HP Elitebook 8760W I5 2540m processor upgrade options

[DigitalEagle]

Hello:

I haven't had much luck finding answers to this question. 

I have a Elitebook 8760W with the I5 2540M Dual core processor.  I'd like to get a little more life out of it.

I wanted to find out if there were any options to upgrade to an I7 processor, (preferrably a Quad Core) without replacing the current motherboard. 

It isn't clear to me if I can upgrade to a quad core I7 or any I7 processor from the I5 I have on the same motherboard. 

Someone indicated in a forum I read that there were dual core motherboards and quad core motherboards that were different with this model?  If this is true are there any I7 dual core option upgrades that would be worth the effort? 

Any help here would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks in advance. 

[banhien]

---

@DigitalEagle wrote:

I haven't had much luck finding answers to this question. 

I have a Elitebook 8760W with the I5 2540M Dual core processor.  I'd like to get a little more life out of it

---

@DigitalEagle 

The series has following options

2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processors, (support Intel Turbo Boost Technology) (includes replacement thermal material):

• i7-2620M, 2.7 GHz (turbo up to 3.4 GHz) dual-core processor, 4 MB L3 cache, 4 threads, 35W Part # 657844-001
• i7-2630QM 2.0 GHz (turbo up to 2.9 GHz) quad-core processor, 6 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 45W Part # 657849-001
• i7-2720QM, 2.2 GHz (turbo up to 3.3 GHz) quad-core processor, 6 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 45W Part # 657846-001
• i7-2820QM, 2.3 GHz (turbo up to 3.4 GHz) quad-core processor, 8 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 45W Part # 657848-001
• i7-2920XM, 2.5 GHz (turbo up to 3.5 GHz) quad-core extreme processor, 8 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 55W Part # 657850-001

2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i5 processors, (support Intel Turbo Boost Technology) (includes replacement thermal material):

• i5-2520M, 2.5 GHz (turbo up to 3.2 GHz) dual-core processor, 3 MB L3 cache, 4 threads, 35W Part # 657845-001
• i5-2540M, 2.6 GHz (turbo up to 3.3 GHz) dual-core processor, 3 MB L3 cache, 4 threads, 35W Part # 657847-001

For your second question: quad-core processors generate MORE heat (45W or 55W vs 35W) therefore even SAME motherboard you need more ventilation. Some users reported their machines get hot very quick and this may shut the system down very often to protect the CPU and other hardware.

Regards.

[DigitalEagle]

Thanks for the reply.  So you are saying i could upgrade to the 2820QM I7 Quad core processor on the same motherboard I'm currently using with my I5 processor? 

Not sure about the ventilation.  I didn't think HP used different cooling fans in the same model laptops anyway, so I think running a TDP of 45 watts should be ok with same heat synch and cooling fan.  But.......not sure. 

How could I find this out for sure? 

---

@banhien wrote:

---

@DigitalEagle wrote:

I haven't had much luck finding answers to this question. 

I have a Elitebook 8760W with the I5 2540M Dual core processor.  I'd like to get a little more life out of it

---

@DigitalEagle 

The series has following options

2nd Generation Intel® Core™ processors, (support Intel Turbo Boost Technology) (includes replacement thermal material):

• i7-2620M, 2.7 GHz (turbo up to 3.4 GHz) dual-core processor, 4 MB L3 cache, 4 threads, 35W Part # 657844-001
• i7-2630QM 2.0 GHz (turbo up to 2.9 GHz) quad-core processor, 6 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 45W Part # 657849-001
• i7-2720QM, 2.2 GHz (turbo up to 3.3 GHz) quad-core processor, 6 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 45W Part # 657846-001
• i7-2820QM, 2.3 GHz (turbo up to 3.4 GHz) quad-core processor, 8 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 45W Part # 657848-001
• i7-2920XM, 2.5 GHz (turbo up to 3.5 GHz) quad-core extreme processor, 8 MB L3 cache, 8 threads, 55W Part # 657850-001

2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i5 processors, (support Intel Turbo Boost Technology) (includes replacement thermal material):

• i5-2520M, 2.5 GHz (turbo up to 3.2 GHz) dual-core processor, 3 MB L3 cache, 4 threads, 35W Part # 657845-001
• i5-2540M, 2.6 GHz (turbo up to 3.3 GHz) dual-core processor, 3 MB L3 cache, 4 threads, 35W Part # 657847-001

For your second question: quad-core processors generate MORE heat (45W or 55W vs 35W) therefore even SAME motherboard you need more ventilation. Some users reported their machines get hot very quick and this may shut the system down very often to protect the CPU and other hardware.

Regards.

---

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @DigitalEagle 

I am not so sure about the guidance that you can install any processor on that list in your mobile workstation.

If you look at chapter 3 of the service manual, pages 23 and 24, item 17, it shows that different motherboards are used in PC's with dual core processors, and those with quad core processors.

System board (includes replacement thermal material)

For use in all countries and regions except the People's Republic of China and Russia:
● For use with computer models equipped with Intel quad-core processors 652509-001
● For use with computer models equipped with Intel dual-core processors 652508-001

For use only in the People's Republic of China and Russia:
● For use with computer models equipped with Intel quad-core processors 655025-001
● For use with computer models equipped with Intel dual-core processors 655024-001

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02847569

It would seem to me that in order to install a quad core processor in your mobile workstation, you would also need to switch out the motherboard, or HP would not have included this information, or had different motherboards manufactured if it wasn't necessary.

[DigitalEagle]

Thanks Paul: 

Right you are.  I missed that section my first time through the manual, but it definitely shows two different MOBO part numbers depending on the cores used. 

This rules my thought of upgrading as I'm not going to mess with replacing a motherboard and processor. 

It looks like I'll just ride this computer out until it doesn't serve me anymore and look for an upgrade.  It's getting a bit old in the tooth anyway.  My next DAW build will be a tower and I'm eying the new Ryzen 3rd gen cpus scheduled to come out this summer. 

Thanks again for your clarification on this. 

Cheers, 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

[DigitalEagle]

Apparently, according to another forum  member, the motherboards are the same, but the heat synchs are different with the quad core part having dual heat pipes to dispiate the extra.  I'm not sure how difficult it is to find the quad core  heat synch part, but it might be worth me checking. 

[DigitalEagle]

For anyone else thinking about doing this, I did verify that you can upgrade from a dual core processor to a quad core of the ones listed above.  The I5 motherboard only has 2 memory slots instead of 4 on the quad core and the heat synch will also need to be replaced with a different one that has two heat pipes instead of one.  I found a 2820QM processor on ebay used and a new heatsynch on Amazon. 

There is a youtube video that shows you how to disassemble the 8760/8770W

Hope this helps someone else. 

[DigitalEagle]

Just finished upgrading my i5 2540m to the i7 2820qm and it works fine with the current motherboard.

Unfortunately, I messed up one of the main ribbon cables to the keyboard so some of the keys don't work.  I had to order a new keyboard for it.  These ribbon cables are a real pain as if you look at them wrong, they break.  It runs great with the i7 giving me a lot more processing power I need for my DAW work.  (Now running 4 cores and 8 threads)  It amazes me how well these second generation processors still run. 

I did have to replace the existing heatsink with the dual pipe one as this was a 45w processor vs. the i5 being 35w.  You can buy them new on Amazon.  Just a warning if you buy this.  They put a thin plastic cover over the heatsink.  I didn't realize this and the processor wouldn't fire up until I found out the plastic was there.  Obviously you need to take the plastic off of it to dissipate any heat!  It was so thin I didn't even realize it was over the copper. 

It's a pretty big job tearing the machine apart to upgrade, but it's nice that these elitebooks that you

can both get parts and upgrade them.  Most laptops today are totally not upgradeable. 

BTW, there is a nice youtube video on how to do the tear down.  It was very helpful, especially where all the screw were. 

Thanks to the people who encouraged me to take this upgrade on and one gentleman who verified that this upgrade would work with the current motherboard.  

[keifie]

Hi DigitalEagle,

I am looking to replace my CPU too on a 8760w.

I currently have a dual core i7-2620m and want to upgrade to i7-2820qm like you.

So you didn't have any issues at all running the quad core 2820qm on the old motherboard?