So I've got a Windows laptop (purely for Tablet use to be fair) that is running a 1.1 Centrino ULV processor. Does anyone know how easy this is to change, if it is possible at all? I'd like to up it to 1.5+ if possible, though I'm unsure where I'd look for the chip.
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A non-Mac Laptop Processor Question...
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If it was a desktop, it'd be dead easy. With laptops, it's almost never the case that the processor is in an actual socket. The reason for this is that a socket adds width to the machine. Space is a premium in laptops nowadays, so they don't generally bother. In short, you can change the processor if you're REALLY good with a soldering iron, but that's about it.
Does what I need it to anyway, was just an idea for a pet project.
The performance gain you'd see is probably not worth the substantial time, risk and cost required. Besides, I'm not sure how easy it is to buy Centrino chips at retail, since they're pretty much just for laptops.
The processors are actually pretty easy to get. There are a number of companies (like Asus) that sell barebones laptops, which require you to add a processor. I know of at least a few parts merchants who have Centrino chips on hand.
Yeah, they're not that hard to find, but there really is a substantial amount of work involved in installing them in most notebooks from major vendors. It will involved disassembling a cooling system that chances are was not designed to come apart, de-soldering the CPU from the mainboard, and soldering the new one in place.TLRedhawke said:
It's a lot of work and a few hundred dollars for what is likely a marginal performance gain. The Asus barebones computers, last time I checked, had drop-in ZIF sockets. I'd say that 95% of retail notebooks do not.