Upgrade T61 cpu

If I upgraded my Thinkpad T61 cpu from the factory (Intel Core 2 Duo) to a Intel Core i7-720QM Quad-core..would it be compatible?

Also, do you think I would have to get a new heatsink? If there is more about this I should know about please help. I really appreciate it. Thanks!

Here's a link to what would be my new CPU:
Newegg.com - Intel Core i7-720QM Clarksfield 1.6GHz 6MB L3 Cache PGA988 45W Quad-Core Mobile Processor Model BX80607I7720QM

 

Core 2 = 478 Pins
i7 = 988 Pins

=> wont fit

 

Thanks. I didn't that was what it came down to. So is it right to say that any upgrade made to the cpu really wouldn't be beneficial?

 

What model CPU do you have kBURU? Jumping from a Merom based Core 2 Duo (T7xxx) to a Penryn Core 2 Duo (T8xxx/T9xxx) can be beneficial as they have native SSE4 instructions which are optimised for HD movie viewing. The CPU nanometer are also smaller on the Penryn processors (45nm compared to Meroms 65nm) which means less heat.

I jumped from a T7100 to a T9300 and I felt it was worth it. The CPU no longer strains itself while watching HD movies and it runs much cooler too. My Windows Experience score for the CPU jumped from 4.9 (T7100) to 6.1 (T9300).

 

I will definitely look into this. Thanks for helping me out. I can get back later on which model CPU I have.

 

If you're just going on the Internet, doing iTunes or typing up the occasional document, the better CPU will make little to no difference. If you're interested in a performance bump, a SSD will offer much better bang for your buck.

 

ZaZ,

You hit the nail on the head. I don't do any intense gaming. I just use my machine for programming, listen to music, fantasy football, word processing, ...the lesser of the resource-intensive things. But I did get the computer in 2007 and besides my recent upgrade from 1GB memory to 4GB, I haven't done anything to soop (sp?) it up and keep it up-to-date and fresh. I would love to expand the hard drive becauseI still have the factory one that came with 80GB. And I have Ubuntu partitioned on there and that takes up about 15GB of the 55GB that is actually usable.

What should I find out about my machine to know which SSD would be compatible?

 

T61 has 1.5 Gbit/s cap (SATA 1), so you won't get full SSD's potential. However there is a custom BIOS that apparently removes that limit. So, you may want to consider that( http://forum.notebookreview.com/len...ata-ii-1-5-gb-s-cap-willing-pay-solution.html.

Other than that all SSDs should be compatible with your T61, as long it has SATA interface. Now, which SSD to get, that will fit your budget and be a decent product... that's a second question and it depends mainly on you budget.

 

Any 2.5" SATA SSD drive should work. I just got the Agility 2 for my desktop. It's a solid performer, supposedly better than the X25-M, though you'd probably never notice for most things. You can throw the old drive in the modular caddy for extra storage.

Do investigate and consider making a donation to support middletons excellent work.

 

the best value of SSD is very fast I/O speed and very low access time, compared to HDD. 1.5Gb should not limit these benefits.

 

I will definitely look into a SSD.

Here's a cpu I think that would help me out. Please tell me what you think. It's an Intel Core i5-450M

Link: Intel® Core? i5-450M Processor (3M cache, 2.40 GHz) with SPEC Code(s) SLBTZ

Would this work to replace my Intel Core 2 Duo T7100? Will I need a new heatsink and fan because this processor is faster? I do use a laptop cooling pad or is that not enough with this new processor?

Thanks again guys.

 

The link above does not work.

 

your T61 only works with a Core duo/core 2 duo CPU. I mean, ONLY. Forget about whatever core i3, i5...They just cannot plug into your laptop.

A P8600 CPU would be your best choice, IMO, it's faster and T7100 (well, you need an upgrade ), and, much cooler and power-efficient

 

The P8600 won't work on the T61. Do some homework before you post.

 

The following Core 2 Duo Penryn processors will work on the T61:

- T8100
- T8300
- T9300
- T9500

Ignore the P series Core 2 Duo as they have a 1066MHz FSB which won't work on the T61, only the 800MHz FSB versions listed above. The Core i3/i5/i7 uses a different socket layout, they will not work on the T61. For those processors you will need a new laptop instead (i.e. T410).

Though as ZaZ mentioned a SSD would be a more significant upgrade than the CPU unless you seeing some strain on the processor while doing certain activities (i.e. HD movie watching, games) that requires a new CPU.

 

Thanks all for your input. I just bought a ThinkPad Edge 14 with Intel Core i3 i3-370M w/ 4GB RAM (320GB SATA HD, 7200rpm).

Unlike my T61, the Edge 14 comes with the VibrantView gloss screen, but I've ordered an anti-glare matte screen protector from ViewGuard. It should do the trick.

My T61 is a tank and I'll keep it around as a backup or sell it for a few hundo to a friend. Any good freeware you guys know of that'll wipe the computer out? Should I ask this in a different thread?

 

You can try Darik's Boot and Nuke. Just make sure you don't attach any external drives or USB keys that you need while doing this procedure. Just leave the primary drive in and leave it running for a few hours. This will securely erase anything you had on the disk drive previously.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/len...ata-ii-1-5-gb-s-cap-willing-pay-solution.html