Sony SZ CPU Soldered?

I recently heard that the Sony SZ Cpu is soldered so it probably can't be exchanged for merom. Also, I heard that one of the sticks of ram (512 MB) is soldered on. Has anyone else heard this or confirmed this?

 

i dont know about the cpu, but the ram is not soldered for sure

 

does anyone have a guide that shows how to take apart the sz. I like to upgrade my cpu and hdd.

 

It's not soldered.

there are 4 screws only to remove to access the CPU. look like they even designed it to make CPU replacement easy. Probably for the Build To Order

JY

 

hehe sweet...

then with a bit of cash you could turn your SZ1 into an SZ2

 

That sounds more like the TX as it has 512MB soldered on. I'm not sure about the processor, but it wouldn't surprise me if it is soldered as well.

 

It is not soldered, that's one of the reasons why I'm happy with this laptop. Unlike the MacBook Pro's which are soldered, the SZ I believe will theorically be able to switch out CPU's like the Intel MAC mini where they demo'd the switch from core duo to merom. Here's the link showing that our laptop is not soldered. On another note, these pics are showing a Carbon Fiber SZ. But the insides of the SZ are all the same cpu wise.









Notice how there's an access door to the CPU and the HEATSINK!!!! LOVE THIS COMPUTER!!! Also the fan is sooooooooo quiet compared to the snoring S-series!!!!!!!!

 

It's pretty easy, I just opened my SZ yesterday. You know how there is the alluninum palmrest? all you have to do to get to the HDD is remove a total of just 7 screws. (not including the HDD screws, mount, etc, this just to get to that point)
1. The first one you should remove is the keyboard screw located in the bottom of the notebook right in the center next to the dock port.

2. Remove the three screws to in front of the bottom of the laptop right under the palm rest.

3. Then when you do that, move the keyboard away from the palm rest.(DO NOT DETACH keyboard, since there is a sticker preventing you from doing it)

4. there are three more on top of the aluminum palmrest

5 Slip the palm rest portion away from the computer SLIGHTLY so you can remove the ribbon cable near the memorystick slot.

And hopefully there you go. THe rest is pretty much just look and see. I didn't do an hdd upgrade to this computer yet don't these instructions might be wrong. But judging from what I did yesterday, it should give you a good look at the HDD and other parts of the notebook. By the way this computer is so much easier to upgrade compared to older notebooks I had. FOr the S series you had to remove at least 20 screws to get to the HDD, not only that you had to remove cables and the WHOLE face of the bottom portion of the laptop to get in. SO we pretty much had it made here! GOod luck. tell me how it goes!

 

nice pics paulski. I think its time to pick up a t2600. The can be found for around $320 in certain overclocker forums.

 

Wait for Merom dude. should be out in a few months without any delays. 64bit Dual Core computing sounds hella tempting dont it?! Or if you want the t2600, i suggest you still wait a few months since the dual core is still new and prices are high. By then the Merom should be out and Current chips will for a fact sky rocket down! I love all these chips either way! They'll only get faster and faster and not the other way around like with previous chips. The more and more software developers Multi-thread they're software for these dual core chips and further more 64-bit dual core. We really have longer lasting lappys! Not to mention VISTA which is 64bit AND dual core supporting!! Merom sound the way to go IMO.

 

Im, well aware of the price cut next month. So i plan to use that as leverage. Also merom won't be a option for our notebooks. They simply wont work with centrino chipsets (only calistoga) if you search around nbr you'll my posts about it.

But, there other ways to upgrade to merom.........

 

What other ways are you hinting at?

 

like putting your extended warranty to use. Im sure after some time, even the most casual user will get some type of damage done to their notebook.

 

speaking of which, now that this unit comes with (for me anyways) a 3yr sony warrenty, did anybody ever use it? How does it really work? I know theres a post about this somewhere but it poped into my head just now.

 

you can upgraded it to accidental. Seeing that it was a display model. You might want that added protection.

 

Could you link to one, please? I'm kind of curious about this because word on the street a couple of months ago was that Merom would first appear on the Napa chipset until Calistoga was introduced late this year/early next year. And actually I could have sworn I'd seen some articles where a few folks who had access to Intel engineering samples had already done a successful drop in on the 945GM. Not trying to dispute you here, I'd sincerely just like to read more about it. Thanks!

 

Actually im too lazy. As i've already proven this and provided links to guys with es chips at XS. Please....use the search button. The paragraph you just typed could have brough up the results you seek.

Edit: Sorry if i seem mean right now. Im a huge lakers fan and im watching the game atm. Im also really pissed with how the refs are treating kobe.

If after the game you still need links. Ill get them for you.


GO LAKERS!

 

as far as i know calistoga is the centrino duo platform. So you can put a merom the sz. You can put one in a mac mini, and mac mini's use the same chipset as the sz.

 

Hi, florisb. Sorry to be an unbeliever but could you have a website showing me that centrino duo is calistoga? Thanks!

 

Like i said, you can NOT put a merom in the SZ. Its a centrino platform. Not a calistoga.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=95935

If you like i could post the private messge conersation i had about merom in the SZ. He owns the linked website, and is an official intel bencher. So i'd think he knows what he's talking about.

 

Wow..this has to be like the 100th time you've said that, ProphetX. Maybe we should sticky this topic so people will stop asking if Merom can be switched into the SZ.

 

Nah, never mind. Wouldn't think of bothering you. I know very well how to use the search function, thank you, and when I did ( prior to asking) the post you're referring to that linked to XS told me nothing except that he was running it on the Calistoga platform, and that you knew "some guy" who was an official Intel bencher. Nowhere did I read anything that said that Merom was Calistoga only. All my previous readings at Anandtech and other places said differently - that Intel's own product briefs claim that Merom is 100% compatible with existing Yonah platforms (i.e. 945GM, which is what the SZ has). That's why I asked. All I wanted was some substantial documentation to back up your statement. Guess that was too much. Next time I'll make sure there's no sports on TV before I make another foolish request.

GO SPURS.

 

In that case. You should have used it. And sorry your information is false. Anandtech forums are hardly the place to get reiable info on prerelease chips. The guy in the link IS the official intel bencher. And sorry for apolagizing (long before this reply).

Substantial documentation? nah...fugger's word is good enough for me. He owns xtremesystems.org and is a world record , official intel bencher.

Simply put DONT ASK QUESTIONS YOU DO NOT WANT THE ANSWER TO. Merom is 100% pin compatible with any and all yonah platforms. And thats about it


Here you go:
Quote:
Originally Posted by ProphetX
Hey i was wondering if, i buy a yonah based notebook, will i be able to upgrade to merom without a custom bios?


The notebook im gonna purchase has a cpu that removable (socketed)

fugger:
It must state "calistoga" not "Centrino" and have the GMA950 graphics or add on graphics with Calistoga branding.

The Xpress 200 is ATI chipset and may not work, I did not try that one as I was advised to use the Fujitsu N.

Link to notebook?



A direct cut and paste from my pm conversation with fugger.

 

by the way if you want to test for yourself.

Theres a member on XS selling a Merom T7400 ES chip for sell. $750. You should buy it and prove me wrong.

You won't be able to get into their FS forums without 100+ post. But the member's name is Hicookie. Another Intel tester.

 

I think that Calistoga is only developer's code name for the Intel Mobile 945 chipset. Example link: http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/print.php?cid=14&id=1747
So what is in your opinion the differnce between the chipset you need for Merom and the one of the vaio sz?

According to Wikipedia, Intel states that Merom isn't only pin, but also drop-in compatible, requiring at most a BIOS update.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core

I can't see a proof that merom won't work in the sz in any of the links or statements of you.

 

Well you guys have to first understand what centrino is. Its not just the chipset. Its all the components like intel chipset, integrated gpu, sound and wireless that make centrino. Like if you were to replace your intel wireless with an atheros card, your system would no longer display centrino when booting.


But basically i dont quite know what calistoga consists of. As i've already bought my notebook (its a centrino) and im no longer interested.


From what i've posted above. Fugger says calistoga is a system with no integrated gma 950. You know.... like the Asus W3J

Spacecowboy is you can clarify this that'd be great. But i wonder since the SZ has both intel gma 950 and the go7400, if we are an exception to this rule? I wont be afraid to try as long as i can get an Merom chip fairly cheap.

I'll keep you guys updated on that. Maybe if one of the local guys gets ahold of one of the chips ill pay them a visit and do some testing.

 

I think calistoga is the code name of the whole i945 chipset family.
This picture http://www.hardwarezone.com/img/data/articles/2005/1747/mobileplan.jpg makes me hoping that it will be quite easy to change to merom. Because the two plattforms napa and napa refresh have the same chipset, not only the same amount of pins.
We will se if merom will run on the sz. I hope so.

 

Yeah your right. Thanks for clarifying that. Hmm, now to see where we can get a merom chip to test..........

Anyone want to start a merom test fund? lol

 

I'll wait for newegg to sell them, and get one of those.

My thoughts on this:

It sounds like Merom may technically just drop right in to our SZ's, but the question may be wether or not the machine will actually be able make use of 64bit without a bios update?

Even if it doesn't, we should still be able to take advantage of Merom's other enhancements, and extra cache?

Aaahhhh, the speculation.

Maybe if Merom SZ's are released in the future, a BIOS updat could be made to work on ours? Might require a little hacking?

 

Ostack your right on the money about waiting for the chips to hit retail. $800 is just way too much. Especially when these theings are gonna retail for about $300 for the 2.16ghz.

As for performance other than 64bit. Keep in mind merom isn't a yonah with 64bit. Its a mobile Conroe. And there is indeed about a 15 to 20% increase in performance.


Heres a comparison.:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=98376

 

Unlikely to come from Sony though. And I would guess they would do everything possible to prevent it.

Just look at the whole third party battery saga.

 

Thats exactly what I was referring to when I wrote "other enhancements".

If there is a way to run it in our current SZ's, even without 64bit, it will be a great upgrade.

I'm sure we'll find out soon enough.

Even at that, its just about bragging rights essentially. The current Core duo is plenty fast enough to handle anything I throw at it. The 7400 is a bottleneck, along with the system bus and HD. Those are the real hinderances to getting a significantly faster machine.

I'm not complaining, just saying that Merom will not significantly impact your user experience on this machine unless you do some serious number crunching on a regular basis. Significant benefits from Merom will not show up until the next chipset is out.

 

Yeah, Sony wants you to buy a new machine from them, not upgrade your current one.