Putting a Quad Core in E6410

I noticed that the e6510 can come with an i7-720QM, and some people are saying an i7-820QM will work in it too. Anybody know if either of those could be transplanted into an e6410, maybe in the future? I have the NVS3100m, and I know I would also have to get the quad core edition for the e6510. I ask because my college gets the newest version of AutoCAD each year, and I'm worried that in the next 2 or 3 years the i5-540m dual core might not cut it. I know the i7-620m will work in this machine, but it isn't quad and it really isn't worth the $200+ I would pay for one off ebay. Thanks!

 

I doubt the i7-720QM will work since they don't offer it (the BIOS will most likely not support it). Your i5-540M will be fine though, don't worry about the computing power as the differences aren't substantial.

 

only thing I can think that autocad would gobble processor power is if you do 3D rendering specifically making movies and such. Even so, you shouldn't be bogged down and RAM would be better than the cpu in your situation.

 

What about a FX 880m GPU from the precision? Would something like that work?

 

The E6410's cooling system is only designed for the heat from the offered CPU and GPU options. The bigger chassis of the E6510 means that the cooling system can have a higher TDP. Even if you can put more potent hardware into the E6410 you might find that it starts to throttle when under load.

John