CF T5 - Core Solo or Core Duo, which to choose?

Hello everyone,
I'm planning to purchase a T5 (rfb), which is going to be used as a mobile PC quite extensively and for a long time (no less then 3 years warranty period that i'm going to buy also).

Actually, the particular model is selected for the great battery time over the newer models of the T series.

There is the only, though important, choice of two options: with Core Solo 1.2 Mhz or Core Duo 1.06 Mhz CPU (both go at the same price).

Advantage of Core Solo is that it is fanless. Which, I guess, means more reliable. And also silent. I will be able to make the book absolutely silent by changing drive to SSD.

Advantage of Core Duo must be that it shall do better with Windows 7. Yes, I plan to wait for the official Windows 7 release and install the basic, "netbook" version of it, not because I want it so much but to keep up-to-date software compatibility in perspective.

This is the point.
As a 4-years user of T2, I know that performance with XP is fine with Core Solo, but I'm really in doubts about it performance with 7, will they be even compatible?

So Core Duo can be a 'must be'

Though, my heart is with the Core Solo


These are my ideas about the problem, can be wrong I guess.
Will appreciate any explanations, suggestions, experience share (maybe 7 beta or RC using experience even).

 

I think the Core Duo is fanless, too. At least that's what Panasonic's advertising said back when I was pondering buying one.

 

Thank you Zakalwe! Though the seller mentioned that for Core Solo model, and didn't for Duo Core. Guess I ask him about that (just in case), and if so then its Core Duo no doubt

 

Well now, the seller tells me that Core Duo version is NOT fanless.

I'm confused.
Toughbook experts anyone?

 

I have two T5s with Core Duo and they are BOTH fanless. Panasonic usually doesn't make a fanless and non fanless version of the same model (at least in their business rugged series).

 

Yes, I agree - a fan takes up a lot of space, in particular in such small machines, so that having one fanless and one with fan would pretty much mean two completely different designs. Still, I have sometimes read the CF-Y5 (the biggest of the CF-*5-generation at 14") came fanless first, and had a revision with a fan soon afterwards due to overheating. Not sure if it's true, I've only ever seen the Y5 with fan.

Generally though it seems Panasonic was starting to run into heat problems around the *5 generation. Here is a thread in a different forum which has some user experiences.

Also, I remember that when the CF-*7 generation appeared (CF-*6 was skipped except for the CF-R6), Panasonic was touting the "small, lightweight fan" of the CF-T7 and the CF-W7 as a distinct advantage over the T5 and W5 (frankly, to me it seemed like a desperate attempt to dress up their failure to make the *7s fanless...). You can still find this text here, the parts about the fans are in the lower half - they specifically refer to the T5 and W5 as "designed without fans".

Still, there were some odd versions out there. Dynamism had japanese Mk3 CF-T5s with Core 2 Duo and 2GB RAM, for example, and I think those never made it out of Japan officially, who knows what other differences they had. What sort of seller are we talking about in the OP? It is hard to be mistaken about a fan, so if the seller has actually handled the machine and says there is a fan, then maybe there was an odd version with a fan out there after all. On the other hand, if he just has some of these in his warehouse and never really checked the actual machines in person, then maybe he just got his facts wrong and they are fanless.

 

Must be so, that seller specifies in toughbooks and is as well authorised to refurbish and provide warranty, so it is expected that seller knows toughbooks in general, but he can be just mistaken in this case of course.

Since I have a fanless T2, guess I will be able to determine whether it has fan or not by difference in sound comparing these two when I receive the shipment.