Upgrade cpu path of Pavilion dv7

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

The i7-640 might work...because the i7-640 processors available are of the K0 stepping code, and the i7-620's are the C2 or K0 stepping.  If you wanted an i7-620, you would need to get the one with the K0 stepping to go with what that BIOS update indicates support for.

Take a look at the ordering and compliance specs...click on that link on the left side of the webpage.

i7-640:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/49666/intel-core-i7-640m-processor-4m-cache-2-8...

i7-620:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/43560/intel-core-i7-620m-processor-4m-cache-2-6...

[NikosN]

What about the i7-720QM? 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

What graphics adapter does your PC have?

[NikosN]

GeForce GT320M

[Paul_Tikkanen]

It might work then.

You have the required discrete video adapter.

The only thing I am concerned about is the service manual that states the 720 or 820 is supported is that your current i5 processor isn't listed, and they only show one motherboard.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01859666

When you look at the other service manual, your processor is listed amongst the others, but it shows separate motherboards for the dual core processors and the quad core processors--even if they have the discrete graphics.

So maybe the i7-720 or 820 will work because the manual on your notebook's support page does show the correct graphics adapters and only one motherboard is needed for the dv7-3000 model series.

I guess you can roll the dice and buy one of the quad cores.  At least the graphics isn't an issue.

They both have the B1 stepping code, and that is also a big ? mark.  Is that code in the BIOS?

I see the 820QM's going for about $25 USD on eBay.

[NikosN]

Finally I took my chance with a used I7-640m. The bios recognized it right away and the laptop works fine and fast. I do not know thought, if I did it right, choosing this cpu (higher clocks), over the QM series (higher Core count). Any thoughts about that? 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

I think that if you don't have multiple tasks going on, the i7-640 may be better.

But if you have a load on the processor, the QM would be better.

Take a look at the side by side comparisons at the link below.

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=43124,49666

Thr 640m is faster, but the 820QM has twice the threads and twice the cache.

The 640 would probably put less of a demand on the battery as well (10 less watts), so the time between charges would probably be longer than with the 820QM.

Glad the i7-640 worked for you.