Ivy Bridge CPU's

Ivy Bridge CPU's are out and they will be backwards compatible with Sandy Bridge Platforms, but does anybody think Lenovo will ever support this in a BIOS update? I am assuming they would need a BIOS update even though I have not heard anybody with desktop platforms requiring a BIOS update. I know I am comparing Desktop platforms to Laptops which doesn't really work but just throwing out some Info I have seen on the forums.

I am particularly referring to the T420 since that is what I currently own.

 

No, the mobil Ivys are not backward compatible to the old plattform. Only the desktop Ivy CPUs fit into the old socets.

 

You are going to need to buy a new laptop... That's right.

 

Sorry, but even your spelling is less wrong than your data. The T420 has a socketed chip (a PGA one, not a BGA one). It's socket 988B.

Interesting, then, that the Intel Ark datapage for both the 2720QM and 3720QM (for instance) list the same socket.

The BIOS might pose an obstacle, though... but since the T420 seems to be (for the time being and with the information we have) the last real ThinkPad Lenovo's putting out, I think it might be worth asking for a modified BIOS from some site if you can get away with it.

 

Problem is that the mobile chipset won't even recognize the new CPU. It's not a BIOS problem necessarily - you will need to mod the firmware on the chipset, and that is an undertaking that is all but impossible.

At any rate, to call the inclusion of six row island keyboards as the death of Thinkpads is rather silly. Ill advised? Yes, absolutely. I prefer the old seven row keyboard myself. But does it kill Thinkpads for me? No.

 

Sorry, but I am not a nativ English speaker. Such mistakes are possible, simply ignore them.

 

your english is fine. dont worry about it

 

Sadly, it doesn't look like mobile Ivy Bridge will work in Sandy Bridge motherboards... it's the Penryn/Core 2 Quad situation all over again... The good news is that the performance difference between the two is minimal, and with IB on the market, upgrading to a better SB processor will be cheaper

 

What makes the mobile chipsets different than the desktop ones to the point of not being compatible with the ivy bridge processors? To me it's just a question of bios update,but laptops won't receive any from manufacturers.

 

Notebook makers don't want you to upgrade the CPU. They want you to buy another machine. Der!

 

Lenovo was known to "whitelist" CPU's in the 965 chipset, meaning even compatible CPU's with the chipset would work, the BIOS did not allow for it. I would not be surprised if it were the same for Ivy Bridge, Lenovo stands to make more money by making consumers buy a new laptop rather then modifying the BIOS and maybe allowing it to be backwards compatible.

 

I think the upgrade discussion will gather steam if it's really true there are no more classic thinkpad keyboards and everything is chiclet.

 

It's not Lenovo's thing. Intel has said that current mobile chipsets won't be compatible with Sandy Bridge.

Of course, people are welcome to try and upgrade their notebooks...

 

I think you meant to say Ivy Bridge... ?

But correct. Mobile chipsets released for Sandy Bridge are not forward compatible with Ivy Bridge. Some desktop configs are, but not all.