Notebook HP G42 - 363LA CPU Compatibility

[carma03]

Hi,

I have the notebook HP G42 - 363LA(Product Number: XR126LA#ABM) with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3-370M CPU Processor(socket PGA988) and DD3 memory modules.

I want to upgrade the CPU, so I would like to know what are the CPU compatibility models(i3, i5 and i7 if it supports)?

Thanks.

[mdklassen]

From: https://support.hp.com/rs-en/document/c02557049 

the original CPU:   2.4 GHz Intel Core i3-370M Processor

and the original RAM is 3 GB, with a maximum of 8 GB.

No "alternative" processors are listed.

If you have the 64-bit version of Windows, I recommend a RAM upgrade to 8 GB, for increased performance.

You might want to access INTEL's web-site, to get the specifications for the "i3-370M" mobile CPU.

You might find a faster mobile CPU with the *SAME* FSB (Front Side Bus) speed.

Such a CPU *MIGHT* work -- it internally "multiplies" the FSB to clock the CPU at its rated speed.

However, some laptops have the CPU *SOLDERED* onto the motherboard, making replacement impossible.

[carma03]

Thanks for your answer.

I have 8GB RAM already upgrade, then I'm interested in upgrade the CPU for better performance. I'm sure this laptop's motherboard haven't the CPU soldered, so the replacement is possible.

Regards.

[mdklassen]

>  I'm interested in upgrade the CPU for better performance

MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE.

Especially before spending any money.  

Open the Windows "Task Manager", and switch to the "Performance" tab.

Monitor how much CPU & RAM & network resources are being consumed.

Near the bottom of this page, click "Process Monitor".

Again, switch to the "Performance" tab.

Expand each section to see which tasks are using the largest amount of CPU,

which applications are using the largest amount of RAM,

and which applications are doing the most disk-drive input/output.

Then, you can determine the "bottle-neck".

Maybe, a SSD should be your next upgrade, before upgrading the CPU.

[carma03]

> Maybe, a SSD should be your next upgrade, before upgrading the CPU.

I did this upgrade :smileywink:, I installed a Crucial MX300 525GB SSD and the performance is great(unfortunetlly this laptop's motherboard has a SERIAL ATA 300(300 MB/s) and this SSD read speed is up to 530MB/s).

I'm aware of it is a +6 years old laptop but I wish to make the most of it. 

[mdklassen]

> unfortunately, this laptop's motherboard has a SERIAL ATA 300(300 MB/s) and this SSD read speed is up to 530MB/s).

I think that the lack of a need to "spin" a SSD is the primary factor in increased performance -- no waiting for "rotational delay" and no need for "seek time" to move the read/write head from cylinder to cylinder.

Your processor is 2.4 Ghz, with 2 cores and 4 threads.

How often do you "max-out" on all 4 threads at the same time?

Too many applications, e.g., Windows Update, and FIFA14, are "single-threaded" -- not taking advantage of the other 3 threads.

If you were to find a compatible 3.2 Ghz processor, the maximum speed would be 3.2/2.4 ==> only 33% faster per thread.

Is that good "bang-for-the-buck" ?   Depends on the cost of the processor, and your patterns of usage.