Can You Change the Processor on a Laptop

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This wikiHow teaches you how to install a new processor in your Windows desktop figurer. The processor (or CPU) is responsible in part for your computer'southward speed.

1. i

   Understand how processors and motherboards work. Your computer's motherboard is essentially one large excursion board which provides the base into which yous'll plug your estimator's other components, including the processor. Since processors' sizes and connectors vary depending on the model, you volition need to ensure that your selected processor works with your current motherboard.

   Tip: Yous tin can as well supplant the motherboard with one which supports your preferred processor.

2. 2

   Know your computer's limitations. While you can upgrade virtually all Windows desktop processors and motherboards, upgrading a laptop's processor is ofttimes impossible; even if your laptop model supports changing the processor, doing so is a tricky process that is more likely to harm your computer than help it.^[1]

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3. iii

   Find your estimator'southward motherboard model . While you lot tin can utilize Command Prompt to find your motherboard's basic information, using a free service called Speccy will let you to see vital information nearly your motherboard (e.g., the processor'due south socket type).

4. 4

   Determine the type of processor socket used by your motherboard. If you lot're using Speccy to find your motherboard'southward information, you'll click the CPU tab and look at the "Package" heading to determine the socket.

   • You can click the Motherboard tab and and then review the "Chipset" heading to see your processor's chipset, though the service y'all'll use to check processor compatibility usually determines this for y'all.
   • If yous decided non to employ Speccy, you lot can enter your motherboard'southward name and model number, followed past "socket" and "chipset", into a search engine and search through the results.
   • Alternately, y'all tin can about always detect the socket type listed on the motherboard around the cpu socket.

5. 5

   Find processors which match your motherboard. You'll take to find a processor based on your current motherboard'southward socket size and chipset:

   • Go to https://www.gigabyte.com/us/Support/CPU-Back up in your computer's web browser.
   • Click the Cull Socket drop-downward box, then select your motherboard's socket number.
   • Click the Choose Chipset drib-down box, then click chipset number (unremarkably, in that location is only 1 number here).
   • Click the "Search" icon to the right of the chipset number, then review the names of compatible processors in the pop-up window.

6. 6

   Find a new motherboard to match your processor if necessary. While you lot can easily type your processor'southward specifications and the phrase "supported motherboards" into a search engine and review the results, using a CPU back up site to do the work for you is easier:

   • Get back to https://www.gigabyte.com/Support/CPU-Support in your computer'south web browser.
   • Click the Choose Processor Series driblet-down box, then select your processor'due south name.
   • Click the Choose Model drib-down box, then click your processor's model.
   • Click the "Search" icon to the correct of the model number, then review the list of uniform motherboards in the "Model" column.

7. 7

   Buy your processor. Now that y'all know which processors will work with your computer'due south motherboard, you tin select the one best-suited to your price range, computational needs, and region.

   • Always shop around to find the best deal. Y'all may be able to find the aforementioned processor for significantly less online than in a store.
   • If you're buying a new motherboard too, make sure you lot compare different website and store prices earlier ordering it.

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1. 1

   Turn off and unplug your computer. Before you motility or open upward your computer, make sure that it is both turned off and unplugged from whatever power sources.

   Note: For simplicity's sake, you may want to unplug whatsoever peripherals (eastward.grand., your mouse, speakers, USB hubs, etc.) from your PC as well. This is not optional if you're replacing the motherboard.

2. two

   Identify your figurer on its side. Doing so volition give you admission to the PC's side panel.

3. 3

   Remove the side panel. Some cases will require you to unscrew the side panel, while other cases only need you to unclamp or slide off the side panel.

4. 4

   Footing yourself . This will preclude accidental static electricity discharge. Since static tin can completely ruin sensitive computer components such as the motherboard, you'll desire to make certain you remain grounded throughout the entire installation process.

5. 5

   Locate the motherboard. The motherboard resembles a circuit board with various wires attached to it. In most cases, you'll find the motherboard resting on the bottom of the tower.

   • You lot may find the motherboard perched against the side of the case instead.

6. 6

   Remove the electric current heat sink. The estrus sink is mounted on top of the motherboard, and commonly has a large fan on top of it. To remove the rut sink, y'all may have to unclip it from the motherboard, unscrew information technology, or slide information technology out.

   • Since each estrus sink has a unlike blueprint—and, thus, a different installation process—you lot'll need to consult your heat sink'south education manual for model-specific removal steps.

7. 7

   Check your current processor'southward fit. You'll have to install your new processor using the same fit as the electric current one, so knowing which direction the processor is facing volition help you install it correctly the first time.

   Skip this step and the adjacent one if you're removing your motherboard.

8. 8

   Remove the current processor. Carefully elevator the processor, which resembles a square fleck, out of its space on the motherboard.

9. 9

   Install your new motherboard if necessary. If you lot're installing a new motherboard, remove the electric current one from the housing, and then install the new 1 co-ordinate to its installation instructions (if necessary). You'll and so need to hook upwards your computer's various components to the motherboard.

10. 10

    Plug in your new processor. Your processor should but fit into the slot one way, then don't force information technology; but gently place the processor in its slot and check to brand sure that it'southward level.

    • If the processor is tilted or won't seat properly, endeavor rotating xc degrees until it does fit.
    • Attempt not to touch the connectors on the lesser of the processor, as doing so may damage the processor.

11. xi

    Reinstall the heat sink. Identify a dot of thermal paste on tiptop of the processor, then reattach the heat sink to its mount on the motherboard. The thermal paste on height of the processor should span the gap between your processor and your heat sink.

    Tip: The thermal paste dot should be no larger than a grain of rice.

12. 12

    Plug back in any unplugged components. Depending on your computer's orientation, you may accept unplugged a cablevision or two during the installation process. If so, make sure y'all reconnect them to your motherboard earlier proceeding.

    • This especially applies if you lot installed a new motherboard.

13. 13

    Reassemble and run your computer. Once your calculator's put back together and plugged back in, yous can boot up your computer and click through whatever setup menus which appear.

    • Since Windows will need to download and install new drivers for your processor, you lot will near probable be prompted to restart your calculator after it finishes starting up.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Tin I upgrade CPU without changing motherboard?

  

  Luigi Oppido is the Possessor and Operator of Pleasance Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of feel in full general computer repair, information recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Homo Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

  

  Computer & Tech Specialist

  Adept Answer

  

  Back up wikiHow past unlocking this expert answer.

  Laptop processors are dependent on the motherboard. If your laptop motherboard has a ball and solder system, where modest pads on the processor are soldered to a ball organization, you lot can't upgrade your processor. On some machines, you can easily utilise a screwdriver to supplant the processor, but you're nonetheless express by the motherboard's speed capability.

• Question

  Can you upgrade the processor in a laptop?

  

  This reply was written past 1 of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

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  Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

  While it is possible to upgrade a laptop processor, information technology's less straightforward than with a PC; you demand to be certain the laptop motherboard has the right socket for the upgraded processor. Depending on the historic period of your laptop, this might be catchy. Moreover, opening the laptop often voids its warranty, generally considering you lot're probable to break things permanently, so you lot really need to know what you're doing. Finally, information technology's commonly cheaper to get a new laptop than to upgrade your old 1's processor but this might depend on exactly what you're trying to get out of the upgrade.

• Question

  Do I take to alter something on BIOS or anything?

  

  Ordinarily, no. If yous take overclocked your older processor, or you would like to overclock the new one, then yes, you will need to modify some settings. But in nearly cases, the BIOS will accommodate itself automatically, if there is anything to adjust in the first identify.

• Question

  Practise I just change it? I don't accept to more software or files around?

  

  Yes, you can simply change the CPU. Files are not stored within the CPU, it is a processor of information. Data is stored within the difficult drives and partly the RAM sticks.

• Question

  If I fail upgrading my processor, will I lose anything on my computer?

  

  Not really, considering information is stored on the hard bulldoze of your computer, simply yous need to brand sure your processor is uniform with your motherboard.

• Question

  What if the PC keeps restarting subsequently I have exchanged a Core i3 processor for a Core i5 processor?

  

  At that place might be some incompatibility between the motherboard and the new processor, or the restart might be caused past overheating of the processor. Check the TDP of your new processor and that of the rut sink. If the rated TDP for which the rut sink is lower, endeavor upgrading to a amend estrus sink. If this doesn't work then consult a technician.

• Question

  Which RAM volition exist suitable for Intel(R), Pentium(R), or CPU G620?

  

  The RAM must be compatible with the motherboard. If you have the instructions that came with a desktop MB, read them. Otherwise, identify the make and model of your MB (you lot may have to open the calculator to find out) and search online for the MB make and model along with the term RAM for a list of compatible RAM. If you are dealing with a laptop, you may look upward the compatible RAM past checking the laptop'due south make and model.

• Question

  Do I really need thermal paste for my CPU? If I don't use thermal paste, what will happen to my motherboard?

  

  Thermal paste provides a conductor for the heat to travel into the heat sink. Without it, the CPU will heat up drastically, which will crusade lasting damage if you continue to run information technology at that temperature.

• Question

  Volition a core 2 quad Q9650 processor support an Intel DQ965GF motherboard?

  

  No, it does non expect like it's supported. That motherboard seems to only support upwardly to quad core q6700 and extreme quad core QX6800.

• Question

  Do I have to reformat the hard drive after I upgrade the processor?

  

  No, you don't, unless you're upgrading your hard disk to a new ane, like a new solid state drive, a solid state hybrid drive, or but a larger-sized hard disk drive.

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• When in doubt, using an Intel processor is usually your best bet.^[2]

• If you lot choose to buy a new motherboard, avoid purchasing the cheapest model available. Motherboards human activity as the base of operations for all of your computer's connections, so you'll want a motherboard which can come across your computer's needs without straining.

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• Attempting to run your figurer without the heat sink and thermal paste will somewhen crusade the processor to malfunction.

• Processors are especially expensive in 2022 due to the high demand for them in cryptocurrency mining operations. Every bit such, y'all may accept to spend significantly more than on your processor than on most of the other components of your computer when building ane from scratch.

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About This Article

Article Summary X

1. Find out your computer'south limitations.
2. Purchase a uniform processor.
3. Close down the computer.
4. Remove the instance and ground yourself.
v. Remove the heat sink.
half-dozen. Replace the current processor with the new one.
7. Replace the heat sink and case.
8. Ability on the computer.

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