Is the MEROM CPU pin compatible with the YONAH cpu?

[a_urby]

I had a dicussion whit a friend about merom, he said that merom wasn't pin compatible with the yonah cpu and i said that it was. Also he said that even if it was pin compatible that i wouldn't be able to use it because the chipset wasn't going to be able to recognise it. Can some body tell me if he is right or if I am right

 

[ltcommander_data]

The short answer is, no one knows.

Merom will use the same socket as Yonah, however Merom will be a (almost) completely new architecture along with 4MB of L2 cache and 64-bit support. What is known is that when Merom is released Intel will fresh the current Napa platform to Napa64. This may just be a simple BIOS update to activate any inheirent 64-bit support in the chipset or it may be completely redone logic. The feature set of Napa64 will be virtually identical to Napa though in terms of SATA support, audio, integrated video, etc. Other than 64-bit support and guaranteed support for Merom Napa64 will no doubt be built using the 90nm process and 300mm wafers compared to the 130nm process and 200mm wafers of all current Intel chipsets. This will be critical in cutting overall system power consumption to meet Intel's 5 hour battery life goal as well as reducing production costs to offer competitive pricing. Merom will be receiving a brand new platform in the form of Santa Rosa in Q1 2007 which will bring variable FSB up to 800MHz.

Coming back to the original question, I will hesitantly say probably that current Yonah chipsets will support Merom. Notice I said chipsets, as motherboard support may vary. This may turn out to be similar to the i975 chipset supporting Conroe, but the current motherboards themselves not be. I only say probably because Intel is actually taking the time to introduce custom built desktop versions of motherboards which support Yonah. I would think Intel wouldn't invest that type of money, instead just using mobile boards for desktop as in Dothan, unless they plan on being around long enough to recieve a decent return on investment. Even if the current chipsets support Merom though you might not be able to have the latest power saving features or 64-bit support that Napa64 promises.

 

[apache_lives]

its typical of intel to change the VRM and a few pins to make next gen processors incompatible - good example is socket370 - 3 diffrent revisions, with some modding on older boards you can run the new ones - its just a pin out change and a bios update!

 

[endyen]

Am I hearing you right?
Intel has invented a new processor family. The mobile chip will have 14 pipeline stages. It will run 64 bit software. It will have a new chipset, on a new tech. It will run faster and cooler than anything before it. You ask, can I toss this under the hood of my old buick? Be serious man. This wonderful new engine needs the sleakest, and sexiest case this world has ever seen.
I guess that means probably not.

 

[apache_lives]

cant wait to see the whole new series (conroe/merom/woodcrest) - if a yonah matches an AMD X2 with only minor optimisations and a slow fsb (shared) what sort of speed will merom push (and the rest)

 

[endyen]

I have been disapointed 3 to many times by Intel.
I plan on holding judgement till conroe arrives.
Damn though, it's getting harder and harder not to get excited.