Are you fed up with receiving low performance from your laptop? Is it slowing down your complex daily tasks and failing to run high-quality programs efficiently? These unfortunate circumstances might bring the thought of upgrading the laptop processor. And that’s why you’re here to know: Is it possible to upgrade the laptop processor from i5 to i7?
The answer to it might not please you because it’s nearly impossible. Laptops are designed keeping in mind the processor’s needs. If you want to upgrade your laptop processor, you might have to change the whole motherboard to make the new processor compatible with your laptop.
In this article, we will look at the details involved in changing a processor from one line to another. So sit back, relax and let this article help you thoroughly understand the topic.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Why Is It Hard To Upgrade The Laptop Processor?
Upgrading the processor is not as easy as it is done on desktop computers. The laptop case is the opposite because all the components have been structured in a compressed environment.
In other words, it all has to do with the CPU surface mounting of laptops and computers. In computers, the CPU can be easily detached from its motherboard socket without much effort. On the other hand, In laptops, CPUs are almost always soldered on the socket of their motherboards, making removing them difficult.
Another thing that contributes to the fact is the laptop’s compatibility, whether it can efficiently run a new processor with the same components or not. A new processor is the upgraded version of the previous one, which might need more power and cooling to function properly.
So, If you want to upgrade your laptop processor, you may have to replace the whole motherboard to make the new processor compatible with your laptop. Moreover, this replacement will also be a big loss of money. It is better to purchase a new laptop instead of replacing the motherboard.
Understanding The CPU Surface Mounting Technique:
Below we have defined the CPU surface mounting method for laptops and CPUs that help you understand its structure and pattern. Let’s take a closer look at it.
- Land Grid Array (LGA): this type of mounting has flat contacts which are easily detachable; it is mostly found on intel desktop CPUs. It is the most commonly used CPU surface mounting.
- Pin Grid Array (PGA): the second mounting type is Pin Grid Array. It has a visible pin on the CPU; that’s why it is called Pin Grid Array. It is easily detachable and is mostly used in AMD desktop CPUs.
- Ball Grid Array (BGA): This type of surface mounting is mostly found on laptops. It is not easily detachable because CPU contacts are soldered on the motherboard. It is mostly used in compact devices.
Laptops have a BGA mounting type which makes it difficult to do amendments to the motherboard. In Ball Grid Array, the processor is permanently attached to the CPU, and there are small solder balls under the CPU while the motherboard is equipped with a small pad.
That said, replacing a Core i5 BGA-based processor with a Core i7 BGA-based processor is not everyone’s piece of cake. It needs a high level of expertise and experience to accomplish that task.
Moreover, if your CPU comes with LGA or PGA mounting type, you can replace the processor from Core i5 to Core i7 without putting much effort because they share the same socket type.
What To Keep In Mind When Changing Processor From i5 to i7?
If you have made up your mind about replacing your laptop’s processor, regardless of thinking about the complexity of the task, we have mentioned some essential factors you must consider before doing that. Let’s take a deep look into it.
Motherboard
A motherboard is a place where all the computer components are interconnected together. Laptop motherboards are designed keeping in mind the processor needs and functionality of other components.
If you want to upgrade a laptop’s processor with a newer one that is more powerful, you have to replace the whole motherboard to make it compatible with that. Replacing a motherboard can be worthwhile, but it can also be a waste since it costs you big bucks and has no guarantee whether it will work smoothly or not.
So, you must consider these important factors before replacing your Core i5 processor with a Core i7 processor.
Cooling Mechanism
Each laptop has a different cooling mechanism to keep its components running smoothly and prevent them from heating up. Similarly, the different models of processors have different mechanisms for generating heat. A lower one will generate less heat, and a higher one will create more.
With that said, if you aim to replace your laptop processor, you must consider whether your laptop has that cooling mechanism that best caters to the needs of an upgraded processor. If it’s failed to keep the laptop cool after the upgrade, you might face severe problems in the future, which include:
- Your laptop will heat up too early
- It will automatically shut down and restart
- Some components may fail to give the best performance
- The speed of the laptop may slow down
So, before heading on to replace the processor, you should consult with a technician about whether it has the cooling mechanism to cater best to the after-effects of the new processor.
Generation
Until now, we have witnessed the 11 generations of the intel processor series, each requiring different motherboards and sockets to function. They also need other hardware components to give their best performance.
With that said, the 8-generation Core i5 is not the same as the 10-generation Core i7, and you might have to replace the multiple components with the motherboard to make it compatible with the laptop. It is costly and also a risk to your laptop.
Is It Worth Replacing a Processor From i5 To i7 in a Laptop?
It is not unless you’re confident about doing that. For beginners, we would not recommend that because it is complex and requires changing the whole motherboard, which is costly.
If the cost of replacing the whole motherboard falls near to the price of a new i7 processor laptop, then replacing the processor of the current laptop is indeed a waste of time and money. Keeping this in mind, It’s better to go with the new laptop instead of upgrading the current one.
Conclusion
Replacing a laptop processor is not as easy as it seems to be. Many questions should need to be answered before doing that, which include:
- Will it be compatible with my laptop motherboard?
- Does my laptop cooling mechanism support it?
- Will it work properly with other components?
We have answered all these questions in the above text to give you a complete and thorough understanding of the topic. I hope you like this article; if yes, check other interesting blog posts. If you have any more questions, drop them down in the comment section, we would love to answer them.