Dell Lattitude E6520 CPU Upgradable?

[ethan206]

Hi, I would like to know if the CPU is upgrade-able on my Dell Lattitude E6520. I currently have a Intel Core i7-2640M CPU (Dual-Core, 3.50GHz) and I want to know if it can be upgraded to a quad-core CPU like a 2760QM. I also want to know if there is a cheaper quad-core i7 that is less than $60, because if there is I'll just buy that instead of the 2760QM. But first of all, is the CPU even upgradable? And also if you know, can you provide what type of socket my motherboard supports and the CPUs it supports. Thanks

 

[Phaaze88]

You CAN upgrade it to the 2760QM, but you would run into cooling issues. Your current cpu has a 35w TDP, the 2760QM is 45w.
The heatsink that came with the 2760QM in prebuilts is also larger. A cooling pad may be enough to keep the temps down.
Socket is rPGA988B. As for the supported cpus, that depends on the bios version your system is currently running - download the latest version from the manufacturer.

https://ark.intel.com/products/52813/Mobile-Intel-QM67-Express-Chipset (click compatible products tab)
^Some possible upgrades on this list. Note that you are currently using the fastest dual core for that socket.
You may be able to find a 2630QM for under $60, but that chip is actually slower than your current one.

 

[ethan206]

When you say cooling issues, do you mean it'll thermal throttle? I currently have a cooling pad and I stress tested my CPU and my overclocked GPU and throttle at all, so if I upgrade to a 2760QM does that mean I'll always need to have my laptop under a cooling pad or else it'll throttle or will it throttle either way? And if I do upgrade to a 2760QM do i need to download any drivers or do any BIOS configuring?

 

[Phaaze88]

1. Yes.
When you tested your current chip, what kind of temps did you get?
2. It depends on what you're using the laptop for, and the application(s) in question.
3. No. Just swap it in, and you're good to go.

 

[ethan206]

As for CPU temperatures I used intel XTU for stress testing and I get around 88 degrees Celsius max when stress testing for about 20 minutes. I usually do 1080p HD video editing on Premiere Pro and After Effects and also do some light gaming along with other stuff like browsing the web.