T40 Centrino M as a carpc?

rinkk · 04-02-2007, 07:19 PM

I've been thinking of putting together a carpc for a while now and have a fairly clear idea on the parts needed and of the install but am still unsure on some basic needs:

I have used IBM T40 series laptops for years and find them super durable for home/travel use though I don't know how one would fair, installed in my car.

a) 1.5ghz centrino laptop (T40) better performance than mini-itx system?
b) Will power requirements be be different using T40 vs. mini-itx?
c) Is the T40 a viable (or maybe even better) alternative to a mini-itx system?
d) Any other potential issues I'm overlooking?

DarquePervert · 04-03-2007, 06:41 AM

A couple of points for clarification:
- "Centrino" is not a CPU. It's a marketing brand for the combination of Intel's wifi technology & CPUs.
- miniITX is only a form factor. It has no bearing on CPU or anything else. You can get a miniITX motherboard with a low-power Via C3 or a uber-fast Pentium M and soon an Athlon64 AM2.

Now, on to the answers!

A) Yes, the performance will be far superior to an M10000 (the 1ghz C3 CPU).

B) Definitely!

C) Sure.

D) Laptop intalls have more issues than a desktop-style PC installation.

Really, I suggest perusing the forums as you plan. Search for laptop installations and ask some questions to the installers/owners to get an idea of how they overcame laptop hurdles.