Intel Core 2 Duo Merom Processor Showing up in Notebooks

Many will have heard the news that Intel has announced its new Core 2 Duo 64-bit dual-core notebookprocessor, code name Merom, will be available and shipping in August. Meaning manufacturers should be able to start pumping out notebooks with the Core 2 Duo by the end of August or beginning of September. There aresome hints on the web and in our forums as to which notebooks will be offered with the Core 2 Duo and which existing notebooks might be upgradeable if you want to buy just the processor and upgrade.

Dell:

A NotebookReview.com forum user noticed that the Dell e1405 was briefly listed on the Dell.com website last week with the T7200 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor as an option. The leak was taken down however and now the only evidence of this being on the Dell website is via a Google search that finds the cached page:

Dell Inspiron e1405 with Core 2 Duo processor appears on Google but is now removed from the Dell site(view large image)

A modified Dell e1705 with an Intel T7400 dual core 64-bit processoris up for sale in the NotebookReview.com forums:

This looks just like a regular old Dell e1705 (view large image)

But a closer inspection reveals a Core 2 Duo T7400 processor inside (view large image)

Screen shots of the notebook the seller provides indicates that the Super Pi calculation time for 1-million digits was 24-seconds, it's about 35-seconds for current Core Duo notebooks.

Given we know the Inspiron e1405 will have the Core 2 Duo and the e1705 is obviously upgradeable, you can expect Dell will soon (mid to end of August)have the Inspiron e1505, e1405 and e1705 with Core 2 Duo configurable for purchase.

Sony

A Japanese blog shows the VAIO SZ with the Intel Merom processor running inside:

(view large image)

Discussion in the NotebookReview.com forums for the Sony VAIO SZ Merom processor upgradeis here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=66151

Link to the Japanese blog with guide for upgrading to the Merom processor is here: http://www.vaioethics.com/blog/archives/2006/06/sz_3.html

HP:

A NotebookReview.com forum user called HP and confirmed with them the current HP offerings for Intel processor notebooks will support upgrades to the Core 2 Duo Merom processor with a bios update. The HP dv2000t, dv5000t and dv8000t should all be upgradeable to the Merom processor -- but at the cost of voiding your warranty (most likely)

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=64193

You can fully expect that HP will offer all of these notebooks with the Merom processor soon for those that don't want to do the upgrade themselves.

Asus:

Asus explicitly says on its website that all current Core Duo notebook offerings will soon be available with the Core 2 Duo processor:

http://www.asus.com/news_show.aspx?id=3800

Clevo:

The Clevo M570U notebook will soon be available with the Core Duo T7200, T7400 or T7600processor:

http://www.clevo.com.tw/products/M570U.asp

Sager:

NotebookReview.com user Justin@XoticPC who is a reseller of Sager notebooks posted some benchmark scores of the Sager 5760 (same notebook as the Clevo M570)with the Merom processor inside:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=67306

Screenshot of Sager 5760 with Merom T7400 inside (view large image)

Fujitsu:

Fujitsu has announced that its 17-inch widescreen LifeBook N6400 notebook will be available with the Core 2 Duo processor at the end of August.

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=148349&tsource=3

Of course you can expect a lotof notebookannouncements in the next few weeks as manufacturers adopt the Core 2 Duo. Stay tuned as these announcements roll in, and post in the forums if you notice anything new out there.

 

I'll most probably be waiting for the A7j. Seems like all that is left is to wait - a couple of months or so. And yeah, can't wait for the exact dates

Thanks a bunch, Andrew.

 

To upgrade or not to upgrade, this will bother me for several months now. I wonder if there's a way to upgrade the processor without voiding warrenty. Thanks for the heads up abaxter, I always enjoy your speedy news and insightful reviews.

cheers!

 

Some great info there. I will be waiting for merom

About upgrading your CPU without voiding your warranty... I think some companies might offer the option that you could send it in and have them put the new CPU in. Now if they do this it will definitely cost you more than doing it yourself.... But if you can open up your notebook and put in the new CPU without breaking any warranty seal stickers then keep your old CPU around, in case you need to send it in...

 

Is there any information about Lenovo's plans?

 

I'm not exactly in a rush to buy a new laptop, even though I really want a new one. Would it be safe to say that waiting until the end of August/beginning of September to purchase a new laptop would be a wise decision? Can I expect better prices and deals on current core duo laptops, and even better tech available by the beginning of september? If so I have no problem waiting.

 

I think only new "tech" things you'll see around august/september is the new processors you wont see the new "tech" stuff till santa rosa if im correct which will be the new platform to unrelease meroms full capabilites and such

 

Fantastic work Andrew!

 

Anybody has any info on relaibility of sager 9750V. Thinking of buying one but am not sure. alternative is dell.

 

well I have a T2600 and I got 31seconds for 1million digits of pi, so thats not an improvement for me at all... the 64 bit would be nice for vista, but at this point its not worth my time/effort/money to upgrade the processor

 

I have been verbally told the T60 will be refreshed with the Merom very soon after they are shipping but I have not been told whether the T60 is upgradeable. I'll ask and post back when I hear from them though.

 

So, should I wait to get a Core 2 or just get the 2.0GHZ Duo? I've never had a notebook before, just a desktop, that is 3 years old. How much are Core 2 Duo notebook will cost?

 

*Waits for LG to announce a Core 2 version of the TX*

Well, I can dream, can't I?

 

does anybody know when dell will incorporate core 2 duo into the latitude D820 relative to when they will do it for the inspirons?

 

For the millionth time. By Aug or mid September(its in the article BTW)(Sorry for being blunt, too many people asked same question)

 

sry, but i dont think my specific question was in the article or in the forums. my question was whether dell will offer core 2 duo on all viable laptops at the same time, or if they will first upgrade the inspirons and then the other series later. the article only talks about e1405, e1505, e1705

 

np, these things happen now and then. Anyways, the E series i guess would be the first thing updated since there the ones being sold to students(or Core Duos to make room for C2D).

Also some people are thinking of buying Solos and upgrading to Merom. Is that possible or no?

 

I hope here in Mexico the merom does not take so long to arrive in dell computers at least.

 

It should be possible (but will require a BIOS update which we can't be 100% a company will release) but will likely void the warranty.

~ Brett

 

I'm sorry, but what is the main difference between Intel Core 2 Duo and ordinary Core Duo. 64bit OS .. ok, other than higher ammount of memory that can be addressed, what would be the other advantage ?

 

just waiting for the m1210 now ~

 

Well merom is supposed to be built on the same architecture as the desktop core 2 duo chips so there supposed to be as fast as their desktop counterparts while being "energy efficient" in the battery life department. If this is the case, these chips "should" blow the Turion 64 X-2 out of the water, but we will see.

 

It's a completely redesigned architecture from the ground up. Yonah was very well designed, but it was still based on the older Pentium M's, which themselves were based on the Pentium 3 with bits of Netburst and a slew of power saving techniques. That said, it's very similar to Yonah, but should be a cleaner implementation.

Also more power savings, a smaller manufacturing process (less power, less heat), and about 20% more IPC (instructions per clock).

Personally, I'm hoping Ivan over at Portable One will start carrying the Clevo M541N to celebrate Merom. But more realistically, that he validates it for the UX quickly.

 

Yonah and Merom are based on the same platforms. The only difference is a higher L2 cache and also 64-bit processing. They already outperform the X2, and will stay like that till AMD comes out with there next gen processors.

 

ERRR!!! HATE this waiting game...
ok so i need advice about buying the current core duo laptop or the core 2 duo laptop...
1) i NEED the laptop by the 1st day of college, sept. 4th (which means i will need it by sept. 2nd). I want to get an ACER (Aspire) but not sure if Acer will be the first few to update their notebooks. (Any other good companies that will have the laptops 1st w/ the Merom? Dell takes about 1-2 weeks to process an order so that'll be tricky).
2) I don't really care about the warranty so opening it up and installing the upgrade at a pc tech place wont be a problem (if they don't break it :/) I know the Acer Aspire 5672WLi (or something like that) was upgraded by someone who got the chip already and worked fine.


Questions (to help those who want to get a Merom laptop first)
1) Which company do you think will have the Merom laptops out first?
2) Which online retailer will have access to the Merom laptops first?


Please let me know with your ideas as i have been serarching up the internet like....every 2 hrs...for the latest Merom news (i'm a loser haha)

(Sorry is this is in the wrong section...didnt know if should be in "What Notebook Should I Buy?" or this one...)

Thxz in advance

 

Actually, from what I've read, the design is similar, but not the same.

Everything is supposedly redone, and there are many enhancements. For example, Merom is 4-issue, and Yonah is only 3-issue. The floating point capabilities are also quite a bit better on Merom.

Of course, 64-bit capability and the bigger L2 cache are two of the more important improvements as well.

 

It may be worth having Core2 from T7200 with Frequency 2.0GHz and Cache 4M. Lower frequency than that all have the same Cache 2M as CoreDuo.

 

i have to be the biggest idiot out here.. cuz i dont have a clue. does Intel core 2 Duo = core Duo x2?

 

More like this..
Core Duo = Dual core vesion 1
Core 2 Duo = Dual core version 2

 

We should have a CPU guide/chart sticky. Or is there already and I just didn't see it?

C.

 

i believe the meroms will be availabe though mail order much sooner than people think. Im thinking they will be available for order starting mid Aug. Delivery to customers by end of Aug.

I too am waiting on the Dell m1210 or HP d2000t

 

mail order as opposed to online order?

 

I think he means buying just the CPU through retailers such as Newegg, as opposed to buying it in a pre-built laptop.

 

Well, i want to enjoy my new 2.33 ghz core duo for now.. but later on down the line how possible would it be to upgrade from my T2700 to a 64 bit duo? I've got an alienware btw Alienware m5750.

 

Does anyone know if the Compaq v3000 series will be refreshed to include Merom?

 

I had meant mail order = online order...but its just conjecture at this point. maybe wishful thinking on my part, because I just want a **** laptop, but wwould be dumb to not wait 2 more weeks

 

Yes, there will be a refresh, but I'm not sure when it will be. My guess is late August, because that is when the Merom core is supposed to be widely available.

 

What is Santa Rosa?

 

A 2.1-second Google search revealed that it is "Intel's fourth-generation Centrino notebook platform". I didn't know, myself.

C.

 

santa rosa will be the next version of merom. its scheduled to be released next summer and will have 800 mhz fsb.

 

Here is a post I made a while ago about the debate between buying now vs. waiting for Merom.

 

What does that mean, performance-wise? Is that an increase in clock-speed?

*puts on her "PC Dunce" cap"

 

Does anyone know if the Dell Inspiron 9400 can be upgraded to use the T7400 or T7600 processors?

Thanks in advance

Doug Holland

 

Am surprised how this has not come up in the discussions yet... but still...
Any speculations on the customizable configurations that will be available from HP or DELL (with the core 2 duo) and speculations abt the corresponding price ranges

 

Are the 1.66GHz coming out going to be 2MB or Level 2 Cache? I read it in an apple article but want to get it confirmed ( http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1939)

If getting that, would it really make a difference if getting the Merom 1.66GHz or the Core Duo (Yonah, sorry for spelling error)?

EDIT
nvm...found out it is 2 MB Level 2 Cache on the 1.66 GHz models

 

I am guessing it should more or less be the higher end pc gamer laptops w/ the same configurations since they are the ones closest to Core Duo specs/requirements....they already have Core Duo which can be upgraded to Core 2 Duo. I guess we have to wait and see which models will be upgraded to Merom (very anxious just like the rest of the users here who wat Merom)

 

Colleagues,

what is expected price of laptops w/ Core 2 Duo processor? E.g. w/ Core 2 Duo 2.0GHz, 2.0GB DDR2 667, 100GB, some ATI card 256MB, some DVD-RW, 15.1'' or 17'' screen, 802.11a/b/g, bluetooth, card reader, etc.

Is it possible to keep within $1500?

 

It should be around the same price as the current Core Duo laptops since the price of Core Duo and Core 2 Duo are supposed to be the same but depends on if the manufacturers will charge more or not.

 

How much of a price drop can i expect for laptops equipped with a regular Core Duo by say early September? Like if I can get the Asus S96J for 1300 bucks with a core duo, how much would the EXACT configuration cost by September?

 

Bah, anyone?