Newbie Question

I have an old Centrino (1 MB cache, 400MHz) CPU. Will it work on Z71a? If it works I will buy a Z71a barebone as my laptop is broken.

 

It actually should work well, and you can even overclock it to 533mhz. The z71 motherboard has an easy switch, you just switch it, instant overclock to 533mhz.

I'd recommend you looking at an ASUS barebones dedicated forum, I don't recall the site but I'll find it and post back

 

Yes you may use it in that system.

 

My thanks to both coriolis and PROPortable for helping newbies like me out. Its good to know that Z71a can also be overclocked to run 533MHz. My RAM is DDR 333MHz, do I need to upgrade my RAM as well? What RAMs will you guys recommend if I would also like to overclock it to 533MHz.

 

Any 533mhz PC4200 SoDimm RAM modules will work.

The 333mhz ram you own will work but won't work at 533mhz.

Corsair, Kingston makes good RAM.

 

I guess DDR 333 Hynix will not work at 533MHz. I just checked various websites selling RAMs. I found out PC4200 RAMs are DDR2 not DDR. I am confused if both DDR2 and DDR will work on this Z71a. coriolis, you mention there is an ASUS barebone discussion forum, any links, thanks.

 

Sorry, Forgot about it

Here:

http://www.z71forums.com

 

Thousand :asus: Thanks.

 

you are right. DDR & DDR2 cannot be work together because of the lenght and pins. DDR cannot be put to DDR2 memory slot if a laptop only support DDR2, of course, DDR2 also cannot support DDR memory slot as well. Up to now, the common memory speed up to 533Mhz for DDR2 memory and 400Mhz for DDR memory. In the market now, all the laptops support DDR2 533(PC2 4200), the users who are still using old model which have came out 1 year ago, the laptops they use should be DDR (PC 2700 or PC 3200)(DDR 333 or DDR 400) or older (DDR 266)(PC 2100).

 

Guys,

I am confused if the Z71a really supports DDR2 RAM because it is clearly stated on ASUS site that it supports DDR333 which is DDR not DDR2. What I understand from coriolis to overclock to 533MHz I would need good DDR400 or DDR533 RAMs (which are not normally available as I don't see any on-line computer shops in Canada sell them). Has anyone tried successfully running Z71a with DDR2 RAMs? I understand Z71v runs DDR2 RAMs.

This link is copied from another forum:
http://vipforums.asus.com/nbinfo/agenda_files/z71a/Z71ADatasheet.pdf

 

The Z71a DOES use DDR and NOT DDR2.
The Z71v uses DDR2...

So yes, DDR333 will work just fine in the Z71a.

 

AuroraS,

Thanks for the clarification.

From ASUS specifications, Z71a using Intel's embeded graphics chipsets 915GM. How does it compared with Z71v's 6600 chipsets, anyone?

 

In terms of Video Benchmark(Basically for games) The intergrated will score...um..around 170 in 3DMark while the 6600 will score, 2400~ or so.

 

Thanks. If I get Z71v, my old cpu and RAM will be no good at all with games. I will forget about gaming on the laptop and stick to the cheapest path, Z71a.