Upgrading the CPU in a Vostro 1500 Notebook

I got a great deal on a Vostro 1500 and I'm quite pleased with the performance.

That being said, I would like to look into CPU upgrades to somewhat futureproof my machine.

What socket type does the Vostro 1500 use? I checked Dell's literature but couldn't find anything.

I understand that I will need a Santa Rosa-compliant processor, yes?

Thanks in advance.

 

You'd need a S.R. processor alright, but if you want more power you are better off upgrading the hard drive or getting more RAM. Most processors are too fast now anyway, and many won't ever need all the power the CPU has to offer.

 

Would a Core2Duo T7300 Merom Socket P processor work?

 

Any socket P processor will work, but processor upgrade are almost never worth the money/time/effort.

 

Really?

I'm running a 1.6ghz C2D right now.

The 2.0ghz is only $250 and I can't see the processor upgrade taking very long.

Isn't there a distinct benefit going from a 1.6ghz c2D to a 2.0ghz?

 

More cache.. and cache usually benefits in intensive tasks.

Clock speeds in processors don't really mean to much now. 200mhz is like.. less then a second speed difference but cache, bus speeds they make all the difference.

I'd suggest waiting.. maybe in a year you'll need more power then a T7300. With quad cores in the future, the prices of the higher end dual core processors will come crashing down in price. Plus theres a possibility of upgrading to a quad core, theoretically.

 

Along the same lines... I also have a Vostro and have been considering the upgrade. Would a T7100 1.8ghz be more cost effective for performance above the T5270 1.6ghz, say versus buying the T7300? Mainly because of the cache increase from 2mb to 4mb? TIA.

-Josh

 

The T7100 has a 2 Mb L2 cache. The T7300 is the lowest end socket P with a 4 Mb L2

 

You may want to think to upgrade your cpu when it is in the future, instead of futureproofing now. It will be a lot more cheaper.