Anyone have info on whether Merom is Core Duo socket compatible

[paulsiu]

I notice that there is a rumor that Merom can plug right into a Core Duo socket and be compatible. I can't figure out how this would work though since:

- I imagine that a BIOS upgrade is needed, but I doubt most notebook manufacturer would release bios upgrade for cpu.
- Merom is supposed to be 64-bit, but a core duo is 32-bit.

I was wondering if there were some truth to the rumor, since that would be great to be able to upgrade to a faster cpu later.

Paul

 

[KBM]

Yes.. Merom will be using the same S479 socket and can be
upgraded via BIOS update

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: KBM
Yes.. Merom will be using the same S479 socket and can be
upgraded via BIOS update

Ding ding

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: KBM
Yes.. Merom will be using the same S479 socket and can be
upgraded via BIOS update

This is tricky. Technically yes, a Merom can just pop into a Core-Duo socket + BIOS flash, and your on your way. This was demonstrated by an Intel rep at IDF for one of the journalists. HOWEVER!!!! hehe.. Lets take Dell for example. What are the chances that Dell would never release a BIOS for and existing Core-Duo laptop that supported Merom?
Why would Dell not want to sell more laptops? Because you don't have to buy the processor from Dell themselves. Newegg will carry Merom just as it now carries Yonah.
So, don't rely on getting that BIOS.

 

[paulsiu]

That's my thought as well. My question is, who may offer a Bios upgrade? Perhaps one of the Asus or MSI barebones.

 

[Topplayer]

Originally posted by: paulsiu
That's my thought as well. My question is, who may offer a Bios upgrade? Perhaps one of the Asus or MSI barebones.

i would think asus and/or msi would but you never know

 

[DrMrLordX]

There's at least one Yonah desktop motherboard currently. It would be kinda cool to be able to put a Merom into that in the future.

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX
There's at least one Yonah desktop motherboard currently. It would be kinda cool to be able to put a Merom into that in the future.

Thats what I am kinda hoping too, since I am getting a yonah and Asus N4L-VM DH as soon as the motherboard is actualy in stock. Would be very nice if I could swap the yonah for a merom later on.

 

[gwag]

FYI someone has stuck one in a mac mini and it worked. and they dont even have a bios.

 

[dexvx]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
This is tricky. Technically yes, a Merom can just pop into a Core-Duo socket + BIOS flash, and your on your way. This was demonstrated by an Intel rep at IDF for one of the journalists. HOWEVER!!!! hehe.. Lets take Dell for example. What are the chances that Dell would never release a BIOS for and existing Core-Duo laptop that supported Merom?
Why would Dell not want to sell more laptops? Because you don't have to buy the processor from Dell themselves. Newegg will carry Merom just as it now carries Yonah.
So, don't rely on getting that BIOS.

Because it is extremely expensive to redesign a new-laptop. Dell has used older laptops, such as the 600m, when Banias was the only option, to be retrofitted with the 400FSB Dothans. Moreover, a microcode update is literally minutes away. Swapping CPU's voids your warranty, and if you screw up, you'll probably have to buy a new laptop.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Originally posted by: stevty2889

Thats what I am kinda hoping too, since I am getting a yonah and Asus N4L-VM DH as soon as the motherboard is actualy in stock. Would be very nice if I could swap the yonah for a merom later on.

Good idea. Mmmm, Merom on the desktop. Oh the possibilities.

Any problems mounting standard HSFs on Yonah? Just curious. If Merom fits in the same socket, it should be usable with the same HSFs. Getting aftermarket coolers mounted on the Dothan adapter was quite difficult if I recall correctly.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: dexvx

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
This is tricky. Technically yes, a Merom can just pop into a Core-Duo socket + BIOS flash, and your on your way. This was demonstrated by an Intel rep at IDF for one of the journalists. HOWEVER!!!! hehe.. Lets take Dell for example. What are the chances that Dell would never release a BIOS for and existing Core-Duo laptop that supported Merom?
Why would Dell not want to sell more laptops? Because you don't have to buy the processor from Dell themselves. Newegg will carry Merom just as it now carries Yonah.
So, don't rely on getting that BIOS.

Because it is extremely expensive to redesign a new-laptop. Dell has used older laptops, such as the 600m, when Banias was the only option, to be retrofitted with the 400FSB Dothans. Moreover, a microcode update is literally minutes away. Swapping CPU's voids your warranty, and if you screw up, you'll probably have to buy a new laptop.

Hehe, but I didn't say new laptops. I said "more" laptops. I have a Dell Latitude D800 for work. It has a 1.4 Banias in it. I tried installing a 1.73 Dothan in there and it did not boot. I updated the BIOS to latest, and still no boot. Does not specify any newer processor support. So here I am, still hoping they will release a BIOS, but I think this is chipset related. The banias was 400FSB and this Dothan is 533FSB. Maybe why it didn't boot, but I would think it would run but just a slower frequency.

 

[ND40oz]

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003

Originally posted by: dexvx

Originally posted by: keysplayr2003
This is tricky. Technically yes, a Merom can just pop into a Core-Duo socket + BIOS flash, and your on your way. This was demonstrated by an Intel rep at IDF for one of the journalists. HOWEVER!!!! hehe.. Lets take Dell for example. What are the chances that Dell would never release a BIOS for and existing Core-Duo laptop that supported Merom?
Why would Dell not want to sell more laptops? Because you don't have to buy the processor from Dell themselves. Newegg will carry Merom just as it now carries Yonah.
So, don't rely on getting that BIOS.

Because it is extremely expensive to redesign a new-laptop. Dell has used older laptops, such as the 600m, when Banias was the only option, to be retrofitted with the 400FSB Dothans. Moreover, a microcode update is literally minutes away. Swapping CPU's voids your warranty, and if you screw up, you'll probably have to buy a new laptop.

Hehe, but I didn't say new laptops. I said "more" laptops. I have a Dell Latitude D800 for work. It has a 1.4 Banias in it. I tried installing a 1.73 Dothan in there and it did not boot. I updated the BIOS to latest, and still no boot. Does not specify any newer processor support. So here I am, still hoping they will release a BIOS, but I think this is chipset related. The banias was 400FSB and this Dothan is 533FSB. Maybe why it didn't boot, but I would think it would run but just a slower frequency.

Dell D800 is a 855 chipset, doesn't support 533 fsb, you would need a D810 for that with the 915 chipset. The new Dell D420, D620 and D820 are all 945 chipset boards. Dell has an 18 month life cycle for these products and every single one can be upgraded to merom through a bios update. I've spoken with someone on the latitude design team and that's his words, not mine.

This is just like the newest dell workstations based on dempsey, they will all be upgradedable to woodcrest through a bios update. Dell relies on 12-24 month product life cycles, with the new intel chips shipping in Q3 and Q4, the products released this spring and summer have to support these chips, otherwise, they'd only have a 6 month life cycle.