How fast is my CPU?

[amgc36]

I just got myself a broken T22 on eBay so that I can get the parts to fix my T20. Originally I was going to get a T20 but I thought the faster CPU in the T22 (900Mhz) and the built-in LAN would worth the higher price.

So I won the auction, got the laptop, and everything looks great. I began swapping the old HD, CD-ROM and RAM over and it booted fine. Then I ran some benchmark programs trying to find out how much the T22 is faster than the T20.

To my surprise, the T22 is actually slower than the T20!! So I tried to find out why and it CPU-Z detects the CPU as a Pentium III 700Mhz, exactly the same as the one in my T20!!! I thought Speedstep was throttling the clockspeed so I downloaded the Intel CPU Frequency Utility and it again reported the CPU as a 700MHz.

The interesting thing is, when I go into CMOS, it shows that it is actually a 900MHz. As soon as I boot into Windows, every program or utility I run report it as 700MHz.

So my question is, is the clockspeed displayed in CMOS the correct one? Or it is hardcoded? I want to find out before I go back to eBay and file a complaint.

Thanks!!!

[smugiri]

Intel Speedstep scales down the CPU to 700MHz when running on battery or in some other conditions.

Turn if off (Speedstep) and see what you get. You can do this in the BIOS (this is true for my T40 but might not be for the T23) or in right in Windows.

[skou]

The other thing you might want to do, is to actually eyeball the CPU. Pull off the keyboard, and remove the heatsink. There will be a black area, on the CPU fiberglass PC board, that should tell you the rated speed.

Besides, this will give you a chance to clean out the fan, and change the thermal interface compound. (Which deteriorates over time.)

First thing I do on any new Ebay rig, is to pull the keyboard off, and have a look-see inside. (If it comes with a keyboard.)

steve

[amgc36]

It was actually throttling down to around 500MHz but after I turned off Speedstep it stays at 700MHz all the time.

Intel Speedstep scales down the CPU to 700MHz when running on battery or in some other conditions.

Turn if off (Speedstep) and see what you get. You can do this in the BIOS (this is true for my T40 but might not be for the T23) or in right in Windows.