Question Upgrading to i7-3840QM in Sony VAIO SVE14112EFW – Is It Worth the Risk? 💻🔥

[Vaio12]

Hello everyone,

I own a Sony VAIO SVE14112EFW laptop and I’m planning to upgrade my CPU from an Intel Core i3-2370M (2nd Gen, Sandy Bridge, 35W TDP) to an Intel Core i7-3840QM (3rd Gen, Ivy Bridge, 45W TDP). However, I have some concerns regarding BIOS compatibility and potential issues.

🔹 My Laptop Specs:​

• Model: Sony VAIO SVE14112EFW
• Current CPU: Intel Core i3-2370M (2nd Gen, 35W, 2.4 GHz, Dual-Core)
• Planned Upgrade: Intel Core i7-3840QM (3rd Gen, 45W, 3.8 GHz Turbo, Quad-Core)
• Motherboard Chipset: Intel HM76 Express
• Socket Type: G2 (rPGA988B)
• Current BIOS Version: R0190E7 (2012)
• RAM: 8GB (Planned Upgrade to 16GB DDR3L-1600MHz)
• Power Adapter: 90W Sony AC Adapter
• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

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🔹 My Concerns and Questions:​

1️⃣ BIOS Compatibility:

• My BIOS is from 2012 (R0190E7) and Sony stopped support in 2023.
• I can’t find a BIOS update for my model on Sony’s website.
• Does anyone know if this BIOS supports Ivy Bridge CPUs like the i7-3840QM?

2️⃣ Potential Boot Issues:

• Some VAIO laptops reject 3rd-gen CPUs (black screen, no boot).
• What’s the success rate of upgrading VAIO laptops from 2nd-gen to 3rd-gen CPUs?

3️⃣ Power and Heat Management:

• My current CPU (i3-2370M) is 35W, while the i7-3840QM is 45W.
• I plan to upgrade my laptop fan to a higher RPM model to handle extra heat.
• Will my 90W power adapter be enough to handle the new CPU?

4️⃣ Safer Alternative CPU?

• Some users have successfully upgraded VAIO SVE14 laptops to i7-3632QM (3rd Gen, 35W, Turbo 3.2 GHz) without BIOS issues.
• Would i7-3632QM be a safer option if my BIOS doesn’t support i7-3840QM?

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🔹 What I Need Help With:​

✔ Has anyone successfully upgraded their Sony VAIO SVE14112EFW (or a similar model) to an i7-3840QM?
✔ Are there any hidden BIOS updates or modded BIOS versions for this laptop?
✔ Would my cooling and power supply be enough for a 45W CPU, or should I stick with 35W?
✔ If the BIOS rejects i7-3840QM, is i7-3632QM the best alternative?

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I’d really appreciate any insights from people who have upgraded Sony VAIO laptops before! Thanks in advance for your help! 🙏

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Honestly, I wouldn't bother with that laptop. If your TDP for the laptop is 35W, you should stay within that envelope, not exceed it. You also don't have any BIOS updates available to you...even if they might've been a decade or so ago, meaning you're also flying blind in a sense with no BIOS updates.

If your laptop doesn't have an SSD, that's the first thing you should look towards though in 2025, you won't be able to make much out of 8GB of ram, even if you looked at a processor upgrade(without damaging the motherboard due to a crippled thermal solution).

My 2 cents.

 

[Vaio12]

Thanks for your reply, it does have SSD (Samsung EVO 870 1TB), but I felt like giving it another fresh breath, my little brother wants to play some games on it, I figured why not, but like you said, I'm basically flying blind here.