Socket 479 socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit
Socket 479 is the Intel 479-contact mobile interface for Pentium M processors and their soldered 479-ball cousins. The socketed Micro-FCPGA package plugs into a 479-hole Zero Insertion Force socket in the mPGA479M layout, while Micro-FCBGA variants with 479 balls solder directly to the board with no socket at all. Intel's datasheet for the 533 MT/s Pentium M names both packages for the same 730 to 780 models, and the Socket 479 family page lists the mPGA478C layout for Pentium M and Celeron M since 2003.
Quick facts
| Maker | Intel |
|---|---|
| Package type | PGA |
| Contacts | 479 |
| Package size | n/a |
| Introduced | 2003 |
| Status | Legacy |
| Memory | DDR or DDR2 through the board chipset |
| PCIe from the CPU | Front side bus 400 to 533 MT/s to the chipset; expansion hangs off the chipset |
| Cooler mounting holes | Board specific (vendor heatsink) |
| Replaces | Socket 495 |
| Replaced by | Socket M |
Overview
The interface matters for this batch because the Dothan Pentium M 730 to 780 are socketed 90 nm single cores with 2 MB of L2 cache on a 533 MT/s bus, from the 1.6 GHz 730 to the 2.26 GHz 780 inside a 27 W envelope. They pair with 915 series mobile chipsets and DDR2 memory on notebooks whose BIOS lists the exact sSpec stepping. The Socket M successor arrived in 2006 with a shifted pin for Core processors, so Core Solo and Core Duo parts need Socket M boards instead.
Memory throughout is DDR or DDR2 through the board chipset, and cooling stays with device vendor hardware qualified for the exact board. Soldered members share the 479-contact footprint without the socket. The Conroe-L Celeron 220 at 1.2 GHz with 512 KB of cache serves passively cooled mini-ITX boards, while Yonah ULV parts such as the Core Solo U1300 at 5.5 W and LV parts such as the Core Duo L2500 at 15 W serve thin notebooks.
Processor generations
| Codename | Marketing name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banias | Pentium M Banias | 2003 | 130 nm single cores with 1 MB of L2 cache on a 400 MT/s bus, from the 1.3 GHz 1.30 at 22 W in March 2003 to the 1.7 GHz 1.70 at 24.5 W in June 2003. |
| Conroe-L | Celeron 220 soldered | 2007 | 65 nm single cores with 512 KB of L2 cache for Essential Series mini-ITX boards, including the passively cooled 1.2 GHz Celeron 220 at 19 W from October 2007. |
| Yonah | Core Solo ULV and Core Duo LV and ULV soldered | 2006 to 2007 | 65 nm Yonah parts with 2 MB of shared L2 cache in Micro-FCBGA packages, from the 1.06 GHz Core Solo U1300 at 5.5 W to the 1.83 GHz Core Duo L2500 at 15 W in 2006. |
| Dothan | Pentium M 730 to 780 | 2005 | 90 nm single cores with 2 MB of L2 cache on a 533 MT/s bus, from the 1.6 GHz 730 to the 2.26 GHz 780 at 27 W in 2005. |
| Esther | VIA C7-M Esther | 2005 to 2006 | 90 nm SOI single cores with 128 KB of L2 cache in Socket 479 packages, including the 2.0 GHz C7-M 795 at 20 W from June 2005. |
Who Socket 479 serves
Socket 479 serves socketed Pentium M notebooks where the CPU can be removed with the lever arm. Sonoma machines on 915 series chipsets accept Dothan 730 to 780 parts where the BIOS lists the sSpec and the 533 MT/s bus matches, while older 855 series boards take 400 MT/s Banias and early Dothan parts. Each upgrade needs the exact stepping on the board vendor CPU support list.
Soldered owners live here too. Mini-ITX boards ship the Conroe-L Celeron 220 fixed to the board for fanless boxes, and thin notebooks ship Yonah ULV and LV parts in Micro-FCBGA packages with no socket at all. Those chips stay with the board for life, so a faster machine means replacing the whole board.
Memory and cooling
Memory on Socket 479 is DDR or DDR2 through the board chipset, depending on the chipset generation. The board fixes the slots and the maximum capacity, so check the vendor list before buying modules. A move to DDR3 means a move to a newer mobile platform with a new board.
The front side bus runs at 400 MT/s on Banias boards and 533 MT/s on later Dothan boards, carrying CPU traffic to the chipset while graphics and expansion hang off the chipset. Cooling follows the package. Socketed parts use vendor heat pipe assemblies for the 27 W envelope, and soldered parts use board spreaders drawn for 5.5 W to 19 W.
CPUs on Socket 479
27 processor pages in the database, newest first.
| Processor | Cores / threads | Base / boost | TDP | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Celeron 220 | 1 / 1 | 1.2 GHz | 19 W | Oct 2007 |
| Intel Core Solo ULV U1500 | 1 / 1 | 1.33 GHz | 5.5 W | Jan 2007 |
| Intel Core Duo LV L2500 | 2 / 2 | 1.83 GHz | 15 W | Sep 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo ULV L2400 | 2 / 2 | 1.07 GHz | 9 W | Jun 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo ULV L2500 | 2 / 2 | 1.2 GHz | 9 W | Jun 2006 |
| Intel Core Solo ULV U1300 | 1 / 1 | 1.07 GHz | 5.5 W | Apr 2006 |
| Intel Core Solo ULV U1400 | 1 / 1 | 1.2 GHz | 5.5 W | Apr 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo LV L2300 | 2 / 2 | 1.5 GHz | 15 W | Jan 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo LV L2400 | 2 / 2 | 1.67 GHz | 15 W | Jan 2006 |
| Intel Pentium M 780 | 1 / 1 | 2.26 GHz | 27 W | Jul 2005 |
| VIA C7-M 795 | 1 / 1 | 2.0 GHz | 20 W | Jun 2005 |
| Intel Pentium M 730 | 1 / 1 | 1.6 GHz | 27 W | Jan 2005 |
| Intel Pentium M 740 | 1 / 1 | 1.73 GHz | 27 W | Jan 2005 |
| Intel Pentium M 750 | 1 / 1 | 1.86 GHz | 27 W | Jan 2005 |
| Intel Pentium M 760 | 1 / 1 | 2.0 GHz | 27 W | Jan 2005 |
| Intel Pentium M 770 | 1 / 1 | 2.13 GHz | 27 W | Jan 2005 |
| Intel Pentium M 765 | 1 / 1 | 2.1 GHz | 21 W | Oct 2004 |
| Intel Pentium M 715 | 1 / 1 | 1.5 GHz | 21 W | Jun 2004 |
| Intel Pentium M 725 | 1 / 1 | 1.6 GHz | 21 W | Jun 2004 |
| Intel Pentium M 735 | 1 / 1 | 1.7 GHz | 21 W | May 2004 |
| Intel Pentium M 745 | 1 / 1 | 1.8 GHz | 21 W | May 2004 |
| Intel Pentium M 755 | 1 / 1 | 2.0 GHz | 21 W | May 2004 |
| Intel Pentium M 1.70 | 1 / 1 | 1.7 GHz | 24.5 W | Jun 2003 |
| Intel Pentium M 1.30 | 1 / 1 | 1.3 GHz | 22 W | Mar 2003 |
| Intel Pentium M 1.40 | 1 / 1 | 1.4 GHz | 22 W | Mar 2003 |
| Intel Pentium M 1.50 | 1 / 1 | 1.5 GHz | 24.5 W | Mar 2003 |
| Intel Pentium M 1.60 | 1 / 1 | 1.6 GHz | 24.5 W | Mar 2003 |
Frequently asked questions
Which processors fit Socket 479?
Socketed Pentium M Dothan parts, including the 1.6 GHz 730 to the 2.26 GHz 780 with 2 MB of L2 cache at 27 W from 2005, plus soldered 479-ball parts such as the Conroe-L Celeron 220 and Yonah ULV and LV parts. Socketed Core Solo, Core Duo, and Core 2 Duo parts live under Socket M instead.
Is Socket 479 the same as Socket M?
No. Socket M is the 2006 successor with 478 contacts and a shifted pin for Core processors, and the two are not electrically compatible. A Socket M chip may sit in a Socket 479 opening but will not run, and forcing it can bend pins.
What memory does Socket 479 use?
DDR or DDR2 through the board chipset, depending on the chipset generation. A move to DDR3 means a move to a newer mobile platform with a new board.
How many PCIe lanes does Socket 479 provide?
No lanes come from these CPUs. A front side bus at 400 MT/s on Banias boards and 533 MT/s on later Dothan boards ties the CPU to the chipset, while expansion hangs off the chipset.
Sources and verification
- Socket 479 (Wikipedia)
- Intel Pentium M Processor 533 MHz FSB Datasheet (Intel)
- List of Intel chipsets (Wikipedia)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .