Intel Pentium M 765 socket: Socket 479

What the Pentium M 765 is

The Intel Pentium M 765 is a 2.1 GHz single-core mobile processor from October 2004. It runs one P6 variant Dothan core at 2.1 GHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 2 MB of L2 on a 90 nm process. Power is rated at 21 W in a Socket 479 package with a 400 MT/s front side bus and a 21x multiplier at 0.988 V to 1.356 V.

The 765 extends the Dothan 400 MT/s line past the 2 GHz 755 with the same 2 MB cache and 21 W envelope, selling at 637 dollars in October 2004. Intel binned voltage to hold power flat at higher frequency, so the 765 needs a BIOS that lists the top multiplier. The chip supports MMX, SSE and SSE2 with Enhanced SpeedStep. No higher Dothan 400 MT/s clock followed, since 533 MT/s parts took over with 27 W power.

Top-bin thin notebook status made the 765 a premium option. The 2.1 GHz core with 2 MB kept office and media tasks quick without the fan noise of Mobile Pentium 4 HT parts at 88 W. That efficiency is why the 765 matched the 755 price despite higher clocks, with better silicon offsetting the frequency lift.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Pentium M 765 fits Socket 479 thin notebooks with a 400 MT/s bus and top-bin Dothan support. It needs a mobile 479-pin board with a BIOS that lists the 765. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Premium thin Centrino notebooks are the natural match. Boards listing Dothan 400 MT/s parts accept the 765 with a 21 W heat pipe and updated microcode. Older Banias-only boards need a BIOS update for Dothan operation.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is DDR through the board chipset with notebook slots. The CPU has no controller.

A 400 MT/s bus ties the CPU to the chipset, while graphics hangs off the chipset. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Cooling is the 21 W notebook heat pipe with quiet fans. SpeedStep trims draw on battery for long life.

Upgrade paths

On Socket 479 the 765 tops the 400 MT/s Dothan line, so same bus upgrades stop here. Pentium M 770 parts at 2.13 GHz move to a 533 MT/s bus with 27 W power. The 755 and 745 offer slower clocks where listed. Beyond Socket 479 a move to Socket M needs a new notebook. The 765 removes with the socket mechanism, so swaps need no solder work.