Swapping alienware processors i5 to i7

[trapline]

Hi folks I recently purchased a bare bones dell Alienware m15x laptop with this processor

Intel Core i5 430M 2.53GHz

my question is down the line can I buy the i7 processors they offer :

Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz

Intel® Core™ i7-820QM Quad Core Processor 1.73GHz

Intel Core i7 920XM 2.0GHz


And swap them out? or is that not possible to do?

I just couldn't afford the i7, but I also am worried that in two years I'll own a very expensive paperweight.

 

[JD13]

You to make sure of a couple things; Will the bios handle it, is it the correct socket, last would be: does the CPU have on the chip graphics?
I don't know allot about the laptop lineups, but look for these things in the desktop CPU's.
They have to match what the mother board can handle.


JD

Hi folks I recently purchased a bare bones dell Alienware m15x laptop with this processor

Intel Core i5 430M 2.53GHz

my question is down the line can I buy the i7 processors they offer :

Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor 1.6GHz

Intel® Core™ i7-820QM Quad Core Processor 1.73GHz

Intel Core i7 920XM 2.0GHz


And swap them out? or is that not possible to do?

I just couldn't afford the i7, but I also am worried that in two years I'll own a very expensive paperweight.

 

[Maverick4396]

Here is the rest of the rub:

let's assume that the bios can handle the chip. Let's assume you can get a chip for a decent price. Let's assume that the socket is A-ok to take said chip. (from what I can tell you can order the M15x at this point with an i3-330, i5-540, i5-640, i7-720, etc. so all of what I have said SHOULD be true).

Now where is the CPU in this laptop? do you have to pop the entire case off to get at the CPU from the top (EG remove the keyboard tray)? If so, what happens if you get in there only to find that you have a cooling system that is either thermal glued to the existing CPU or nearly impossible to remove?

The assumption of user upgradable parts on an alienware laptop is a hit and miss proposal. If you want a user upgradable (or more than alienware) I would reccomend a brand like Sager.

Besides the stupid alienware baseline is 1199.00 and you can get :

http/www.xoticpc.com/asus-n61jqa1-p-2734.html?wconfigure=yes

for less with much better specs. (1065.00 w/ Win 7 Home premium)



EDIT: well shoot I read the purchased already barebones too late.

 

[ampedal]

you also need to find out the heat output of the chip and power usage, and make sure your motherboard can support it. Do this by googling 'wiki (chip model name goes here)' then do the same for your motherboard...this will give you a lot of information as far as compatibility.

If not, check back here - and we'll get you hooked up.