CPU noob wants to upgrade but has conflicting tutorial info

[aysdf]

I have a Dell laptop (inspiron 4000) that I want to upgrade from PIII 900 to the highest socket 370 CPU I can identify, which is a PIII 1400.

I used Everest to ID my 900 CPU as a coppermine w/ 100mhz front side bus, but the (then-) server-grade PIII 1400s all have 133mhz front side bus. In fact, I think nearly all stable socket 370 PIIIs above 900mhz are 133mhz fsb.

Anyways, my question is: will the new processor, since the fsb speed is different, be

1) completely incompatible, since it's a dell laptop and I can't change many motherboard settings

or 2) become really really quick?

 

[slvr_phoenix]

First, I'm not sure that you can upgrade. Laptops are tricky.

Second, I've no idea if your laptop would support 133MHz FSB or not, but a Celeron should have a 100MHz FSB.

Third, I would suggest contacting Dell and see what they say and/or offer as an upgrade. You don't have to actually buy the upgrade from them, but it should at least give you an idea what you can and can't do.

 

[ChipDeath]

Anyways, my question is: will the new processor, since the fsb speed is different, be

1) completely incompatible, since it's a dell laptop and I can't change many motherboard settings

or 2) become really really quick?

Well, assuming it did fit, and it's increased heat/power weren't a problem... If your Laptop doesn't support 133Mhz FSB you'll get a processor running at ~1050Mhz. Not much of an upgrade. The multiplier used to generate the final clockspeed is fixed - you can't change it, so rather than running at 133Mhzx10.5 = ~1400Mhz, you'd be running at 100Mhzx10.5 = 1050Mhz.

Even ignoring that, I doubt this upgrade would really help you that much. It might make the odd CPU-intensive task a little quicker of course, but you'll probably not really notice much difference anyway.

But, I suspect you'll not be able to change it easily anyway - Laptops just aren't built for upgrading like this.

 

[aysdf]

Thanks guys, that was extremely helpful. The multiplier tutorial was really awesome, too.

I think I'll track down faster tualatin celerons, then, perhaps a 1200 to 1400. Will these upgrade options (from my P3-900, 100mhz fsb) at least smooth out my performance?

EDIT: Nevermind, I discovered the second limitation: so far I can't tell if the socket is FC-PGA or FC-PGA2, and the two are possibly incompatible.)