Notebooks & Netbooks

[Gideon]

The improvement is great (no more spindle whirring).  However, it still hangs a bit in Photoshop and Illustrator (especially on complicated vector files).  Not much, but made me wonder if I could upgrade the cpu.  Does anyone know if I can?   (I have more powerful tech, but really like the form factor).

I have searched but found nothing on the topic (specific to this model).  I was specifically considering an i7-4550U (http://ark.intel.com/products/75459/Intel-Core-i5-4200U-Processor-3M-Cache-up-to-2_60-GHz?q=i5-4200U... as it has the same TDP (15w) and a more advance graphics processor).  I called Intel and they said there are many factors involved in compatability. 

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you,

Gideon

[philetus]

The i5-4200U is a 15 watt processor socket BGA1168. The i7-4550U is also a 15 watt socket BGA1168 processor.

Since they are both 15 watt you should not have any heat related problems going to the i7-4550U.

More info here:

http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Core_i5_Mobile/i5-4200U.html

[Gideon]

Philetus, Thanks for the link, very useful. Looks like a i7 4650U will fit too. But still unclear--does same socket and TDP mean compatability? Got the impression from Intel when I called them, that there were many factors, but maybe they all had to do with socket type. Do you know the answer: TDP + socket match = compatiability? Again, many thanks for the link and info so far. Gideon

[philetus]

The 4650U has a TDP of 15 watts just like your 4200u and is the same socket. The only other thing that might give you problems is if the CPU is limited in Bios.You could try asking if anyone knows at Biosmods.com.

[rufaz]

i am not sure about 4650u or any other higher model of processor. one thing i know that, there is a version of R7-572 that has i7-4500u in it. google it up