Will A8JM be "drop-in" compatible with Core Duo 2?

I heard that Napa based laptops from Asus would be, and just for the sake of clarification the A8JM is a Napa based laptop, and will be able to host a Merom right?

 

yes. you can replace the yonah with the merom on the a8jm.

 

That is correct. The initial release of Merom will be on the Napa platform. People have used the Napa Merom in current Duo notebooks. Merom will move over to Santa Rosa in 2007.

 

So does that mean we'll have a A8Jm with core duo 2 soon? that's sux for those whole bought it already.

 

I wouldnt say soon. Even though the processors are released, it will still take several months for the manufacturers to start selling core 2 duo systems. I would expect that it will be at least novemeber if at all this year before merom processors are seen in asus systems.

 

so the CPU won't be soldered; it's easily replaceable to the core2duo by the end user?

 

That is correct, they are not soldered. Simply rotate the lock screw and pull it out. Replace it with the new processor and rotate the lock screw back.

Merom might require a BIOS update, so since any modification voids the ASUS Ensemble warranty, they may not put the BIOS update (if needed) out right away.

 

I'm not so sure about this. All indications are that Napa notebooks are merom ready. People have put them in Napa based notebooks without even updating the bios. On a new platform/chipset/socket yes it would take several months but this is not the same scenario. The manufacturer will be able to just put the Core Duo 2 CPU into existing Napa notebooks. I expect that notebooks will be available with core duo 2 very close to the time the CPU is available. I suspect that Asus and other manufactures have had the core duo 2 engineering samples for quite some time.

 

While that is some good speculation FlipTwisteR we won't know for sure until they are released. Please notice I said that "Merom might require a BIOS update..." emphasize 'might' (see a professional opinion at http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2715)

As for when the Core 2 Duo Merom processor will actually be in the channel shipping...well, in this business the manufacturers have not made a reputation for meeting their projected release dates.

 

Point taken. It could be a bios update...

Later in that article it does say "During a separate briefing, Intel's Mooly Eden showed a benchmark pitting a Dell Core Duo system against the same system with a Merom processor (Eden literally swapped out the Core Duo CPU and stuck in a Merom processor, partly to showcase its backwards comptability). The benchmark was a custom Quake 4 timedemo, with the Core Duo system scoring 106.6 fps while the Merom system scored 134 fps: advantage Merom by just over 25%. We don't know any of the specifics of the settings on the systems, other than they were claimed to be identical."

 

I can hardly wait...but wait for the first price drop after its release I will!

I will want one of the higher speeds, and those drop the most dramatically at the first price drop after release. This will also allow me to amortize the original Core Duo processor longer, and make sure any bugs have been worked out of the Core 2 Duo. I must say though that the processor tends to be the most reliable component in any laptop.

 

Generally, its best to wait untill there are final conclusions on whether Merom can be put into the NAPA platform and work 100%...right now tests are ok..but don't give us everything we need to speculate so early.

For example, we still don't even know if Merom requires a BIOS upgrade...

We don't know when Merom is gonna be released, August, but my guess is that since Intel saw how un-impressive AMD Turion 2X was compared to Yonah, why wouldn't Intel delay Merom a little more to perfect it or w/e they do.

Also we don't know if Merom dropped into NAPA enables 64 bit processing right away, or gives us a peformance boost. (may need a BIOS upgrade to enable the full potential of Merom).

Along time ago, when Merom was first announced it was spose to increase batterylife, so no one knows for sure about that too...and Merom could be still in the process of perfecting and fixing all bugs and etc.

All in all it is a little too soon to make assumptions on what merom is gonna do in the Napa platform, if at all it would be viable for cosnumers to do so in the first place.

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

Definately gotta agree here. I know MErom will definately blow away anything to date, if Merom and NAPA go well, then i would definately buy a notebook with Yonah and upgrade to a highend Merom when the time is right.

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

I have to wonder if the whole Verified by Intel (can't remember their marketing name for this) will come into play. Those that have the Intel stamp of compatibility will upgrade easier that those that don't?

Just speculating

 

That is the "theory", but most of the major manufacturers are now building their laptops using the CBB program (Common Building Blocks) so that upgrades and the battery, AC Adapter, LCD, keyboard and optical drives will be interchangeable when replacements are necessary.

 

Im going to be buying a Dell XPS M1710 in the next few days in preperatios for college in august. Since I need it before core 2 is released for notebooks, I've been planning to just get the crappy 1.83ghz core 1 duo to save the cash and upgrade later. From reading whats been said im assuming that core 2 "T laptop versions" are socket 478's correct? So they would then be drop in compatable with my core duo system. Now its also been said that a bios update may be required, how do I know if dell will have this? I just want to know if ill be able to upgrade to a core 2 before I drop $4000 on this laptop. Thanks for any help.

 

Sheff159,

With a computer that expensive I would never risk changing CPU and then losing warranty. There is also no guarantee that Core 2 Duo will work at this point in time (but I expect it will). It will only give you a 20% performance increase...is that worth it?

The CPU is not that easy to get to in the M1710 but it is definately doable. You have to remove hinge cover, remove keyboard, remove display assembly, and then remove palm rest:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/xpsM1710/en/SM/cpucool.htm#wp1000001
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/xpsM1710/en/SM/cpu.htm#wp1084976

 

Flip is there a definite release date for core 2 processors for laptops. Last I heard is august, but I start school in august and I need it before then. I dont only want it for the 20%+ performance increase, but the doubled L2 chche, 64-bit support for vista, etc.