Upgrade Laptop CPU?

[Dantoo]

I've been given an HP ZE 4281 which comes installed with a 1.6ghz Celeron. There is a bunch of cheap cpus available that might be upgrade options. Problem is I can't find information on what range of cpus could be dropped in.

I'm guessing it uses a 478-pin Micro-FCPGA socket for Pentium M processors. I figure I could fit a fully fledged 1.6 Pentium M in there for some benefit. Question is can I put a higher rated in and how high? Anybody done this sort of thing or have any knowledge or views? All welcome thanks.

I'm guessing this is the list of possibilities:

 

[mooseracing]

Have you looked inside the laptop yet?

The last 3 Hp's I've had have all had teh CPU soldered in. I wanted to go the same route but was disappointed

edit: IIRC when i was looking at pumping up my 1.5 p4m it looked like the coolers all had double fans after that, so that would be another issue you would have to look at

 

[cheesehead]

You'd likely need to install the heatsink from the Pentium-M version of your laptop, and make sure that you do not have a soldered-down motherboard.

 

[JustaGeek]

Honestly - I would just try to save money and buy a more modern laptop with faster chipset and the CPU.

The processor might cost >$150, you will probably have to add RAM, and the maximum memory in older chipsets was 1GB anyway. You can get a nice newer laptop with a Dual Core CPU for $500 - 600.

Unless, of course, you want to play with it...

 

[Dantoo]

Thanks for the responses - if I can add some clarity.

The CPU is not soldered but in a zif socket which you open by turning a plastic "screw", just to the side, through 90 deg. These CPUs were able to be used in supporting 478 motherboards (most of them) for desktops and were popular with the distributed computing guys as they were great performers. They were the precursors, if you like, to the core 2 line. Banias was a watchword for awhile.

Cooling is always an issue in laptops of course. I won't be changing the heatsink but keeping the old one. The pent Ms were based on the old P3/686 core and they ran pretty cool. They "throttle" back when they get hot. They also drop back to about 1.2ghz when on battery power rather than mains power. The only difference that I am aware of between the Celeron and the Pentium M is the speed stepping and double the L2 cache. The later Dothans, I think, doubled the cache again.

The difference in performance is quite profound I have heard. The Celerons use a lower FSB with higher multiple to get to the same clock speed in most instances, but I am not certain with the laptop implementations. A change to a Pentium M at say 2.0 Ghz certainly shouldn't slow it I'm thinking.

Cost is an issue on a project that is basically free. I don't actually need/require a laptop for anything. I might use it as a mobile gps with a moving map display. If it works out some day I might try to find a replacement dvd to exchange with the cd player and take it out bush to amuse the kids while camped out.

The cost of ram and cpu that I am seeing at auction is about $5.00 for memory upgrade to 512mb and cpu comes in at about $20. Even if I broke something it would be a cheap learning curve.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: Dantoo
Thanks for the responses - if I can add some clarity.

The CPU is not soldered but in a zif socket which you open by turning a plastic "screw", just to the side, through 90 deg. These CPUs were able to be used in supporting 478 motherboards (most of them) for desktops and were popular with the distributed computing guys as they were great performers. They were the precursors, if you like, to the core 2 line. Banias was a watchword for awhile.

Cooling is always an issue in laptops of course. I won't be changing the heatsink but keeping the old one. The pent Ms were based on the old P3/686 core and they ran pretty cool. They "throttle" back when they get hot. They also drop back to about 1.2ghz when on battery power rather than mains power. The only difference that I am aware of between the Celeron and the Pentium M is the speed stepping and double the L2 cache. The later Dothans, I think, doubled the cache again.

The difference in performance is quite profound I have heard. The Celerons use a lower FSB with higher multiple to get to the same clock speed in most instances, but I am not certain with the laptop implementations. A change to a Pentium M at say 2.0 Ghz certainly shouldn't slow it I'm thinking.

Cost is an issue on a project that is basically free. I don't actually need/require a laptop for anything. I might use it as a mobile gps with a moving map display. If it works out some day I might try to find a replacement dvd to exchange with the cd player and take it out bush to amuse the kids while camped out.

The cost of ram and cpu that I am seeing at auction is about $5.00 for memory upgrade to 512mb and cpu comes in at about $20. Even if I broke something it would be a cheap learning curve.

Go for it. Take pictures.

 

[hans007]

you would likely be able to upgrade to any CPU in tha tfamily.

the 1.6 Celeron M is i think 400 bus northwood core, so you could probably use any 400 bus northwood core laptop cpu. they go up to 2.6 p4 i think for the 400 bus models.

the celeron M goes up to 2.5 ghz too . likely to be dirt cheap on ebay.

I believe this is the same CPU the first gen toshiba HD-DVD player had (it had a mobile p4 2.5 M,) and people sell those on ebay broken all the time, so perhaps a p4 2.5 M would be easy to find.

 

[hans007]

you probably want something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-P4-M...ameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

it gets a lot more expensive the higher up you go.... a 2.4 is lik e$90

 

[Dantoo]

Yep thanks that's the idea.

Grabbed 256 ram module last night for 99c. Need another, but keeping an eye for some 512 modules. I don't think the 1G ones will boot in this machine.

There are a few 2.0Ghz "buy it now" ones around for $30ish + shipping. I just passed up a 1.8 at $22 (nearly pressed the button). I can afford to just wait and see what comes along. That's a great tip on the Toshiba! I think I will settle for a 2.0Ghz model as it seems safely in the range and it's likely to provide all the performance I could wish for from the ultimate bargain laptop. There's one drifting along at $10 I am watching closely.

Thanks again.

 

[JWade]

i have had a few older notebooks that said they only supported 1gb of ram (2x512mb) but put in 2x1gb chips in them and they worked. Luckily i had another laptop to take the ram out and test it with before i actually went out and bought the ram for the one that supposibly didnt support it, but in reality did.