Specs for playing games on my laptop - low fps

You will likely not be not be able to upgrade the CPU because there are two version of the i3-2330m CPU. One is soldered into the motherboard and the other version goes into a socket. Even if you were able to upgrade the CPU, you will only be able to install another Sandy Bridge generation CPU that will have the Intel HD 3000 graphics core so you are not going to notice any difference.

The only solution is to buy another laptop. If you live in the US, then you can take advantage of Black Friday sales. Best Buy will be selling a 15.6" Dell Inspiron laptop on Nov 27th that has the Core i3-4030u with the Intel HD 4400 graphics core and a 1366x768 resolution screen for $300. Yes, it is an integrated GPU like the Intel HD 3000, but it is more powerful.

http/blackfriday.bestbuy.com/?category=doorbusters2&filter=&sub_cat=Laptops&cat=Computers%20%26%20Tablets



Click below link for LoL being played on a Surface Pro 2 with a Core i5-4200u and the Intel HD 4400. It is being played at 1920x1080 resolution with Very High graphic settings.

https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPOBeiNhVnA


To see what other games the poster has tested out on his Surface Pro 2, click "Show More". You can also do a search for "Intel HD 4400 games" or insert the name of the game you are interested in checking out. Note, the poster of the LoL video is using a standalone video capture device, the Hauppauge HD PVR Rocket, so the you are seeing the actual performance in the recording. Other people rely on software (like FRAPS) to record gameplay video when playing. This lowers the actual performance because the laptop is being used to play the game and record video at the same time.

The Intel HD 4400 is still weak compared to dedicated graphic chips. But it is much better than the older Intel HD 3000 and you cannot beat the $300 price tag for that kind of performance... assuming you can buy it from Best Best.