Socket M socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit
Socket M, printed mPGA478MT, is the Intel 478-contact PGA socket for 2006 mobile Core processors. It carries Core Solo Yonah single cores, Core Duo Yonah dual cores, and the first mobile Core 2 Duo Merom dual cores in Micro-FCPGA packages that drop into a Zero Insertion Force lever socket. Intel introduced it in 2006 as the successor to Socket 479 for the Napa platform with the 945PM and 945GM chipsets.
Quick facts
| Maker | Intel |
|---|---|
| Package type | PGA |
| Contacts | 478 |
| Package size | n/a |
| Introduced | 2006 |
| Status | Legacy |
| Memory | DDR2 in two channels through the board chipset |
| PCIe from the CPU | Front side bus 533 to 800 MT/s to the chipset; expansion from the mobile chipset |
| Cooler mounting holes | Board specific (laptop heatsink) |
| Replaces | Socket 479 |
| Replaced by | Socket P |
Overview
The interface matters because it holds the socketed standard voltage parts of this batch, while soldered low voltage cousins with the same silicon stay on Socket 479. A Core Solo T1200 runs one Yonah core at 1.5 GHz with 2 MB of shared L2 cache inside a 27 W envelope, while a Core Duo T2300 runs two Yonah cores at 1.66 GHz with the same 2 MB cache at 31 W. Early Merom parts such as the Core 2 Duo T5200 at 1.6 GHz and the T7200 at 2 GHz add 64-bit support with 2 MB or 4 MB of L2 cache at 34 W on a 533 or 667 MT/s front side bus.
Memory is DDR2 in two channels through the board chipset, commonly DDR2-667 on Napa boards. Cooling uses notebook vendor heat pipe parts for the exact chassis, since retail desktop towers do not mount to mobile sockets. The successor Socket P arrived in 2007 with an 800 MT/s bus for Santa Rosa, so a move beyond Merom on Socket M means a board change.
Processor generations
| Codename | Marketing name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yonah | Core Solo and Core Duo Yonah | 2006 to 2007 | 65 nm single and dual core parts with 2 MB of shared L2 cache, from the 1.5 GHz Core Solo T1200 at 27 W to the 2.33 GHz Core Duo T2700 at 31 W in 2006. |
| Merom | Core 2 Duo Merom | 2006 to 2007 | 65 nm dual core parts with 2 MB or 4 MB of L2 cache and 64-bit support, from the 1.6 GHz T5200 at 34 W to the 2.17 GHz T7400 at 34 W in 2006. |
Who Socket M serves
Socket M serves socketed Napa notebooks from 2006 where the CPU can be removed with the lever arm. Buyers chose a Core Solo for single thread office work, a Core Duo T2300 to T2700 for dual core multitasking at 31 W, or a Merom T5200 to T7400 for 64-bit support with larger cache. Each chip needs a board whose BIOS lists the exact sSpec stepping, since Napa BIOS revisions added Merom support after launch.
Soldered ULV and LV Yonah parts such as the U1300 at 5.5 W and the L2400 at 15 W do not belong here even though they share the Yonah name. Those Micro-FCBGA parts are soldered to the board and live under Socket 479. When a SKU exists in both a socketed Micro-FCPGA package and a soldered Micro-FCBGA package, this site lists it under Socket M and notes the soldered option in the CPU prose.
Memory and cooling
Memory on Socket M is DDR2 through the 945PM, 945GM, PM965, or GM965 board chipset in two channels. The chipset sets the speed and the slot count, so a 667 MT/s FSB chip pairs with DDR2-667 where the board supports it. A move to DDR3 means a move to a newer mobile platform with a new board.
The front side bus carries CPU traffic at 533 MT/s on early Yonah boards and 667 MT/s on later Yonah and Merom boards, with select 800 MT/s combinations on PM965 and GM965. No PCIe lanes come from the CPU itself. Cooling is a vendor heat pipe assembly for the 27 W to 34 W envelope, and paste or pad replacement follows the notebook service manual for the exact model.
CPUs on Socket M
18 processor pages in the database, newest first.
| Processor | Cores / threads | Base / boost | TDP | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core 2 Duo T7600G | 2 / 2 | 2.33 GHz | 35 W | Dec 2006 |
| Intel Core 2 Duo T5200 | 2 / 2 | 1.6 GHz | 34 W | Oct 2006 |
| Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 | 2 / 2 | 1.67 GHz | 34 W | Aug 2006 |
| Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 | 2 / 2 | 1.83 GHz | 34 W | Aug 2006 |
| Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 | 2 / 2 | 2.0 GHz | 34 W | Aug 2006 |
| Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 | 2 / 2 | 2.17 GHz | 34 W | Aug 2006 |
| Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 | 2 / 2 | 2.33 GHz | 34 W | Jul 2006 |
| Intel Core Solo T1200 | 1 / 1 | 1.5 GHz | 27 W | Jul 2006 |
| Intel Core Solo T1350 | 1 / 1 | 1.87 GHz | 31 W | Jul 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2700 | 2 / 2 | 2.33 GHz | 31 W | Jun 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2050 | 2 / 2 | 1.6 GHz | 31 W | May 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2250 | 2 / 2 | 1.73 GHz | 31 W | May 2006 |
| Intel Core Solo T1400 | 1 / 1 | 1.83 GHz | 27 W | May 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2300 | 2 / 2 | 1.66 GHz | 31 W | Jan 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2400 | 2 / 2 | 1.83 GHz | 31 W | Jan 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2500 | 2 / 2 | 2.0 GHz | 31 W | Jan 2006 |
| Intel Core Duo T2600 | 2 / 2 | 2.17 GHz | 31 W | Jan 2006 |
| Intel Core Solo T1300 | 1 / 1 | 1.66 GHz | 27 W | Jan 2006 |
Frequently asked questions
Which processors fit Socket M?
Socketed Core Solo T1200 to T1400, Core Duo T2250 to T2700, and Core 2 Duo T5200 to T7400 in Micro-FCPGA packages. Soldered ULV and LV Yonah parts with the same silicon live under Socket 479 instead.
Is Socket M the same as Socket 479?
No. Socket M has 478 contacts in the mPGA478MT layout while Socket 479 in its Pentium M version uses a different pin placement, and the two are not electrically compatible. A Socket M chip fits loosely in some Socket 479 boards but will not run, and forcing it can damage pins.
What memory does Socket M use?
DDR2 in two channels through the board chipset, commonly DDR2-667 SO-DIMMs on 945PM and 945GM boards. The board fixes the slots and the maximum capacity, so check the notebook vendor list.
How many PCIe lanes does Socket M provide?
No PCIe lanes come from these CPUs. A front side bus at 533 to 800 MT/s ties the CPU to the mobile chipset, while graphics and expansion slots hang off the chipset.
Sources and verification
- Socket M (Wikipedia)
- List of Intel Core mobile processors (Wikipedia)
- Yonah (microprocessor) (Wikipedia)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .