How hard would it be to find a CPU upgrade for my P170 HM?

From what I experienced the last few weeks searching for a replacement for my GTX 485m GPU, I am hoping finding a CPU replacement isn't as difficult.

Are there any options for me if I wanna upgrade to like a 3.0 ghz+ i7? Any recommendations, I find my current 2.0 ghz 2630qm kinda slow. Especially since Watchdogs is gonna recommend 3.3 ghz i believe.

 

Its fairly easy. I recently upgraded from a 2670qm to a 2960xm and the biggest problem was doing a proper paste job (that and waiting at home for ups who decide to show up the one hour I have to step outside).
Unlike gpus where you need to be careful where its pulled from (as in only Clevo gpus work in Clevos) the cpu doesn't matter.

This is all 2nd gen i7 from upgrademonkey where I bought from: INTEL i7 2960XM 2.7GHz quad OEM mobile processor FF8062700834603 SR02F items in upgrademonkey store on eBay!

Since you have a P170HM you should have a 220W psu and need not worry if you get an xm at 55W. I have a 180W and am abit anxious what gpu I can upgrade to.

 

Nice, it's good to know that CPU's don't have the same manufacturer specific restrictions as GPUs.

 

Oh it's a different world, mostly for clevo/sager machines simplified.

Unlike GPUs you can't move to the next generation ever than a chipset supports.

 

Your notebook can use second gen core i aka Sandy Bridge. Easy way to tell is the "2" at the beginning of 2630QM. You can use all 26XXQM, 27XXQM, 28XXQM and 29XXQM. But cant get any newer like Ivy Bridge which start with a "3" i.e 3640QM or current Haswell which start with a "4" i.e 4700MQ.

 

As mentioned above, 2920xm or 2960xm is the upgrade you should be looking for.

 

Or perhaps 2860QM? If you don´t (or can´t) oc the 2920XM is a 2860QM better for gaming?

 

Be sure to monitor your temps closely if you go with a xm CPU.

 

So what's the difference between the qm and xm's?

 

unlocked multiplier for overclocking the xm (Extreme). Sometimes the qm can be overclocked slightly (couple hundred MHz).

 

Can I even overclock my cpu on the p170hm's bios? Would it be a better idea to just go for a QM to save money?

 

Not in the bios but using XTU or throttlestop you can.

 

I use modded bios from prema with 80/90/32s with all four cores at 3.8ghz

 

Can I do that in my P150HM as well or do I need a new Bios first? (On stock now).

 

Dude, think things over. Between a high-end GPU and XM CPU for the HM, shouldn't you spend the bread on a brand new laptop, which has warranty?

 

Why shouldn´t we try to upgrade our HMs? Many threads here are about upgrading instead of getting a new one.
I´m hoping to upgrade my HM for no more than half the cost of a new one and hopefully it´ll be kicking for an additional two years. Then I buy a new one. Are the HMs not worth upgrading in your opinion? Too old? You´ve got a point with the warranty.

 

I've spent about $625 in my cpu and gpu upgrades for my HM. I'd consider it money well spent speaking on performance. Plus I'd trade a warranty for no enduro issues all day long, I'm sure many EM owners would agree.

 

With careful choice and planning upgrading a notebook can make sense.

 

I have a P170HM that's still holding on, don't get me wrong. I'm not against upgrading instead of buying new, far from it. I worry about putting an extra $1k into a laptop on which I now have to cover all repairs from my own pocket. I've had in and out of warranty motherboard issues with some of my Clevos, experiences which shaped my opinion on upgrading the GPU in my HM now 2 years down the line. That $495 is a mother, and can tip the scale toward :i should have bought a new one" quickly.

What percentage of a new laptop, do you sink into an old one? That's all I was recommending be considered.

An XM + 7970M for just $625? Congrats on the steal.

 

Yeah paid $275 on here for the XM and $350 for the 7970m.

 

I personally think next year will the game changer with a new gpu series and cpu.

Till then the HM with the GPU upgrade to 7970m or 680m is for me and for other owners the best solution yet. As for cpu upgrade I doubt it's really worth it for HM owners. Most game titles are requesting gpu performance so by getting a XM series you might get about ~5-10 more fps based on the game title and from recollection only crysis(1,2,3) really pushed the cpu with the gpu and most other titles it's rather negligible in gain of fps on xm intel cpu series.

So wait another year for a brand new notebook upgrade or just upgrade the gpu if you have HM series clevo/sager.
My 2c worth

 

Good point. I havent been burned like that and If it happens I suspect I will get a similar feeling.

 

Motherboard failures are not too common but if you keep your original card you could use an extended warranty.