Laptop Processor

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-03-18 03:50pm

Can it be changed/upgraded on a laptop?

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2008-03-18 03:56pm

No.

EDIT: DaveJB goes into more detail in the following post, and you can technically do it, but practically, the answer remains "no."

DaveJB · Post by **DaveJB** » 2008-03-18 04:30pm

It depends what type you have. There's three kinds of processors that you'll find in laptops:

A) Desktop processors, used in really big and chunky "Desktop Replacement" laptops. These can be upgraded quite easily.
B) Socketed (or PGA) mobile processors, used in normal laptops. These are a bit trickier to do, since they're more fragile, more expensive and have a variety of potential compatibility slip-ups. It is possible to upgrade these, though.
C) Soldered (or BGA) mobile processors, used in thin and light notebooks. Can't be upgraded, end of story.

Of course, even if it is possible to upgrade your CPU, there's also BIOS and cooling problems to contend with. Then there's the matter of actually getting into the laptop without breaking anything, which you'd probably need to do just to find out what processor type you have. Generally, mobile CPUs are socketed so that bad ones can be easily replaced, rather than allowing for upgrades. That being the case, I really wouldn't recommend trying to upgrade your CPU, unless it's a really slow one and you're sure that a quicker one will fit in, and will work happily.

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2008-03-18 04:44pm

Taking a laptop apart isn't that hard to do (helps if you have the service manual lying around though). I've had to take apart my laptop to clean out the heatsink which was caked in dust. That said, chances are a CPU upgrade that would still fit wouldn't provide much of an increase to be worth it.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2008-03-18 07:07pm

Well, for option C (soldered processor) you could still manage to upgrade it, if you both had a source for the chip, and a reflow oven. I've heard of someone who upgraded an Eee PC to have a Pentium 753 from the Celeron it has by default. Not exactly an easy thing to do, however.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-03-18 08:32pm

Hmmm. This is the situation I ask this under.

I bought a new laptop and I swore that I ordered it with an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9500 (2.6GHz/800Mhz FSB, 6MB Cache), but after checking all my paperwork and such, apparently, I ordered an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2MB cache/2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB).

Honestly, I don't even know what the difference is really, I just ordered the most expensive processor, assuming that it is also the fastest, and the most RAM I could in the laptop. Apparently, I fucked up.

So I was just wondering what it would take to get the one that I thought I ordered and put it in.

Post by **Beowulf** » 2008-03-18 08:51pm

The T9500 has about 40% more speed, and 3x the cache compared to the T7250. It's also more expensive. Apparently the processors weren't in order of cost.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-03-18 08:54pm

Beowulf wrote:The T9500 has about 40% more speed, and 3x the cache compared to the T7250. It's also more expensive. Apparently the processors weren't in order of cost.

I think you misread that B. I got the T7259, but I tried to get the T9500. The T9500, added about $500 IIRC. It was definitely more expensive.

GrandMasterTerwynn · Post by **GrandMasterTerwynn** » 2008-03-19 12:58pm

havokeff wrote:Hmmm. This is the situation I ask this under.

I bought a new laptop and I swore that I ordered it with an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9500 (2.6GHz/800Mhz FSB, 6MB Cache), but after checking all my paperwork and such, apparently, I ordered an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2MB cache/2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB).

Honestly, I don't even know what the difference is really, I just ordered the most expensive processor, assuming that it is also the fastest, and the most RAM I could in the laptop. Apparently, I fucked up.

So I was just wondering what it would take to get the one that I thought I ordered and put it in.

Call their customer service and trade it in for the faster one. If you ask nicely, and if the configuration of the machines are otherwise identical, they'll even swap the hard drives over for you so you won't lose your data. You'll have to pay the difference, but you won't void the warranty or risk turning your new laptop into an expensive paperweight.

Havok · Post by **Havok** » 2008-03-19 01:21pm

GrandMasterTerwynn wrote:
havokeff wrote:Hmmm. This is the situation I ask this under.

I bought a new laptop and I swore that I ordered it with an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T9500 (2.6GHz/800Mhz FSB, 6MB Cache), but after checking all my paperwork and such, apparently, I ordered an Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7250 (2MB cache/2.0GHz/800Mhz FSB).

Honestly, I don't even know what the difference is really, I just ordered the most expensive processor, assuming that it is also the fastest, and the most RAM I could in the laptop. Apparently, I fucked up.

So I was just wondering what it would take to get the one that I thought I ordered and put it in.
Call their customer service and trade it in for the faster one. If you ask nicely, and if the configuration of the machines are otherwise identical, they'll even swap the hard drives over for you so you won't lose your data. You'll have to pay the difference, but you won't void the warranty or risk turning your new laptop into an expensive paperweight.

I'll try that. Thanks.