Can you put a 1.7 Dothan in a T40 with a 1.3 Banias?

[Pyroraptor]

Hi,
I've had my T40 for about two weeks now, and I really like it, its quite a capable machine... but I wouldn't mind it being a bit faster. I've been hunting around, and it looks like I can nab a 1.7GHz Dothan (intel 735) for about $60 shipped on ebay, which looks like a good deal to me. But the question is- would it work in a T40? Would cooling be an issue? I've flipped up the keyboard on mine, and it looks like I have the 'short' fan, it doesn't look like it covers the GPU chip. My machine is a 237414U.

I've also already bumped my HDD to a 7200rpm, and I'll be getting a 1gb stick of RAM once PC2100 prices drop a bit, so I'd have 1.5GB.

Thanks for any help and or insight!

John

[jdhurst]

I put a 1.8GHz Dothan in a T41 (2373) and it works great. I think it should go in your machine but I am not certain. ... JDH

[SHoTTa35]

yeah, you should get the 1.7Ghz Dothan and get a long fan to go with it. The Dothans are cooler than Banias CPUs but the extra cooling can't hurt anyone.

[Pyroraptor]

Alrighty, thanks for the info, I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for good deals on long fans/1.7 Dothans. [/u]

[jdhurst]

I have the short fan in my T41, and it works fine. Usually around 38 - 40 degrees C although it can go to 45 under a steady working load. ... JDH

[Pyroraptor]

Oh wow, thats about 7-9C cooler than my Banias is, I didn't think the ghange would be that radical. Since the Dothans are cooler, is there any chance they use less power too?

[SHoTTa35]

definitely. They use the smaller die size (i think) which draws less power which is what makes them cooler 130mm vs 90mm.

[Pyroraptor]

Wow, thats quite awesome. More speed, less heat, and less power draw! Woo Hoo!

[teetee]

This might help:
http://tinyurl.com/35okbb

[Temetka]

That's a col site you linked us to.

Thanks.

[chan_man]

What about the difference with the FSB? Banias is 400Mhz and Dothan is 533Mhz, how does the Thinkpad account for this? I tried putting a 1.7 Dothan into my T41 that had a 1.6 Banias, it powered up OK but bios showed that it was running around 1.5 not 1.7. Any clues?

[Pyroraptor]

The Dothan I am looking at (Intel 735) has a 400MHz FSB, so it should be fine.

Edit:
AHA! I just found another difference! The Intel 735 is 748 pins, while the Intel 735A is 749 pins! Which socket does the T40 have?

[sktn77a]

Well, it's a little more complicated than the stated number of pins. Stay away from the "A" suffix processors. Actually, I'd hold off for a couple more months and get a 2.0GHz when the price comes down. That will make a significant difference in your T40's speed!

I presume you have the Radeon 7500 GPU which shouldn't need additional coolong. I put a 2.0GHz Dothan in my T40 with the short fan and 7500GPU and it's been a stable as a rock for the last few weeks (it runs 24/7/365 - my daughter's computer )

[Pyroraptor]

oooh, ok. Thats good to know. The only 735As I could seem to find were about $150+

Also a good idea about holding out for a 2+GHz chip, that would help alot in the future, thought I might just get a Dothan 1.7 for $20 when that happens And yeah, I have the Radeon 7500.

[Shenandoah]

I have a 745a processor in my t40 and it runs fine. It was a deal for $55. It is the same as a 745 processor with the only difference being it is an OEM processor and has the execute disable bit (which the T40 doesn't use). I just saw on ebay a 735a processor for $30. That is a pretty good bargain. It is the same as a 735, again being an OEM. I'd have to check but I think the 725a has a different stepping code than the 735a and 745a.

Eric

[RoadHazard]

I'd do a 2.0+ CPU if I were you.

[Harryc]

I'd do a 2.0+ CPU if I were you.

The main problem with putting a $150 CPU in a $400 dollar machine is that you will lose money on it when it comes time to sell it. Unless you intend to hold onto the machine for a very long time, it's not a good upgrade. I think an $80 (or less) Dothan 1.8 is the best bang for the buck in the current market as an upgrade for any Banias T4X machine. It's not 'that much' slower than a 2.0 and it is much cheaper.

[KristianJ]

The main problem with putting a $150 CPU in a $400 dollar machine is that you will lose money on it when it comes time to sell it. Unless you intend to hold onto the machine for a very long time, it's not a good upgrade. I think an $80 (or less) Dothan 1.8 is the best bang for the buck in the current market as an upgrade for any Banias T4X machine. It's not 'that much' slower than a 2.0 and it is much cheaper.

Very good point - I'd almost just upgrade the whole machine if I was on the lookout for 2 GHz +.

[Harryc]

Very good point - I'd almost just upgrade the whole machine if I was on the lookout for 2 GHz +.

Same here. You can get a decent 2.0 Ghz T43 for $600 and change, possibly less if you get lucky and find a deal.

[sktn77a]

I have a 745a processor in my t40 and it runs fine. It was a deal for $55. It is the same as a 745 processor with the only difference being it is an OEM processor and has the execute disable bit (which the T40 doesn't use). I just saw on ebay a 735a processor for $30. That is a pretty good bargain. It is the same as a 735, again being an OEM. I'd have to check but I think the 725a has a different stepping code than the 735a and 745a.

Eric

Any Banias or Dothan will work as long as the microcode table contains the appropriate setup information for the CPU. Some C stepping CPU's are included in the T40, T41 & T42 BIOS & EC.

Perhaps the release date of the Pentium M 735A (2004) vs. the Pentium 725A (2005), is the real issue. Perhaps all Banias and Dothan up to a certain date are included in the microcode and others are not.

Like I say, I'd stay away from the "A" suffix processors unless you know what you're doing.