons are made by AMD and do not fit in any Thinkpad.

[ajkula66]

Celerons have been around a LONG time...going back to 240 series ThinkPads and many subsequent ones...

Celerons run hotter, and do not enable SpeedStep-they're always at full throttle, therefore affecting the battery life as well.

RBS brought up a good point about system cache: on most P4Ms it's 512KB, when compared to 1MB on Banias PMs and Celerons, vs. 2MB on Dothans.

Hope this helps