Upgrading cpu in old laptop

[Electric_Jozin]

I have this really neat laptop from 2010 that I want to refurbish. I want to replace the RAM and disk together with the CPU. According to the hp manual: http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02066162.pdf - the best supported CPU is 7 620M but the best CPU supported by the Mobile Intel® QM57 Express chipset would be the i7 i940XM. The problem with the latter option is that the CPU is rated 20W higher than the i7 620M and it is not 32nm but 45nm. I still have to ask the dumb question of: if I increase the cooling and use a beefier power supply would the i7 i940XM not work? What else limits the CPU compatiblity?
Also is there a site where I can find laptops with a specific CPU, I have got access to many HP laptops and maybe I could salvage the aforementioned CPUs from there.
What upgrades would you recommend (not looking at the cost) to maximize the performance of this laptop?
What do you think the performance benefits will be from such an upgrade I am describing here?
PS. This is mostly just for the learning experience not that upgrading a 10+ year old laptop is a got idea. Also if it matters I plan to use the most barebones version of gentoo linux so that I have the most perfomance while using it.

 

[GotNoRice]

if I increase the cooling and use a beefier power supply would the i7 i940XM not work? What else limits the CPU compatiblity?

How exactly are you going to increase the cooling on the laptop? Use one of those pads with fans that sit underneath the laptop? Upgrading from the i7 620M to the i7 i940XM, you get a double-whammy by not just doubling the number of cores, but less efficiency from using 45nm instead of 32nm. As far as power goes, you can potentially get a larger power brick for your laptop but that doesn't mean that the power circuitry within the laptop is going to play nice or even allow power at all beyond a certain point.

The only other thing that would limit compatibility would be if that CPU was supported in the BIOS, but as long as there is at least one CPU from that 45nm generation that is supported then it should not be a problem.

 

[Phazer Tech]

Laptop CPUs are generally soldered to the motherboard. So unless you have experience soldering BGA packages, it won't be possible.

 

[GiGaBiTe]

It doesn't matter what the chipset officially supports CPU wise, you're entirely limited to the design of the laptop itself, and what the BIOS supports. Laptop manufacturers almost never post full and complete CPU compatibility lists, so it's entirely up to the community, or trial and error to figure out which CPU works if it's not listed. From general experience on laptops of that vintage, you generally can't go between CPU generations, even if they're physically using the same socket. Going to a higher TDP is also generally not recommended unless you know for a fact the cooling assembly can handle it, as well as the power regulation on the logic board. Since cooling designs are generally proprietary to the laptop, upgrading it is not really possible.

If you have money to burn, or find a seller willing to do a return, you could try the i7-940XM. Just make sure you have the absolute latest firmware available installed on the laptop before you swap the CPUs out. Different firmware revisions can support different processors.

Laptop CPUs are generally soldered to the motherboard. So unless you have experience soldering BGA packages, it won't be possible.

Wrong. I hate when people regurgitate this bit of info, just shows that you've never actually worked on laptops.

Intel laptop CPUs up to the 4th gen were available in sockets and could be changed with varying degrees of difficulty. Some laptop designs were absolutely miserable and required disassembling the entire laptop down to the last screw to access the CPU, while others had a convenient door for access to the CPU and everything else.

 

[Phazer Tech]

Wrong. I hate when people regurgitate this bit of info, just shows that you've never actually worked on laptops.

Intel laptop CPUs up to the 4th gen were available in sockets and could be changed with varying degrees of difficulty. Some laptop designs were absolutely miserable and required disassembling the entire laptop down to the last screw to access the CPU, while others had a convenient door for access to the CPU and everything else.

Sorry, didn't mean to upset you. Just want to confirm something, Intel laptop CPUs since 4th gen have all been soldered, correct?

 

[GiGaBiTe]

Sorry, didn't mean to upset you. Just want to confirm something, Intel laptop CPUs since 4th gen have all been soldered, correct?

As far as I'm aware, yes. Really is a shame because you're forced to pay manufacturer markup on higher end CPUs when you buy them, and they LOVE to get as much markup as possible.

AMD had sockets a bit longer into the Bulldozer era, but they ultimately went the same way with BGA everything.

There are still some high end workstation/gaming laptops that use desktop sockets though, and are still upgradeable.