Upgrading my processor

I am currently in possession of a dell m1330 running an intel core 2 duo t5250 and i am desiring an upgrade. it it currently the weakest link in my system. i am wondering, however, if i can even upgrade to an x7800. Both are merom processors, but the internet has been, in its typical usefulness for my tech questions, divided, contradictory, and ambiguous on the question. If i cannot, what is the best proccessor that i could otherwise install?

 

You can do it, as both are Socket P processors. However, the heat output may be increased as the M1330's cooling solution may not be adequate enough to dissipate the extra heat produced by the X7800 (I'm going off of Wikipedia for TDP ratings here).

At any rate, I'd suggest you buy a Penryn CPU.

Oh, and welcome to the forums!

 

Yeah, you can upgrade up to an X7800 although heat may be an issue (not so with a non extreme processor).

However, I also recommend you upgrade to a Penryn processor, it will fit in your Socket P System and just download the latest BIOS off dell as it adds support for Penryns.

I suggest the T9300 because it is the best cost/performance Penryn with a 20% performance increase over the T7500 according to wPrime32 results. (T9300 has equal performance to the T7800)

Penryns also increase battery life slightly and run cooler.

 

Thnaks. that's a big help. I had looked at penryn processors, but another topic on these forums stated that Merom's couldn't be replaced with penryns. So this isn't true?

 

Don't get the X7800. It has a higher TDP (44W) than the standard Core 2 Duo (35W), so you are going to stress your cooling system beyond what it was designed to handle. Only certain notebooks can use it. I am not sure if your system will even work with it.

I'd suggest one of the new Penryn processors like the T8300 or T9300.

 

That is not true. You just need the latest BIOS for the m1330 which added Penryn support here

The only reason you wouldn't be able to put a Penryn in a Merom system is if there hasn't been a BIOS release to add support for them by the manufacturer.

 

After looking the data oer and considering penryn processors more, i'm leaning towards the t9300 now. However, i am left with annother question then. Where would be the best place to get one? Newegg doesn;t even have the t9300 at all (or much of any selection) and i don't know of any other tech sites to look off the top of my head. suggestions?

 

Thanks! glad to get that cleared up.

 

Someone who did an upgrade themselves recently, posted a link to where he bought his T9300 here

(Took me ages to find that thread, knew it was somewhere )

 

Thank you! you're a genius! that's a BIG help!

 

All in a days work