Upgrading from my i5-2410?

Because in the last two months I've bought 3 expensive laptops (overhauled my gear, basically), I kept the cost down on my XPS by going with the low end processor (which is still technically a beast, look at Passmark scores >_>).

In the future, I'm most certainly going to want to stick a better SB processor in there. I was wondering what will be compatible, and relatively speaking how difficult the install will be.

I can go from i5-> any SB i5, correct? But what about the Quads? Is that a different chipset?

 

Any Sandy Bridge processor should work now as they all have IGP. But realize the quad core ones are going to be 45 watt and will run hotter.

 

At this point you might want to wait for Ivy Bridge to upgrade the CPU. It'll still be compatible.

It'll be both easy and medium-hard. Hard because you have to tear down the whole laptop to get to it. Easy because once you get there, you just pop the old one out and set the new one in. Dollop of thermal grease and reassemble everything.

 

Well, @DakkonA : No one knows whether it would be compatible or not, atleast as of now.

So the best possible route would be to keep yours at least for now. If you want to upgrade it, then wait for Ivy Bridge. If you're lucky enough, you'll get it.

 

Yes we do know: Intel outs backwards compatibility for Ivy Bridge | thinq_

http://www.tcmagazine.com/tcm/news/...g-7-series-chipsets-outed-have-usb-30-pcie-30

Assuming Dell updates the BIOS, that is.