Laptops are an important part of our workflow and if your computer is not giving the performance it used to offer then it’s time to upgrade your laptop. Besides plenty of RAM memory, the CPU is one of the most important components of your computer or laptop, and the performance depends for the most part on a fast CPU.
Can you upgrade a laptop CPU?
Yes, in some cases you can upgrade a laptop CPU. Some laptops have socket-installed CPUs, allowing the user to upgrade or swap out the CPU. However, most laptops have the laptop CPUs soldered onto the motherboard, making replacement difficult. If you are replacing the laptop CPU, you also need to make sure that the new CPU is compatible with the laptop’s motherboard and other components.
My laptop’s performance is not up to the mark
Sometimes we jump to a conclusion very quickly and we often make the wrong judgment and it can also happen to you. Upgrading your laptop is a complex process but you can skip this whole process by checking the following things on your laptop.
- The first step is the reality check, if your laptop has a generation 5 or higher CPU then there is most probably no need to upgrade your CPU as you follow other tips which we will share in the next few lines.
- Resource management is one of the most effective tips which can improve the performance of your laptop. Windows is a complex OS and it often runs useless resources in the background to make sure that you have that resource available to you when needed. However, background applications use a lot of resources that can compromise the performance of your CPU so if you manage the background applications, you can save a lot of resources and can get the required input from your CPU without replacing it.
- The next step is to install an SSD on your computer. HDD is old storage standards and they are miserably slow as compared to the SSDs and if your computer has HDD then it is a possibility that you may have mistaken HDD issue for CPU underperformance. With SSD, you can open any application within seconds which is awesome and SSD will ultimately improve the overall performance of your application.
- The next step is to check if you have sufficient RAM or not. CPU can’t work properly if you don’t have the required minimum RAM. If you are facing a performance issue with a specific application then the best way is to match your system specification with the minimum requirements of that application. Another way to check the performance is through Task Manager. Go to Task Manager > Performance and check if your RAM performance Graph. If your RAM performance graph is at a high level when you open that specific application then the issue is probably with RAM. Similarly, you can check the CPU and GPU performance to find the original problem.
Is it worth it to upgrade my laptop CPU?
It is one of the most frequent questions which many users ask us and you will get the answer to this question in this section. It is always nice to have an upgraded CPU but there are also other factors you should look for when making the decision to upgrade your CPU.
Laptops as a unit, have many components other than the CPU and they have a life span just like other technical components. If you have a top-end model of 2012 and a low-end laptop model of today, there will be a serious performance gap between both laptops as technology is getting more powerful and cheaper every year. So if you spend $200 – $300 to upgrade your laptop CPU there is a possibility that you will need to upgrade your other components to match the performance of the new CPU and in this way, your total expense can go around $500. At $500, you can get a decent laptop with good performance and it will have a life span of 4-5 years depending on how you use it. That is the reason why 80% of users prefer to replace their laptops rather than upgrade their CPU. So if you have an old generation laptop then you can go for a new gaming laptop as upgrading your old laptop will cost you the same as buying a new laptop. However, if you have 7th generation CPU and you want to upgrade your CPU to Intel’s latest CPU for a performance bump then the next section is for you.
How to upgrade a laptop CPU?
Upgrading your laptop is a complex process but it can be done within 60 minutes if you have the right information and the right CPU. If you have decided to upgrade your CPU then follow these steps for a smooth transition.
- The first step is to check if your laptop has an upgradeable CPU or not. You can check it by Googling a replacement for your laptop’s CPU. You can do it by entering your laptop model with a CPU. If you find the replacement then proceed to 2nd step,
- The 2nd step is to download the service manual of your laptop from the manufacturer’s website.
- The next step is to shut down your laptop and open the laptop.
- Carefully remove the CPU and take extreme caution as you can unintentionally damage the other delicate components of the laptop.
- Replace the CPU and check the performance of your laptop. If everything is fine then congrats you have upgraded your laptop CPU.
Conclusion
Simply buying a new better laptop would be the better option. Otherwise, our guide will help you to make the best decision. Follow our tips to boost the performance of your laptop as we have applied these tips on several laptops and there was a serious performance boost in those laptops. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions in the comment section below. Also, read our posts about gaming chairs if you are planning to purchase a new chair.
