Upgraded Acer 3680 Celeron CPU to a T5300!

I successfully upgraded my 3680-2633 from a Celeron M 520 to a Core 2 Duo T5300 @1.73 Ghz. I might be the first to report a successful upgrade to this chip. The more popular one to use is the T5200@ 1.6Ghz. This thing is quiet and cool. When I first started it up I wondered if it was broken because the fan wasn’t as loud as usual . The computer idles at 45.7 degrees celesius which is better than the celeron's 53-60 degrees celsius.

Everything booted great and now it is bearable to have it on my lap. The T5300 only cost me $75 on ebay.

The battery still last 3+ hrs which is way better than the 1hr and 46min I had on the celeron. Now using the Power Saver mode in Vista keeps the computer in a useable state because 800Mhz on the RMclock far outclasses the Celeron in the same mode.

The performance is amazing and my friends/family are all intrigued by this sub $500 fully upgraded Acer 3680. Packing 1.5 gigs of ram and a Core 2 Duo processor. I can even play Halo with a stable FPS of 30. The GMA 950 is not so bad anymore for older games .

Ran a 32m Benchmark w/ wPrime and it finished in 42 seconds. Celeron M 520 ran the same benchmark in 125 seconds. I'll let you people be the judges of performance.

If anyone wants any tips, help, or comments on Performance/Upgrading I'm here.


Savings and Costs:
Total Cost for a Core 2 Duo system with a T5300 and 2 Gigabytes of Ram on average: $956 USD+ (HP dv6000t)
Total Cost of Acer Aspire 3680 ($399.99) upgraded with Core 2 Duo: $479.99 USD (Increased Performance)
Total Cost of Acer Aspire 3680 with T5300 and 2 Gigabytes of PC-5300 Ram: $545.91 USD (Optimal Performance)

Memory from: www.memory-up.com
Cost for 2x1Gig PC-5300 is $32.96 USD

Helpful Links for 3680 Users:
http://paulsiu.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/is-it-worth-upgrading-the-cpu-on-acer-3680-2833/ Blog that started it All
http://www.acerpanam.com/synapse/data/7117/documents/AS3680_3505.zip v1.3505 bios needed
>>*UPDATE*: link for the newest Aspire 3680 bios ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_3680/bios/3508.zip
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=155958 Info for those who have the 940GML
http://www.cpuid.com/download/pcw2008_v184.exe Link to PC Wizard for checking the chipset
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Core_2_microprocessors Near the Bottom are the Mobile Core 2 CPUs
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=77860 Guide for Adding Artic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=3339276&postcount=1 Alternate Guide for adding AS5
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=60416 Windows Updates for Upgrades to C2D Processors
http://youtube.com/watch?v=pPdw-pkS88k Acer Notebok Disassembly Guide (Not of a 3680, but Basic Idea)

Helpful Links for 5315 Users provided by BigOzone:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=251130 Upgrade Guide for 5315 Users!

Working Chipsets for the Core 2 Duo Upgrade:
Intel 943GML Chipset/i943 Calistoga
Intel 945GML Chipset

Working Chipsets for the Core Solo Upgrade:
Intel 940GML Chipset

How To Identify Your Chipset:
If the Cover for the RAM bay is pulled off on the Ram Bay there is a sticker. The code on the stick identifies your laptop chipset.
Here they are:
MB.TEB06.003... If it starts with that it is a 940GML
MB.AZL06.... If it starts with that it is a 943GML
MB.TDX06.... If it starts with that it is a 945GML


Working Models for the Core 2 Duo upgrade:
Acer Aspire 3680-2633
Acer Aspire 3680-2682

Working Models the Core Solo Upgrade:
Acer Aspire 3680-2574


UPDATE
You can in fact upgrade to The Merom T7200 & T7600 that came out before the Santa Rosa Refresh.

Current Facts known:

• Motherboard Model can be found on the Sticker above the RAM bay. (Find Courtesy of Hoggie)
• Core 2 Duos out perform most Core Duos in performance. They also have newer Speedstepping technology to optimize battery life.
• Dual-Core is Supported only by the 943GML Chipset and Above
• Only works with v1.3505 bios and Above
• The T5200, T5300, T5600, T7200 Are Known to Work
• Socket M Celerons can switch to the above C2Ds
• PC Wizard can be used for identifying your chipset
• The C2Ds are easily purchased through ebay, but I recommend staying away from bids and using "Buy it now function" as long as it is under $80 USD.
• Of Course if your looking to save money you can go with n4r4k's idea and get a T2080 Core Duo, which is reported to work on the Aspire 3690

PS: We are always here to help!

Thank You to:
Dedicated to the Acer Team: Hoggie, Andy, BigOzone, TeeJay44, Krazyphire

Featured News Bit: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4242 Credit to Chaz (NBR MOD) and Theo (TeeJay 44)

 

amazing man .....wat a luck u hve........congratz.......

 

Thank You. It was a tense moment when I started it up because the bios took a longer amount of time to load than usual. I knew it would work because the FSB were compatible. The only worry was the mulitplier which increased to 13x and the CPU speed.

 

Is this what you installed?
http://item.express.ebay.com/__CPUs...QihZ022QQptdnZCPUsQQptdiZ259QQcmdZExpressItem

Boy do I feel dumb though!! I just bought a Celeron 1.73ghz off ebay for $20 and was excited about that

Im going to buy the 1.73ghz duo-core tonite!!!! THIS IS AWESOME! I am so sick of this $*$^@ing crappy 1.6ghz Celeron in my 3680-2633. It sucks.

 

No I used the Core 2 Duo processors, which far outclasses that Pentium M in your link.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...=11152&ssPageName=STORE:PROMOBOX:NEWLIST#LIST

I ordered a [email protected] for $75 on ebay and ended up recieving a [email protected]. Pretty good luck if I do say so myself. Either processor would offer unmatched performance when compared to that Celeron we were given.

 

Krazyphire how long did it take to receive the processor after you paid for it?

 

Nice job....congrats....

 

The ebay store I purchased mine from took a few days because I bought it before christmas on the 20 or 21st. I recieved it on the 26th of December. You however should recieve by the end of the week or on monday next week.

Thank You very much.

 

Here is a link to where I got information on this type of upgrade. Read the comments, and not the actual blog.

http://paulsiu.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/is-it-worth-upgrading-the-cpu-on-acer-3680-2833/

 

Thanks for the article - lots of good reading. I bookmarked it.

 

i was thinking of doing the same upgrade now you have given me the balls to try it. so i will be asking you loads of questions later.

oops manners BLOODY WELL DO MATE.

 

No problem, when I found it I was so intrigued I just couldn't stop reading.

Lmao. That is hilarious. Yeah I'm glad that I'm able to offer people help. Do you have a 3680?

 

Well done!!! I am generally against fiddling with things that are working - but here you have successfully taken a "slow cheapo" and given it a huge performance gain with minimal cost and reliability should benefit too as the lappie is running cooler.

I think you will get plenty of people trying this mod. (I know if I had a 3680 I would do it). Thanks for sharing

 

alright Theo

just loaded cpu-z and getting a chip-set i945pm/gm/gt//i940gml.
intel are giving me these supported processors
http://compare.intel.com/pcc/showchart.aspx?mmID=22210&familyID=7&culture=en-US

 

no ive got the aspire 7110 (two flash git) and one is going to be upgraded NOW

 

Go Hoggie....and Happy New Year to you and your family!!!

Cheers mate

 

well its worth a bash mate.checking out prices now.dam its a good idea.

And A Happy new year to you and the Theo clan

 

just given Krazy a good rep

 

I'm going to rep him too for his positive contribution to the Acer clan.

Gotta sleep now...it's late here

 

Ok Im getting kind of worried right now. I downloaded "Pc Wizard" that tells you all of your system stats and it tells me that my 3680 has the i943/940GML chipset. When I go to Intel's website, it doesnt list any other processor for my machine besides a Celeron M Am I screwed? I have a T5200 on the way from ebay right now. I hope this wasnt a waste of time for me. I was really excited about the upgrade too.

Is it possible for 2 of the same (1.6ghz Celeron M) 3680-2633's to have different chipsets?

 

Don't worry about that. My computer is identical to yours, 3680-2633. I ran my computer through the cpu-z and pc wizard 2008. Neither Acer support nor Intel online will claim that the 943GML chipset (Saw it when I pulled the computer apart) can support a Core 2 Duo. The Celeron M 1.6Ghz has a FSB of 533Mhz and a removable socket M. Those are identical to the specs for the T5200 and the T5300. My computer is proof that this project will work. I also researched other laptops that had the same bios and board as the acer 3680 and they had Core 2 Duos. Just make sure your bios is the latest build v1.3505. Here are links to some more info:

http://americanesuperstore.stores.yahoo.net/hp-pgl995u.html (945GM chipset and a core 2 duo)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=155958
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=176445 (Info in the thread is specific to the T5200)

PS: Thank you Hoggie and Theo for the Positive Rep. Have a happy new year.

 

not sure mich but ive been reading up on chipsets and i think you may be screwed but i will take a look for you.

 

If it does not work, I will cry myself to sleep tonite

Krazyphire- is your chipset a 945, or a943gml ? PC wizard says this:

NorthBridge : Intel i943/940GML
SouthBridge : 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Controller

Architecture : Direct Media Interface (DMI)
Manufacturer : Intel (Acer Inc)
Codename : Lakeport
Revision : A3
Bus Speed : 133.3 MHz
FSB Frequency : 533.4 MHz (QDR)
FSB max. Support : 667 MHz
RAM max. Support : DDR2 (667 MHz)

PLEASE tell me the T5200 will work....

 

I apologize if this is against forum rules, I will remove upon request:
http://www.notebookforums.com/showthread.php?t=199609&highlight=upgrade+pcocessor

Last post is promising (for me at least)

 

Check my post at the top of this page if you haven't already and look at the 3rd link for info specific to the T5200.

General Information :
NorthBridge : Intel i943/940GML
SouthBridge : 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Controller

NorthBridge Information :
Architecture : Direct Media Interface (DMI)
Manufacturer : Intel (Acer Inc)
Codename : Lakeport
Revision : A3
Bus Speed : 133.3 MHz
FSB Frequency : 533.4 MHz (QDR)
FSB max. Support : 667 MHz
RAM max. Support : DDR2 (667 MHz)

Type : Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile
Internal Specification : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU T5300 @ 1.73GHz
Codename : Merom
Revision : L2
Technology : 0.065µ
CPU ID : 6.F.2
CPU IDEx : 6.F.2
Microcode : MU06F257
Number of Logical Processors : 2
Number of Physical Processors : 2
Mobile : Yes

 

Niiiiccceee Thanks again for reassuring me. There are a lot of nay sayers out there!

 

Pic of your Device manager after the Upgrade:

 

Hey Krazyphire- your chipset was also the i943/940GML specification? Or do you have the 945GML chipset?

 

When I was dissassembling the computer the chipset read on it as being a 943GML.

 

I thought my new duo-core processor arrived today...there was a delivery from UPS at my door. I run inside, Im scrambing for scissors, a knife, a sharp key - ANYTHING that could cut the tape on the box so I could get my nice shiny new chunk o' silicone of a processor out of the box..... get the box open.... reach inside....and..

Its a pair of running shoes I bought off the web Go figure...lol



Maybe next time...

 

lol maybe on Saturday or Monday. I'm assuming that the anticipation is building! Also have you ever dissassembled the 3680 before?

 

Heh. Thats why....errr.....say krazyphire-where exactly do you live?

Actually I have added memory and a hard drive. But thats not disassembling much, really. I work with a kid I went to school with who builds computers, writes programs, blah blah. When he talks to me about computers, its like hes speaking spanish or something...lol. Anyways, I've bribed him to replaced my processor. All I have to do is bring him a diet coke every morning to work for a week

 

I live on the east coast of the USA. I guess having someone who is experienced do it for you would be the best idea.

 

Well today is the day! The duo-core came today and we're installing it right now Also were able solder back the dc "needle" into the barrel (it fell out the other day)....

Will post back soon. Looking forward to blazzzzzziiinnggg duo-core speeds

 

acer cpu upgrade take two.

good luck mich

 

Good luck and I hope all goes well.

 

Well heres the catch: My co-worker is really good at soldering things. He was able to solder the "pin" that fell out of my dc port on the side of the computer so I can use my ac-adapter and charge my battery. Well.... we got everything halfway back together and plugged it in and nothing. Works on battery power, but not on ac. So thats not good. When the battery dies, thats it. Soooooo, hes still at work (I decided to run home and let my dog out) working on it. Hes going to take another look at the ac port to see what/if theres anything he can do. Otherwise, I will be looking at a new dc/usb/power button board (~$45). Its actually really easy to install.

Anyways, so my point of all that is I havent even had a chance to fire it up yet and confirm it works.

 

Thats sad that you have the new proc., but can't use the computer. Well the upgrade requires no soldering its just a straight forward pull it out and replace procedure. I don't think anything could really go wrong other than that power problem. Your co-worker might even be over-qualified for such a project lol. Even a noobie like me could do it. . Also ever since you mentioned you batt. problem I've been keeping a close eye on any wiggles that may occur. Are you going to upgrade your battery to a larger capacity?

 

He was able to fix the ac adapter with a piece of paper clip (I still ordered the power board)...lol. It works GREAT! The new processor, of course, makes this thing moovvveeee...


Krazyphire, if you didnt already know- YOU DA MAN Thanks for the great write up and reassurances throughout the process. This upgrade CAN be done with the 940GML chipset and I am proof!

 

Congratulations on your blazing fast Core 2 Duo laptop. I'm thrilled that the upgrade process worked for you, and that you are the proud owner of a rare Core 2 duo Aspire 3680. . So now we know that the C2D T5300 is a great addition to this "cheap" little laptop. Michacerboy if you could post some benchmarks, temps, or a new battery life estimates from vista that would be great. I guess that will come after using the laptop for 2-3 days. Just come back with any descriptions of your experience. . Hope everything is well!

EDIT: I just realized we got ours from the same ebay store that said the Core 2 Duo was a T5200. They both turned out to be T5300s. lol.

 

Yes, I did get the T5300 1.73ghz processor (as you see in my screen shot) I am totally taken back by the speed of my laptop now! This is a $349 for christ's sake - and now its made up to be a much better model.

Krazyphire, did you notice your fan performance changed after the install? Mine doesnt comes on 1/2 as much, and when it does it stays on low speed, with the occasional high speed burst but much different than before when it would stay on medium-high all of the time with the Celeron

 

Haha, I can actually take my laptop class now and use it for notes because it isn't nearly as embarassingly loud as with the Celeron. The fan runs on a medium-burst system most of the time with it defualt to a quiet fan speed, and then when I'm playing games it runs on medium the entire time. Never does it reach high-fan speed like it used to with the Celeron. Also if you use XP your Computer will run even faster than with Vista. How is your battery life on Vista?

 

i can't wait for my warranty to run, and then whoopy

 

Ok so I just wanted to update: My T5300 duo-core is running like a ****d ape BUT I had a problem with my ac port on the side of my laptop- the pin fell out and wouldnt take a charge from the ac adapter

After some research I found out:
1.) This is fairly common with Acer laptops
2.) You can replace the "power board"
3.) You can solder on a new port

Well my co-worker soldered the pin back in - after a few uses, it promptly fell out. We predicted that.

I went searching for a new power board, seen here:
http://www.notebooksolutions.ca/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2773&currency=USD

However, EVERYBODY was out of stock. I went on ebay and found.... guess what... a whole motherboard with everything attached along with the power board, got it for $26 The seller probably had no idea he could get ~$70 for the powerboard alone!

So Im waiting for it to arrive tomorrow to receive my new power board so that I can actually mess around with the laptop and get to feel the power of the new processor...

 

Alright update us on how it works with all the upgrades you've done to your laptop.

 

hello,

i was thinking about also upgrading my 3680 to a better proc and a better hdd.

how can i find out wich kind of 3680 i have a 3680- 2633? or a?

is it hard to do the upgrade yourself? because otherwise i will ask a computer shop (i build my own pc's for years but i never opened a laptop)

 

I wouldn't bother upgrading. I would sell the laptop (it should sell for $200 at least) and buy a new one with a dual CPU already installed and a new warranty. If you do the calculations you will see that you might even get a better deal at the end.

 

To each his own. I think upgrading is challenging, and I love a good challenge!

Before I got all trigger happy and starting buying hardware, I checked ebay and craigslist to see what 3680's were going for - I could've sold it and broke even. But I got such a good deal on my 3680, I didnt want to. Plus I had already installed programs on my laptop that I couldnt reinstall (probably couldnt find them again, lol). So I thought upgrading would be fun and rewarding... and it was, at least for me

 

To find what model you have check the sticker on the side of your laptops packaging. Or just tell me your computer's specs and I can figure out which one it is.

 

two months to go Krazy and i shall be on your earhole making sure ive got it all right.
taking laptops to pieces is the easy part.getting the right CPU !

still sounds like a good challenge and well worth doing.if you like a challenge.