Processor Upgrade on Gateway 6827, can you decipher this?

Ok, so, I did do some research so, don't hate too much. We've got a Gateway M 6827. It has a T5750 running in it, 667mhz front side bus.

Ok, now the chipset is intel's GM965 chipset.

And, I want to look at a minimum of something like a T8100.

Ok, issues that come up that I don't 100% get. Firstly, Yes, I realize I'm looking at going form 65nm to 45nm architecture... But Intel's site says that the Chipset will take the 45nm chip, or so it seems. I'm getting confused, because It will also take the 667 or 800mhz FSB as well. So, technically if I can get a bios update, all is well in the land of Gateway then, right?

Alright... also, TDP. Am I going to be ok with this seemingly massive upgrade (check out the L2 cache change..) since TDP's are both 35w for the 5750 and 8100?

Here are my sources:
the laptop
The Chipset
Wikipedia list of processors/architecture
Chipset w/ I/O controller

I've done a few processor upgrades before, but this stuff advances way beyond my upgrade frequency, so I'm right back in the dark again. Hope someone can just decipher the jumble I have here. Thanks so much.

*Edit* I obviously missed the I/o Controller hub right off, and added the info, to help others. I don't get this part, other than its another piece to ruin compatibility for me. The processors literally came out in the same month, though.

 

Ok I just did more fact checking on myself. I have the exact chipset with these northbridge/southbridge configurations:

GM695 northbridge
ICH8M Southbridge

According to Intel's site, the 8100 needs those for the chipset to work, so that part is a go, right? Now its down to just the Bios flash?

 

No BIOS flashing for a CPU to work, its pretty much plug and play.

Also I believe that the T8100 is 25w TDP, it should be cooler and faster.

 

Naw, that can't be true... You have to reflash the Bios sometimes for a radically different processor, I'm almost certain.

However, It could have changed in the last couple of years... hard to say.

That would be nice, though. Faster and cooler, that's what one aims for..

 

Sorry, but the multiple times I had changed my own Gateway 6860FX from a T5450 to an X7800 I never ever had to flash the BIOS. Since yours is Socket P it will just plug and play with any 800mhz/667mhz proccesors, you should just be able to drop a T8100 in no problems.

 

It can't hurt though, especially if you're upgrading to a cpu type that the machine wasn't originally designed for. Case in point is old Intel 855 systems that can takea Dothan Pentium M but only with a BIOS update. Whether it's necessary or not it can't hurt and is probably adviseable in my opinion.

 

But, other than that, you too, think my fact checking looks legitimate other than that? Rather, all hardware should be compatible, on the hardware level?

This is a pretty big upgrade for being so hassle-free, in that case, I hope it works. It looks like you could go as far as a 9300 if the 8100 works, as there isn't a massive change there. the 9300+ goes to 1033FSB which is no longer compatible with this board.

As well, the 8100/8300 also comes in two different socket types, so I almost tripped up on that too.

 

Don't worry about that. You can't buy the BGA chips.

 

Thanks, that's really good to know. This is a pretty great upgrade for about $145 on an 8100. It looks like for a bit more you can get an 8300, but then it goes up pretty quick from there. I'm going to stick with the 8100, just the increase from 2mb to 3mb Cache should be a substantial gain, that and the 667mhz FSB up to the 800mhz, much less clock speed is a bit better, too.

 

The processor is a bit faster, but the increased cache and FSB don't do a whole lot. The main difference will be with temperature and battery life as the 45nm chips can consume a lot less power than the 65nm chips. Read up on undervolting them in this forum.

 

I think it's fair to say that if the 8100 works the 9300 will, I can't see a reason why not. Generally with Intel , different versions of cpus that use the same socket are largely interchangeable, EG Core Duo to first gen Core 2 Duo (socket M). I do hope it works, it'll give your notebook a whole new lease of life! The 45nm chips are great.

 

Thanks, the both of you.

I'm pretty intimately familiar with Undervolting still, a bit less so since I ventured fully away from Windows, but I find my computers just intrinsically run cooler due to the lightened load of linux.

This is for a friend though, I'm going to teach her and her b/f to use the undervolting software. One thing I noticed is its only 10.5 steps, so that should be nice.

I had/have a Sony Vaio that I pinmodded, and man, that thing had something like 18-20 steps at 2.4ghz, took forever to setup. Linux is very hard to undervolt with, but doable.

I hope this 45nm chip takes to undervolting as good as some of the old AMD's did, as well. My old Tl-60 was really good about dropping pretty low without an issue.

 

Well, that was very easily, almost painless. I'm typing on that Computer right now. I went on ahead and flashed the bios to the Newest version and then threw in the 8100 chip, and it went in without a hitch. Windows did recognize it as a new piece of hardware and did its usual check of drivers and a quick restart and no issues to speak of. This thing is a lot sharper with an extra gig of memory, that processor, and a 500gb 7200rpm drive. Should keep us covered for another few years. It runs Vista seamlessly as well, which I find pretty surprising.