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    ProBook 4430s: upgrade or replace

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Shemmy, Jun 8, 2014.

  1. Shemmy

    Shemmy Notebook Evangelist

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    I have a ProBook 4430s with a Sandy Bridge i3, 16GB of RAM, an 80GB SSD and a 500GB HDD. I'm debating whether I should upgrade to a quad core i7 and maybe a larger SSD or if I should just save up to replace it. For around $250-275, I can get both an i7-2630QM and a 240-256GB SSD.

    90% of my consumption is done on my Lumia 1520, which I also sometimes use for work (Office and remote desktop).

    My laptop is almost exclusively reserved for virtual labs in VMware Workstation or working within ConnectWise PSA and LabTech RMM systems.

    I don't game other than on my phone, and I'm not sure if I would really benefit from a new machine. I do know that getting a new machine with an i7 and that much RAM would be a lot of money.

    Any thoughts?

    (not sure if this was the right forum)
    Sent from my Nokia Lumia 1520
     
    Shemmy, Jun 8, 2014
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  2. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    I'd upgrade the CPU right away, but save for larger SSD.

    Also, since noone seems to care on HP subforum, I'll ask here - will 4740s work with 47w i7 quad CPUs e.g. 3610qm, 3940xm?
     
    Starlight5, Jun 8, 2014
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  3. Kent T

    Kent T Notebook Virtuoso

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    Realistically, the I7 Dual Cores would be the practical limit. Cooling system and the power brick wattage might be issues. I'm flirting with an I5 Dual Core for my own ProBook 4430s. I love my laptop. What processor do you currently have in yours? Mine has a 1.8 Ghz Dual Core Celeron (I bought mine in near mint condition for $100 from a pawnshop, bad battery which I replaced shortly after)
     
    Kent T, Jun 8, 2014
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  4. Shemmy

    Shemmy Notebook Evangelist

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    I have the i3-2310M. I'm not worried about heat or power. And for virtualization, why upgrade if I'm not going quad core?
     
    Shemmy, Jun 8, 2014
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  5. Kent T

    Kent T Notebook Virtuoso

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    There was a Quad Core Core I7 model, appears to take the same power brick. I'd say, go for the upgrade. It's a fine laptop.
     
    Kent T, Jun 9, 2014
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  6. Shemmy

    Shemmy Notebook Evangelist

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    I went ahead and pulled the trigger.
     
    Shemmy, Jun 9, 2014
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  7. Shemmy

    Shemmy Notebook Evangelist

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    I think my i7-2630QM was DOA. Even though I repasted with Arctic Silver, it kept freezing. Everything is fine when I put the i3-2310M back in. Other than that, the new SSD is great!
     
    Shemmy, Jun 12, 2014
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  8. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    Shemmy, did you try updating BIOS and killing CMOS?
     
    Starlight5, Jun 13, 2014
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  9. Shemmy

    Shemmy Notebook Evangelist

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    The BIOS is already at the most recent. Not sure where the CMOS battery is in my ProBook - I'll take a look at it tonight.
     
    Shemmy, Jun 15, 2014
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  10. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    Use cmospwd /k for killing CMOS. Also, try to remove one of the memory modules.
     
    Starlight5, Jun 15, 2014
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  11. Shemmy

    Shemmy Notebook Evangelist

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    Removing the memory and such didn't help. I sent the CPU back today.
     
    Shemmy, Jun 16, 2014
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