Updating P4 533 desktop to Pentium M via Asus adapter?

peegee

Member
Oct 11, 2004
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I recently got a new Pentium M laptop (2GHz 533) and its so amazingly fast - way quicker than my 2.6Ghz 533 desktop P4, for the photo tasks I do, that I'm thinking of updating to put one in my desktop. Both run on 533MHz buses, and it s apparently a known upgrade route.

I see Asus does a special adapter "Asus CT-479" whihc makes the Pentium M fit into your desktop socket 478 board. On the Asus website it says you need to use specific bpards (and upgrade to latest bios) but... I am on a Gigabyte board (GA-81NXP) and would like to do it but dont want to waste time.
is it possible ? are there issues or other adapters known?
I use the full 4Gb RAM, for my heavy photoshop work (access the other 2Gb via a ramdrive setup) and am happy with everything else.
is it worth it? or am I just avoiding the inevitable upgrade. Hopeing not to spend the big upgrade $ till dual core matures fully.
 

cockeyed

Senior member
Dec 8, 2000
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I have an Asus P4P800 mobo and I recently saw articles about using the Pentium M in it. From what Iv'e been reading about it, it can only be used in 2 Asus mobo's. I don't think it would work on your current mobo. I read that there is/are other mobo mfg's that make a motherboard specifically for the Pentium M. I did a little reasearch on cost and it would be an expensive changeover: about $200 for the CPU and $50 for the adapter. That cooled any thoughts I had about making the changeover. A Google search turns up info about making this cahnge.
 

tbogstad

Golden Member
Feb 3, 2003
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the ct-479 now works on like 8 motherboards i think, and it out performs a FX-57 and a P4 3.73 EE. when overclocked to around 2.7ghz, mine does 2.6ghz easy, the stock asus heatsink is OK, but a better copper cooler is really needed to run 2.8GHZ or higher.