The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Will i7-2629M work instead of i7-2720QM in MBP? 25w TDP huge OC potential less heat!!

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by ajaidev, Dec 1, 2011.

  1. ajaidev

    ajaidev Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I have found a 2629M OEM its boxed and seems original but i am not sure if my MBP will accept the processor. Has anyone tried anything similar what problems can i face?

    The seller is asking for the 2720QM in return, the 2629M has 2.1ghz base but 25w TDP thats a huge dip from the TDP of the 2720QM. Not to mention MBP will emit a lot less heat and since i allready cap the speed of the 2720QM i am sure 2629M would work fine.

    There have been very few occasions where the quad core was really needed by me so dual core would be ok.
     
    ajaidev, Dec 1, 2011
    #1
  2. saturnotaku

    saturnotaku Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    4,879
    Messages:
    8,926
    Likes Received:
    4,707
    Trophy Points:
    431
    MBP CPUs are soldered on to the logic board. So unless you are comfortable de-soldering each individual pin, you're SOL.
     
    saturnotaku, Dec 1, 2011
    #2
  3. ajaidev

    ajaidev Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Dam i feel like a idiot :( if i had bought a M14x instead i might have an option... non the less thanks saturnotaku...
     
    ajaidev, Dec 1, 2011
    #3
  4. Nick

    Nick Professor Carnista

    Reputations:
    3,870
    Messages:
    4,089
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    181
    I used to think the heatsink was the processor :eek:
     
    Nick, Dec 1, 2011
    #4
  5. masterchef341

    masterchef341 The guy from The Notebook

    Reputations:
    3,047
    Messages:
    8,636
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    206
    The TDP of the 2720QM is based on all four cores working. It's not going to be 45 watts if you're only using two cores. If quad core isn't needed, then the power consumption will be lower. You're way better off with the 2720qm than the dual core cpu. If quad core is needed, even infrequently, then whatever task you are doing will finish faster, and you'll still net better power consumption than the dual core working for longer.

    This is not a good trade. Moreover, the chips use different sockets, so even if the CPU wasn't soldered or you had an m14x, the swap wouldn't be compatible. As stated above, even if you could make such a trade, it's not a fair trade.

    Power management is really complex these days with mobile CPUs. Cores can go into a low power active state or shut down completely based on what you are doing with the computer. There's no reason to give up your quad core for a slower dual core with a lower *maximum* TDP.

    Hope that makes sense.

    As far as the OC potential, that's not very realistic imo. Especially seeing as your original processor is SO much faster. The 2620 is a dual core that is 35 watts but 2700 mhz instead of 2100 mhz. I doubt you could OC the 25 watt part even that far. Both of those are a huge step down from the 2720qm.
     
    masterchef341, Dec 1, 2011
    #5