[SOLVED] Core i3-2310M upgrade

[ronjerby]

Hi,

I have an Asus K43SJ with a stock Core i3 2310M, HM65 chipset and planning to upgrade to a compatible i7.

Looking online for compatible processors, here are my shortlist:

i7-2630QM (Q1 2011, 45W)
i7-2670QM (Q4 2011, 45W)
i7-2710QE (Q1 2011, 45W)
i7-2720QM (Q1 2011, 45W)
i7-2760QM (Q4 2011, 45W)

Does anyone experienced upgrading the same processor model? Or better yet, the same brand/model?

Any downside?

 

[spdragoo]

Upgrading laptop CPUs is really, really tough. Aside from the whole ripping the laptop apart to get to it (& hoping you didn't break something, or worse lose a little widget that prevents it from working), there's the issue of cooling. Nearly every laptop relies on passive cooling, & even those that have built-in fans are limited in how much heat they can dissipate. And then there's the issue of whether it's socketed in the motherboard like a desktop CPU or soldered in (note that with the latter there is no way to replace the CPU without damaging the board).

In your case, it looks like you can replace the CPU (as listed here). However it looks like the only Core i7 option will be the i7-2630QM. Note that you're trading the extra cores/threads for a lower base clock (& chances are that even though it theoretically will boost higher, that's going to be limited by cooling capability). An alternative would be the i5-2410M: same number of cores/threads, but not only does it have a slightly higher base clock & gets Turbo capability, since it has the same TDP as your Core i3 it's more likely to be able to reach its Turbo speeds.

Of course, this is all assuming you can even find those chips. Sandy Bridge CPUs were released 8 years ago, & were released in both Socket G2 (the version you want) & BGA 1023 (soldered type). Finding something that old is going to be tricky; finding it new (or even gently used) is going to be even more difficult.

 

[Cioby]

I'm wondering if really old CPUs upgraded provide enough benefit to make it worth it. Especially for laptops. You may be better off selling it and getting a new model, 1060 laptops are getting sold very cheap due to the 2060 coming out. And I assume you also have a very old GPU with poor performance.

Otherwise if you really want to, just youtube a video on replacing CPUs and it will show you step by step.

 

[ronjerby]

Upgrading laptop CPUs is really, really tough. Aside from the whole ripping the laptop apart to get to it (& hoping you didn't break something, or worse lose a little widget that prevents it from working), there's the issue of cooling. Nearly every laptop relies on passive cooling, & even those that have built-in fans are limited in how much heat they can dissipate. And then there's the issue of whether it's socketed in the motherboard like a desktop CPU or soldered in (note that with the latter there is no way to replace the CPU without damaging the board).

In your case, it looks like you can replace the CPU (as listed here). However it looks like the only Core i7 option will be the i7-2630QM. Note that you're trading the extra cores/threads for a lower base clock (& chances are that even though it theoretically will boost higher, that's going to be limited by cooling capability). An alternative would be the i5-2410M: same number of cores/threads, but not only does it have a slightly higher base clock & gets Turbo capability, since it has the same TDP as your Core i3 it's more likely to be able to reach its Turbo speeds.

Of course, this is all assuming you can even find those chips. Sandy Bridge CPUs were released 8 years ago, & were released in both Socket G2 (the version you want) & BGA 1023 (soldered type). Finding something that old is going to be tricky; finding it new (or even gently used) is going to be even more difficult.

Thanks for the heads up, I looked at ebay and there are cheap used processors that I can experiment with. Anyways, thanks

 

[ronjerby]

I'm wondering if really old CPUs upgraded provide enough benefit to make it worth it. Especially for laptops. You may be better off selling it and getting a new model, 1060 laptops are getting sold very cheap due to the 2060 coming out. And I assume you also have a very old GPU with poor performance.

Otherwise if you really want to, just youtube a video on replacing CPUs and it will show you step by step.

Thanks Cioby, I don't have the budget right now. I looked at ebay and there are cheap used processors there that I can get my hands to.

 

[maboul]

FAQ
Q: I have an Intel i3-2310M (BGA) microprocessor. Can I upgrade it?
A: No. Microprocessors like this one are soldered on a board, for that reason upgrading or replacing them is extremely difficult.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_i3/Intel-Core i3 Mobile i3-2310M AV8062700999605.html