Thinkpads Forum

for example, how fast a '2.4 ghz' would run on different models like t60, t400 and t500? or does it run about the same speed in all of them.

you cant compare CPUs by their frequency only. Different models have different productivity at the same clock speed.

for example, T9500 (Penryn chip) runs at 2.6GHz standard, and T7800 (Merom chip) also runs at 2.6GHz standard. Yet the T9500 is quite faster than T7800.

but if you take the same chip and put it in different model laptops, as long as they support it, then it would run equally fast in either of those. (- my bad example removed -)

miro_gt wrote: Like if you take T7800 and put it in T61 and in T60, both of those would run equally fast.

Huh...no.

T60 will not run with a T7800 CPU - or any other from the T61 era - no ifs ands or buts...

miro_gt wrote:for example, T9500 (Penryn chip) runs at 2.6GHz standard, and T7800 (Merom chip) also runs at 2.6GHz standard. Yet the T9500 is quite faster than T7800.

that's interesting. what is the explanation for that?

dang, ajkula66 is correct, T60 and T61 do not share same CPU line, so disregard my last example.

let me try another example: if you put a T7800 into a T61 or a Dell Latitude D630, then both will run the same regarding CPU performance

to your other question: Penryn chips have different architecture compared to Meroms (in general more transistors, i.e. more circuits inside, so can do more things for one clock cycle).

The primary reason the T9500 (2.6ghz) is faster then the T7800 (2.6ghz) is the former has 6mb of L2 cache, the latter has only 4mb, but the Penryn architecture also makes a big difference and one other important factor is the thermal advantage to the Penryn. Many systems are forced into thermal throttling to keep from overheating, so the T7800 Merom may reduce to half speed while the Penryn continues at full speed under the same load.

The cache memory being 50% larger will allow it to do more work simultaneously, so there are at least three reasons why the Penryn is superior.

good info, thanks all for replies.

Interesting bit of info. Is it possible, for instance, to upgrade the cpu on a T61 (7661-Z3W)? If so, what's the best, fastest compatible processor?

Edit: did some research, T9300/9500 seems the way to go. For my specific case (and I am sorry for intruding here) is this cpu fully compatible?