Beyond Frankenpad - Thoughts

[Pete B]

I really strongly prefer a 4:3 display and have gone back to one for my desktop system.
I also use a 1600 X 1200 15" 4:3 older laptop system.
After considering the options I will probably build a standard Frankenpad, but I have to wonder how difficult it would be to adapt a laptop motherboard that supports the lower power (P9700 or SP9600) and faster Core 2 processors or even better the i3/5/7 series and of course DDR3 memory which is so inexpensive.
Seems it could be made to work if one is willing to redrill/cut I/O connector holes in the case and work out wiring harnesses. Basically just use the old display, keyboard, touchpad and battery.

I know this is out there and probably not worth the effort ....
But just wondering if anyone has a suggestion for the best much newer motherboard.

[Jake.T]

It looks like you may have an issue with the Core i support. Machines with them came in after the 4:3 machines had been discontinued. However the T61 came with a 4:3 option for 1400*1050. You could swap the CPU for something like a Penryn X9000. That is the fastest you will install onto a T61 board natively. With the Middleton BIOS you could install a fast SSD and a lot of RAM also for good speed. You could Mod in a 1600x1200 display from an older notebook possibly with flexview. That may take a bit of doing though. The T61 is still a good system and with an X9000 can be pretty snappy. However look out for the Nvidia GPU, lots have had them fail. So the X3100 may be an option of Graphics performance isn't of highest concern. What will you be doing with the machine though? Most C2D's are still great for browsing the web and many other tasks that doesn't need stupendous power.

[TuuS]

Pete, if you're considering building a frankenpad and want powerful graphics, there are some brand new NOS boards available with new nVidia GPU chips that are free from the problems the older boards had. These rare boards were thought to be extinct years ago but several surfaced from a corporation, brand new in sealed IBM boxes. They also have native Penryn support.

[Pete B]

Thanks TuuS yes I did see your thread listing those boards and I'll keep them in mind.

[Pete B]

I have read the Frankenpad threads and think I finally have most of this straight.
Jake: I didn't think there was a T61 4:3 in 15" which is what you get by putting a T61 motherboard in a T60 4:3 15" chassis as I understand it.
I am mainly concerned about heat, noise and battery life. For others who might be interested in an i series processor it might be performance.

Thank you both for your comments.

[pianowizard]

I know this is out there and probably not worth the effort ....

Not much effort is required because forum member RealBlackStuff builds Frankenpads all the time and you can just buy one from him. Here's one example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Lenovo-Thin ... 7675.l2557

Alternatively, have you ever tried 16:10 laptops with 1920x1200? It gives you just as much vertical resolution as 1600x1200, but a lot more horizontal res. I personally like 1920x1200 a lot more than 1600x1200. The 15.4" ones aren't much bigger than 4:3 15.0" laptops and weigh about the same, and you wouldn't need to do any modification. 15.4" laptops like the T500 and the Dell Latitude E6500 are slightly newer than the last 4:3 Thinkpads.

[ajkula66]

Alternatively, have you ever tried 16:10 laptops with 1920x1200? It gives you just as much vertical resolution as 1600x1200, but a lot more horizontal res. I personally like 1920x1200 a lot more than 1600x1200. The 15.4" ones aren't much bigger than 4:3 15.0" laptops and weigh about the same, and you wouldn't need to do any modification. 15.4" laptops like the T500 and the Dell Latitude E6500 are slightly newer than the last 4:3 Thinkpads.

I have no problem with 1920x1200...BUT the screen has to be up to par, and the vast majority of (Samsung) LCDs seen on *00 generation are outright garbage. If one could find a LG panel, or a Sharp one that Dells shipped with, these are decent TN screens.

With all of that said...

A maxed-out T/W500 isn't really going to be that much snappier than a maxed-out FrankenPad. One would need to go to the next generation of CPUs, which would also offer support for 32GB RAM even on the first (Arrandale) generation of i7 Quad Cores...now you're talking...

That, of course, calls for a W510 board in a 4:3 shell...

Much easier to buy a 8740W if one needs that type of power coupled with a gorgeous screen...

My $0.02 only...

[Pete B]

Hi George,
By 8740W I take it you mean HP, I'm not too familiar with it?
I see here that it has HP's "Dreamcolor" display, do you know who makes it and the technology?
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.a ... book+8740w

Looks very nice!

[Pete B]

Not much effort is required because forum member RealBlackStuff builds Frankenpads all the time and you can just buy one from him.

I realize that the standard Frankenpad is easy to do, if you can find the parts, but I'm talking about a motherboard that supports the i series processors as being "out there". I am aware that several here are selling them finished and parts to do it, and I will keep them in mind. Yes, RealBlackStuff's systems look very nice.

[pianowizard]

I have no problem with 1920x1200...BUT the screen has to be up to par, and the vast majority of (Samsung) LCDs seen on *00 generation are outright garbage. If one could find a LG panel, or a Sharp one that Dells shipped with, these are decent TN screens.

Not all of Dell's 15.4" 1920x1200 screens were good though. Some E6500's had very good ones, but my D820 had a mediocre one, and the one on my Inspiron 6000 was even worse.

A maxed-out T/W500 isn't really going to be that much snappier than a maxed-out FrankenPad.

BUT, it would cost much less money, and some units might still have a little bit of warranty remaining. And there's no more Nvidia nonsense to worry about.

[ajkula66]

Hi George,
By 8740W I take it you mean HP, I'm not too familiar with it?
I see here that it has HP's "Dreamcolor" display, do you know who makes it and the technology?
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.a ... book+8740w

Looks very nice!

Yes, these are HP EliteBooks.

Do bear in mind that not all of these have DreamColor panels, which are LED-lit IPS screens...and configurations are often confusing, given that:

A) not all the 1920x1200 panels were DC and

B) that DC was available only in combination with NVidia graphics and Quad Core CPUs with 4 RAM slots...