Since the end of last year, the Pentium M processor, which until then was only dedicated to laptops, entered the desktop market with DFI and AOpen motherboards. We wrote an article on this subject last January and, at the time, we were unimpressed by the motherboard price and its limitations, whether connected to the chipset or not. Following the success of this platform, ASUSTeK has decided to release the CT-479. This adaptor provides an opportunity to use a Pentium M with a Socket 478 motherboard!
The Pentium M in brief
Even though we already addressed this subject in our previous article, it is good to take another look at the ups and down-sides of the Pentium M architecture. Its main interest lies in its extremely efficient processing units. Thanks to these units, this processor has an excellent performance/thermal dissipation ratio. This ratio is one of Intel’s major problems since the release of the Pentium 4 " Prescott ". It is also possible to use the Overclock Pentium M " Dothan " to 2.4 GHz without increasing its voltage.
Of course, the overall picture isn’t perfect because a simple Pentium M 740 clocked at 1.73 GHz (possible Overclocking to 2.4 GHz) costs about $255 in shops. Also, even if the Pentium M provides better performances for games, the Pentium 4 is clearly better with applications using SSE image vectoring such as video encoding.
Finally, the Pentium M doesn’t support the HyperThreading, and it isn’t as smooth for intensive multi-task use (for example if you use your computer during a 3D rendering or video encoding).
The CT-479
How is it possible? Quite simply because the Pentium M and Celeron M use the same type of bus as the Pentium 4: a bus GTL+. It works in double data rate for the address bus and quad data rate for the data bus. Based on this fact, the development of an adaptor was quite easy as the CT-479 design shows.
The CT-479 is powered externally by a specific plug which connects to the Molex 4 pins supply connector and provides 5 and 12 Volts. It includes two jumpers to select the installed processor’s FSB.
As well as the power supply cable and Chinese/English instructions, the CT-479 is sold with a radiator on an aluminium base. It is designed so as not to get in the way of the power supply cable. On top of the radiator is a 70mm radiator. It spins at 3000 Rpm and provides 32.5CFM for 30 dBA at 12V.
