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.

    Swapping processors in envy 14

    Discussion in 'HP' started by rofe, Mar 24, 2011.

  1. rofe

    rofe Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I'm thinking of buying this today or tomorrow:

    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-840QM Quad Core Processor (1.86GHz, 8MB L3 Cache) Turbo Frequency up to 3.2GHz.
    8GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
    500 GB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
    SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW with Double Layer Support (Slot Load)
    1GB ATI Mobility Radeon(TM) HD 5650 Graphics
    Backlit Keybaord
    HP TrueVision HD Webcam and mic
    Intel Wireless-N Card with Bluetooth
    Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (64-bit)
    14.5" diagonal RADIANCE HP Ultra BrightView Infinity LED Display (1600*900)

    basically I want an envy 14 with the (1600*900) screen and this is the best/only one I can find thats not second hand at the moment. My question is how easy is it to swap out the i7 for an i5 (I'm worried about battery life more than the speed increase).

    Also I've had a look at the battery log thread and it seems like an i7 gets ~2 hours and i5 gets ~4. Is this about right?

    Thanks
     
    rofe, Mar 24, 2011
    #1
  2. Szadzik

    Szadzik Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    162
    Messages:
    536
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Different chipsets - you won't be able to do it.
     
    Szadzik, Mar 24, 2011
    #2
  3. rofe

    rofe Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Yeah I was afraid of that.

    Thanks
     
    rofe, Mar 24, 2011
    #3
  4. MagusDraco

    MagusDraco Biiiiiiirrrrdmaaaaaaan

    Reputations:
    757
    Messages:
    4,308
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    106
    well actually.

    Depending on how they did stuff you MAY be able to swap them and get switchable if it actually is just one motherboard and not two like most people believe, you could use the advanced bios to turn on the hybrid gpu option (and it should work)

    However it's really really unlikely and you'd probably just have wasted money.

    (In the advanced bios there's an option to turn on hybrid gpu..so..*shrugs*) That stuff may just be in there just because. So who knows. Gonna say it probably won't, knowing HP.
     
    MagusDraco, Mar 24, 2011
    #4
  5. 2.0

    2.0 Former NBR Macro-Mod®

    Reputations:
    13,368
    Messages:
    7,741
    Likes Received:
    1,022
    Trophy Points:
    331
    Two motherboards listed in service manual. Which in HP's case, literally means two different motherboards.
     
    2.0, Mar 24, 2011
    #5
  6. awdotson

    awdotson Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    176
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    If you are really set on this, and are good for the money. Buy both, swap the monitors, resell the i7 with brightview?
     
    awdotson, Mar 24, 2011
    #6
  7. eafd

    eafd Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    113
    Messages:
    755
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Well, the mobo does have a silkscreen that has two options, clarksfield and arrandale...

    (BTW my Clarksfield i7 is labeled arrrandale. pshhh hp :rolleyes: )
     
    eafd, Mar 24, 2011
    #7
  8. ncc1701k

    ncc1701k Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    117
    Messages:
    223
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    yeah, this might be the best way to go, especially if you can get a good deal on the i7 radiance. The swap procedure shouldn't be too hard. I had a failed attempt to swap a radiance screen into a beats edition due different bracket design. Worse come to worse you can always swap the entire mobo too.
     
    ncc1701k, Mar 24, 2011
    #8