Question Can i upgrade my Sony laptop CPU from 2nd gen to 3rd gen?

[vovochka]

I have Sony laptop SVE14 series came with i3-2370m, socket G2 (988B rPGA), Intel chipset HM76, with latest BIOS:
https://www.sony.co.th/en/electronics/support/downloads/Y0006067

i can see from above list, there are couple of laptop equiped with 3rd gen CPU and same BIOS. I would like to upgrade CPU from i3-2370m to i7-3620QM. I know someone has upgrade from i3 2nd generation to i7 2nd generation without any issue.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Going from i3 to i5 or i5 to i7 within the same generation is one thing. Going from one generation of CPU to another generation of CPU on the same motherboard requires specific BIOS support and unless your laptop's exact model shows support for the newer generation CPUs then it's not going to have BIOS support because it is not like a desktop where they generally have broad BIOS support. Laptops have very minimal BIOS capabilities and that includes a lack of support in most cases for cross generational swapping of the CPU.

I would contact their tech support, as I see nothing on their website that shows one way or the other, but I'd venture to guess that it's incredibly unlikely AND just because two different units might SEEM to have the same BIOS because the BIOS version name is the same, means very little. There are plenty of ASUS motherboards, for example, that have BIOS versions F15 and if you try to use one BIOS image listed as F15 with another different motherboard, especially if the chipsets are not the same or there are any major differences with onboard hardware, you are likely going to brick that device.

 

[vovochka]

Going from i3 to i5 or i5 to i7 within the same generation is one thing. Going from one generation of CPU to another generation of CPU on the same motherboard requires specific BIOS support and unless your laptop's exact model shows support for the newer generation CPUs then it's not going to have BIOS support because it is not like a desktop where they generally have broad BIOS support. Laptops have very minimal BIOS capabilities and that includes a lack of support in most cases for cross generational swapping of the CPU.

I would contact their tech support, as I see nothing on their website that shows one way or the other, but I'd venture to guess that it's incredibly unlikely AND just because two different units might SEEM to have the same BIOS because the BIOS version name is the same, means very little. There are plenty of ASUS motherboards, for example, that have BIOS versions F15 and if you try to use one BIOS image listed as F15 with another different motherboard, especially if the chipsets are not the same or there are any major differences with onboard hardware, you are likely going to brick that device.

i can confirm that the list of laptop are using the same chipset which is HM76, for example

3rd gen, HM76, same BIOS version
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/laptop-pc-sve-series/sve14118fg/specifications

2nd gen, HM76, same BIOS version
https://www.sony-asia.com/electronics/support/laptop-pc-sve-series/sve14112eg/specifications

 

[Darkbreeze]

I would still contact Sony and ask them directly. You do not want to purchase a new CPU and then find out later that they did not include support for that CPU in a BIOS update for your exact sub model of that laptop. Or, you can, but you might get sad later.

 

[vovochka]

i managed to uprade my laptop CPU from i3-2370m to i7-3632qm (second hand used CPU) without any problem, no bios upgrade needed, CPU temperature is stable.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Nice man.