[SOLVED] How to know what CPU i can use in my laptop?

[Bernardooteixeira]

So i have a lenovo thinkpad and it has a socket to change the CPU but the problem is i dont know what CPUs are compatible with the socket and with the motherboard.
There is a document about the various processors that can be used on this model on lenovos site but it´s kind of outdated and i was wondering if a more recent CPU would work and what is the range of CPUs i can use.

 

[rgd1101]

and this lenovo thinkpad exact model is?

 

[k1114]

Lenovo is going to have the most up to date info and prebuilts often don't updates for new cpus. Anything off the list would be at your own risk which is typical for a laptop cpu change. It's rare they had a list in the first place. Usually the course is to google and see if other people have upgraded the laptop's cpu. Just because a cpu is the same socket doesn't mean the bios is compatible.

 

[Bernardooteixeira]

and this lenovo thinkpad exact model is?

Its a Lenovo thinkpad E330

 

[Bernardooteixeira]

Lenovo is going to have the most up to date info and prebuilts often don't updates for new cpus. Anything off the list would be at your own risk which is typical for a laptop cpu change. It's rare they had a list in the first place. Usually the course is to google and see if other people have upgraded the laptop's cpu. Just because a cpu is the same socket doesn't mean the bios is compatible.

I have tried to Google it but the people i see that have tried to Change the CPU especially in this model (that is farlly old) are also people that did it a long time ago so their CPUs are not some of the most recent. What i wanted to know is how can i look at a CPU and know if it Will work on this model. Is there no way of doing it?

 

[Alabalcho]

What is the CPU at the moment?
Lenovo specs] list a lot of CPU options, but that does not mean all are using same motherboard, and even if they did, probably yhere would be dofferent cooling setups.
Swapping the slow HDD with SSD, and upping the memory to the max, will give you much better boost.

 

[Bernardooteixeira]

What is the CPU at the moment?
Lenovo specs] list a lot of CPU options, but that does not mean all are using same motherboard, and even if they did, probably yhere would be dofferent cooling setups.
Swapping the slow HDD with SSD, and upping the memory to the max, will give you much better boost.

It has an i7 2640M and it already has 8gb RAM (max) and a 256 GB SSD.
So there is no way of knowing for sure if a CPU will work with this motherboard?

 

[k1114]

You're not going to get the latest cpus. The socket changed 7 years ago and has changed several times since then. Some of this is repeat info but I don't mind. Laptops typically will not have any list of compatible cpus. There is no way you can look at a cpu and know without that list. So google and other people's experiences are your only source if you want to be sure.

As is with most laptop cpu changes, you either have to take a leap of faith on a cpu no one has tried or don't do it at all. Your best bet is to stay with the same generation and same or lower tdp. But if you stick with that, you are not going to get any performance increase worthwhile. Going with a higher tdp runs the risk of overheating or not being able to supply enough power and end up with lower performance or crashes. They design the laptop for the cpu it has, not for something more powerful. Here is the cpu list for socket g2. Being the same socket does not mean the bios is compatible but it will insure that it will fit. http://www.cpu-world.com/Sockets/Socket G2 (rPGA988B).html

For future reference, if you want something to upgrade, a desktop will typically have the cpu support list and can be upgraded easily. Modern laptops are also all mostly soldered so can't be upgraded.