i5 vs i7 socket

[Tulmaster]

Will the i7 4510u or 4710HQ fit in the i5 3210M socket? Thanks in advance

 

[Tulmaster]

Just to clarify, I have an HP Pavillion g6 with a i5 3210M dual core and it a bit new to really consider replacing (18 months) but would like to get a quad core processor upgrade so just wondering if it is possible to upgrade and if the cost makes it worth while, or should I just get a new laptop for $700+ ?

 

[geofelt]

Do you really need a quad core for multi threaded cpu bound tasks?

Usually the reason a laptop is slow is because of the 5400rpm hard drives.
Replacing that with a ssd will make all the difference in the world.
I have replaced every laptop I own with a ssd. Even the old and slow oned benefitted mightily.

 

[mlga91]

+1 to this ^^1 Even 7200 hard drives are the major bottleneck on desktop PCs.

 

[Tulmaster]

SSD's are very expensive unto themselves and are great for the access of the basic programs, but they don't do the actual work, as in converting large video files from one format to another. The quad core should cut a 45 min job down considerably.

 

[geofelt]

SSD's are very expensive unto themselves and are great for the access of the basic programs, but they don't do the actual work, as in converting large video files from one format to another. The quad core should cut a 45 min job down considerably.

For your application, a quad is appropriate.
But... do you really need the portability of a laptop.
Perhaps a conventional desktop build would suit you better and be cheaper.

To assess compatibility of a cpu replacement, you need to contact the laptop vendor.
Some cpu changes may well be supported, but it depends on the socket and the bios.

 

[Solandri]

Will the i7 4510u or 4710HQ fit in the i5 3210M socket? Thanks in advance

The i5-3210m seems to come in two variants. A BGA version which is soldered, and a PGA988 version which is socketed. Are you sure your CPU is socketed? This is actually the first time I've heard of an Ivy Bridge CPU using PGA988. I thought that socket had been phased out with Nahalem. But it's on Intel's spec sheet so I guess it does exist. More than likely you have the soldered BGA version as that's what's typically used in mass market products, and the CPU cannot be upgraded.
http://ark.intel.com/products/67355/
http://ark.intel.com/products/65708

The i7-4510u and i7-4710hq are both BGA - they are soldered onto the motherboard. In particular, HQ means it's soldered. i7 quad core CPUs ending in MQ are socketed, but use the PGA946 socket.

In the unlikely event that your i5 CPU is socketed, you need to be sure the BIOS supports the new CPU. Haswell (i5- or i7-4xxx) is a new architecture, so a laptop built for Ivy Bridge (i5-3xxx) will not work with Haswell unless the BIOS has been updated to support the new Haswell CPUs.

And you should only upgrade to a CPU with the same or lower TDP as the old one. A higher TDP means the CPU needs more cooling, and the highest CPU your laptop can take is likely limited by how good its cooling system is. In particular, unless your laptop had a quad core i7 as an option at time of purchase, it's highly unlikely that its cooling system was designed to handle a quad core.

tl;dr - get a new laptop.

Edit: In the unlikely event that you have a socketed i5-3210m, here's a list of CPUs which should work with that socket. (You'll notice the i5-3210m is not on the list. I suspect only engineering samples were released as socketed versions.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_G2

 

[Tulmaster]

Solandri,

Thanks for your information it was very helpful. I will verify the info on my laptop. i7 was an option at the time, but I lacked the knowledge I have now between one being a dual or quad core unit.