Bringing Back the Family Laptop-Suggestions Please

[hefty14]

So one of the hinges on the family laptop was messed up and I decided to open it up and fix it. Started wondering what I could do to bring up the performance and speed things up as a whole. I dont have much experience with laptops but have built a few gaming rigs. Any suggestions from the pros? I'm gonna use $200 of my budget for my next gaming build so I gotta stay on the cheaper side of things! Here's what I'm working with:

HP Envy 15 Touchsmart with Beats
Intel Core i5 4200M
Not sure on the mobo
8GB DDR3 PC3L 12800s 1600 MHz
750 gb hdd 5400
Windows 8

Can I use DDR4?
Upgrade ram or processor?
Windows 10 install?
Anything?

Thanks!

 

[hefty14]

Also should mention, it's an internet cruising machine, YouTube galore, and my wife does have an embroidery program on it she uses from time to time. Very light light games sometimes too. If I went to maybe $250 any options for graphics besides eGPU?

 

[hefty14]

Here's what I've decided on so far:

Replace HDD with WD Blue 500gb SSD.
I want to replace the i5 4200m with an i7 4700mq and so far it seems that everything would be compatible. Last get another 8 gigs of RAM. My question with it however, is my ram is 11-12-F3, what if the other ram is 11-13-F3 or 11-13-B3... will that work?

 

[USAFRet]

Just add an SSD and a clean install of the OS.
Mixing RAM is often a complete fail.
Upgrading the CPU? For that use, wouldn't seem like it needs it.

 

[hefty14]

The SSD and windows 10 made a big difference already! I think I may take your advice on the RAM, 8gb is probably plenty enough for their use. I still may upgrade the processor if I run across a good deal on eBay or somewhere though

 

[robert600]

I want to replace the i5 4200m with an i7 4700mq and so far it seems that everything would be compatible.

Actually ... that is not quite correct. The i5 4200m is 37 watt and the i7 4700 mq is 47 watt - your laptop may not be able to handle the extra heat that i7 would generate. In my opinion, you'd be safer getting an i7 4712 mq ... it's 37 watt and only slightly slower than the 4700 mq.

 

[robert600]

Hmmmm looking at this a little closer .... it seems the HP ENVY TouchSmart 15-j053cl came with the 4700 mq processor (is that why you were thinking of upgrading to this particular one?). In all likelihood, your laptop has the same cooling system. If so it appears it can handle 47watts.

This listing for an i7 4810 mq is 'open for offers'. You never know ... they might accept $75 ... very nice processor for that price

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-i7-4810MQ-Processor-SR1PV-6M-Cache-up-to-3-80-GHz-FC-PGA-946/273522096247?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D483db3de446643bf8607b003c010cabf%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D8%26mehot%3Dlo%26sd%3D273522096247%26itm%3D273522096247&_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042