What do I need to upgrade to make faster my Presario CQ57?

[Harri1900]

Hi,

My laptop is a little slow, so I would like to upgrade some of the components to make it faster.

Could you recommend me a better processor? & a RAM if you consider necessary for this purpose?

Compaq Presario CQ57 Notebook

Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU B800 @ 1.50GHz 1.50 GHz

RAM 2.0 GB

64-bit _ Windows7

Computer system product: 5CB21874YP

Hewlett-Packard: 068C110003204910000620100

Thanks

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

RAM is the much easier upgrade. I would recommend at least 4 gigs, and it will take up to 8. It takes DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM memory. CQ57-339WM seems to be your model. 

This is the Service Manual which you will need to swap processors:

Manual

The CQ57s with a Celeron processor will accept only Celeron processors. There are a couple faster Celerons available for your computer but swapping a Celeron for another Celeron just does not seem worth the effort to me. 

If you want the computer to run faster install 4 gigs of RAM and consider upgrading to a solid state hard drive. The speed improvement will actually be more than you would get from upgrading to a faster Celeron CPU. Post back if you want additional specific suggestions. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[Harri1900]

Appreciate your input, I will take your recommendation; but first, help me to understand better by answering these questions:

1. According to the manual, this is the memory that I need "4-GB (PC3, 10600, 1333-MHz) 621569-001". Am I right?

2. If I understood well, the memory module has two slots. Can I use my current 2GB memory + a new memory 4GB for a total of 6GB?

3. What do you recommend as state hard drive? Please, provide me part number and ID.

4. Which is the highest Celeron CPU that I can upgrade? Please, provide me part number and ID.

5. Regarding to my notebook configuration. Is my Intel Celeron CPU 3.0GHz or is 1.50GHz?

I`m sorry if have many questions, but I'm no familiar with all of this.

[Huffer]

1 + 2. Yes. The Manual does not mention a configuration of 4 + 2 + 6 gb but since you could install 4 + 4 = 8 I have to assume 4 +2 would work although because dual channel (2 identical modules) is a bit faster you might be better off with 2 + 2. Also check to be sure you do not currently have 1 + 1 = 2. Usually in 2 gig configurations it is a single 2 gb module, however.

3. You do not want to buy a solid state drive from HP. Buy it from a third party vendor. Where do you live (country)? This is going to tell me where to advise you to buy it. If you live in the U.S. get a Samsung 840 or 850 SSD from newegg.com and the size is going to depend on your budget. 

4. The fastest supported Celeron is Intel Celeron SC C925 2.30-GHz processor (1.0-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB). I am having a hard time finding one though and it may be a processor that only comes attached to a motherboard. 

5. Your Celeron is a 1.5 ghz. 

[Harri1900]

Thanks for your answer it was very helpful!

[JETHRO2]

All the results I read were very helpful & easy to follow...Thanks Jethro2

[Diede]

'The CQ57s with a Celeron processor will accept only Celeron processors. There are a couple faster Celerons available for your computer but swapping a Celeron for another Celeron just does not seem worth the effort to me.' 

This is not true, i just upgraded my CQ57 (200 series) with a Celeron 925 to a Dual Core P8700 (Socket P). Everything in Windows 10 runs so much smoother now 🙂

[Huffer]

That's an earlier generation with a different motherboard and chipset. Yours is the 940 chipset, which might operate with a Core 2 Duo, but will not have all of the features if it enabled. That processor needs a 945 chipset. 

[Diede]

I know my laptop is older than TS his laptop.

I've also found a topic for TS his laptop about a succesfull B800 Celeron upgrade to Intel Core i3:

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/Compaq-Presario-CQ57-339WM-CPU-...

Fyi my laptop has the GM45 chipset and my fsb/dram frequency also went from 800 mhz to 1066 mhz.

So in my opinion just try to swap the cpu and test if it works.

You can compare cpu info on the following site: http://www.cpu-upgrade.com

[Huffer]

I gotta live with the advice I give and "just stick it in there and see if it works" is not going to cut it the first time it doesn't and the OP is out of pocket for a new processor that does not work. Trust me, I have had that happen and it is not a good feeling so I go with the safe advice. Best in the long run. But it's always true you can say "it might work". And easy to do from the backseat of the car when you don't have a long-established reputation to consider. 

The budget processor will always work on the full featured motherboard and sometimes they build them that way, but when the Manual says that the specific motherboard is for Celeron only you have to assume it means what it says.