Suggestions for laptop CPU upgrade....

[FragTek]

So I'm really toying with the idea of upgrading the CPU in my laptop. HP just makes it too darn easy and doesn't even require a full system break down (pretty much remove the keyboard, remove the heatsink, pop CPU out. Really easy. 10 minutes easy.

Anyhow, I've currently got a Core 2 Duo P8600 in it (2.4ghz / 3mb L2). As far as compatibility of other processors, the official list shows that it will handle up to a T9900 (3.06ghz / 6mb L2).

I was curious what your thoughts are on the probability of it also being compatible with the Extreme series processors and even the Quad core options that fit this socket size.

I'm looking at maybe trying an X9100, Q9000/9100 or QX9300 in it.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

So I'm really toying with the idea of upgrading the CPU in my laptop. HP just makes it too darn easy and doesn't even require a full system break down (pretty much remove the keyboard, remove the heatsink, pop CPU out. Really easy. 10 minutes easy.

Anyhow, I've currently got a Core 2 Duo P8600 in it (2.4ghz / 3mb L2). As far as compatibility of other processors, the official list shows that it will handle up to a T9900 (3.06ghz / 6mb L2).

I was curious what your thoughts are on the probability of it also being compatible with the Extreme series processors and even the Quad core options that fit this socket size.

I'm looking at maybe trying an X9100, Q9000/9100 or QX9300 in it.

What do you use the laptop for is what it ultimately depends on

 

[hmmblah]

It's all going to depend on what the BIOS will support. Depending on the model you might even find someone who made a custom BIOS to allow support of other CPUs. If the CPU isn't on the supported list it may still work, but it probably won't be detected right. Notebookforum is usually a good place to look.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

It's all going to depend on what the BIOS will support. Depending on the model you might even find someone who made a custom BIOS to allow support of other CPUs. If the CPU isn't on the supported list it may still work, but it probably won't be detected right. Notebookforum is usually a good place to look.

That too.

I mean is it for heavily threaded stuff? Video editing? Gaming? A bit of everything? Surfing? Web dev?

 

[FragTek]

Thought it would be pretty dope to have a quad core EliteBook.

I have a feeling the BIOS doesn't support the quads but it would be pretty tight. I'll have a look on NBF tonight and see if anyone has any extended info on what actually works in this notebook. A custom BIOS would be pretty slick. I imagine a quad would get really toasty. It's a single pipe heatsink that covers all major components in one run (cpu, nb, and discrete gfx).

@Protocol:

A little bit of everything. It's my workhorse travel computer, it does many tasks for me. It's my primary wardriving laptop, the one that I run BackTrack on for the good times.

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

Thought it would be pretty dope to have a quad core EliteBook.

I have a feeling the BIOS doesn't support the quads but it would be pretty tight. I'll have a look on NBF tonight and see if anyone has any extended info on what actually works in this notebook. A custom BIOS would be pretty slick. I imagine a quad would get really toasty. It's a single pipe heatsink that covers all major components in one run (cpu, nb, and discrete gfx).

@Protocol:

A little bit of everything. It's my workhorse travel computer, it does many tasks for me. It's my primary wardriving laptop, the one that I run BackTrack on for the good times.

I'm just wondering whether it'd be better to have a slightly overclocked quad (should be capable) or a more heavily overclocked dual seen as it'll be using less power with half the cores and would be better for gaming. If it's for a bit of everything though I'd say get a quad. I don't know myself but might want to see if paticular models have a feature to shut off half the cores and increase the remaining cores frequency, either on the fly (turbo) or indefinately through the BIOS. Maybe you could buy a higher CFM fan for the heatsink and use an upmarket TIM?

 

[FragTek]

I'm just wondering whether it'd be better to have a slightly overclocked quad (should be capable) or a more heavily overclocked dual seen as it'll be using less power with half the cores and would be better for gaming. If it's for a bit of everything though I'd say get a quad. I don't know myself but might want to see if paticular models have a feature to shut off half the cores and increase the remaining cores frequency, either on the fly (turbo) or indefinately through the BIOS. Maybe you could buy a higher CFM fan for the heatsink and use an upmarket TIM?

I was kind of thinking the same thing. I honestly don't even know if a quad will work with the BIOS.

Anyone know what difference is between an X9100 and a T9900? They look exactly the same spec-wise except the T9900 looks to have Trusted Execution Technology and the X9100 doesn't. I would think the X9100 on paper would be a better proc though considering it's an "Extreme Edition"?

As far as TIM goes I was thinking replace the stock shiz with some IC Diamond perhaps?

 

[Lollipop]

I would replace it with the T9900 and then use some IC diamond or other high ranked TIM

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

I was kind of thinking the same thing. I honestly don't even know if a quad will work with the BIOS.

Anyone know what difference is between an X9100 and a T9900? They look exactly the same spec-wise except the T9900 looks to have Trusted Execution Technology and the X9100 doesn't. I would think the X9100 on paper would be a better proc though considering it's an "Extreme Edition"?

As far as TIM goes I was thinking replace the stock shiz with some IC Diamond perhaps?

Tell me a bit about them, I only know of the latest few mobile CPUs

 

[FragTek]

Tell me a bit about them, I only know of the latest few mobile CPUs

T9900 Specs: http://ark.intel.com...z-1066-MHz-FSB)

X9100 Specs: http://ark.intel.com...z-1066-MHz-FSB)

The X9100 can be had for ~$170 on eBay, and the T9900 for ~$190. Which makes sense I suppose considering the T9900 shows to have one or two added instructions. I guess it would be the "business edition" X9100?

I think I'm on the same page as Lollipop about slapping a T9900 in it with some IC Diamond and calling it a day. I figure ~600mhz and +3mb L2 over what I am running now ought to make a pretty good difference. Now if I paired that up with one of the Seagate Momentus-XT hybrid drives it should rip pretty good!

 

[SmoulderingCircuits]

T9900 Specs: http://ark.intel.com...z-1066-MHz-FSB)

X9100 Specs: http://ark.intel.com...z-1066-MHz-FSB)

The X9100 can be had for ~$170 on eBay, and the T9900 for ~$190. Which makes sense I suppose considering the T9900 shows to have one or two added instructions. I guess it would be the "business edition" X9100?

I think I'm on the same page as Lollipop about slapping a T9900 in it with some IC Diamond and calling it a day. I figure ~600mhz and +3mb L2 over what I am running now ought to make a pretty good difference. Now if I paired that up with one of the Seagate Momentus-XT hybrid drives it should rip pretty good!

If you get one of those get the extreme edition for the extra voltage it allows.