Upgrade T60 Processor?

[ibm meister]

Well its taken this long but I am ready to do it> Can get T7400 for under $200 on ebay new. How do I get instructions on replacing cpu? How much performance increase can I expect from 1.83 Core Duo to 2.16 Core 2 Duo? Is it worth it? I can get a new T61 15.4 on EPP cheap but I like the sxga+ 14" form factor

[RonS]

Most users won't be able to tell the difference between 1.8GHz and 2.1GHz. If your computer is CPU bound - that is, the CPU is the bottleneck in a performance problem - then the upgrade may be worthwhile.

Right-click an empty spot on your taskbar, select "Task Manager" and then click on Performance. Keep an eye on your CPU usage. If you see it spending a lot of time on the top third of the graph, than a CPU upgrade MAY be worthwhile.

For most users, the following upgrades will give you much more benefit than a faster CPU:
1. Installing more memory, especially if you're at 512MB or less.
2. Uninstalling old unused programs and closely monitoring your startup apps. Get good at this, and you'll be immune to the widespread problem that most people have when they complain that "my computer is getting slower over time."
3. Upgrade your hard drive from 5400RPM to 7200RPM.

Now that I've said all that, here are some helpful links for upgrading the CPU if you want to go down that road:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=61953
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=56960

[ibm meister]

I would tend to agree with this exception. Mine is Core Duo and the 2.1 is Core2. mY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. iF NOT, WHAT ABOUT A 2.4? Have 3gb of RAM and a 160Gb 5400. I hear you about the HD. So... does the core 2 make the difference??

[DAH]

I have a T60p with 4 GB and a 320 GB 7200 rpm HD I just went from a T2500 to a T7600. I can feel a difference. The cost of a T7600 can vary greatly. It is not worth $600 to me, it is worth the $300 I spent, to me. What is it worth to you? I don't know. Is it a night and day difference? No. Vista says it is better. It feels better to me. I'm sure some people would rather spend $300 at a good restaurant.