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    Are 2nd gen intel i7 sockets/mobos backwards compatible with first gen cpu's?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by lucino, Jan 19, 2012.

  1. lucino

    lucino Notebook Geek

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    Hi as per the title, can I use say a first generation i7-620m in a laptop that has an i7-2620m already installed?

    I found plenty of info saying you cant upgrade 1st gen to a 2nd gen cpu, but nothing saying you can't go the other way?

    Looking at the intel spec sheets for both doesn't tell me much- pga998 & rpga998?

    If your wondering why- I need to test some first gen cpu's and only have access to a 2nd gen notebook at the moment!
     
    lucino, Jan 19, 2012
    #1
  2. Nick

    Nick Professor Carnista

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    I believe the sockets are different, or people would try sticking an SB processor in a first gen socket.
     
    Nick, Jan 19, 2012
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  3. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    moral hazard, Jan 19, 2012
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  4. lucino

    lucino Notebook Geek

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    Cool, thanks for the quick replies, off to find a first gen notebook I guess...

    Yes I hope ivy bridge will be with sandy bridge also
     
    lucino, Jan 19, 2012
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  5. Yuxi

    Yuxi Notebook Consultant

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    For desktops yes, but I read somewhere that the mobile SB chipsets (HM67, PM67, etc) are not.
     
    Yuxi, Jan 20, 2012
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  6. gwilled

    gwilled Notebook Deity

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    Nope, Ivy Bridge will not be backwards compatible.
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/8136988-post29.html
     
    gwilled, Jan 20, 2012
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  7. lucino

    lucino Notebook Geek

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    Bummer thats a shame :(
     
    lucino, Jan 20, 2012
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  8. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I still hope that it may work after a pinmod, if there was such a big difference then the key in the socket would be different, which it isn't.
    Why would intel not move the key if the sockets were incompatible.
     
    moral hazard, Jan 20, 2012
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  9. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    I hear it has something to do with Intel ME firmware upgrades. But I'm skeptical. I'll wait for IVB to actually arrive before I believe any of the things said so far. If it's a matter of a simple firmware update, there's no reason it can't be provided to at least those of us with business notebooks.

    Until IVB comes out and someone tries it in a SNB G2 socket and explicitly says it doesn't work, I'm going to keep on my assumption that there's no reason it shouldn't.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Jan 20, 2012
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  10. 5482741

    5482741 5482741

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    Agreed.

    It wouldn't be the first time something that "shouldn't work" actually worked.
     
    5482741, Jan 20, 2012
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  11. Generic User #2

    Generic User #2 Notebook Deity

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    sandy bridge mobile CPUs are using sockets?
     
    Generic User #2, Jan 21, 2012
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  12. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Most of them, yes.
     
    moral hazard, Jan 21, 2012
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  13. Generic User #2

    Generic User #2 Notebook Deity

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    is that just for non-ULV sandy bridge chips? i don't see how there is room for a socket in those ultrathins. I was always under the impression the vast majority of mobile CPUs were BGA(or w/e you call it when they're soldered onto the board directly)
     
    Generic User #2, Jan 21, 2012
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  14. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Yep, the ULV should be BGA.
    Also I believe in the macbooks.

    But any ordinary notebook should have a socket.
     
    moral hazard, Jan 21, 2012
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  15. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    Yep. Like Moral Hazard said... Macbooks and Ultrabooks/Ultraportables are using BGA, while normal notebooks are using socket G2. Socket G1 was Arrandale/Clarksfield.
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Jan 21, 2012
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