What do you consider the best value in used laptop processors?

[cbn]

Here are some current ebay "buy it now" price listings I found for a range of processors (across several generations):

1. P8700: starting at $5 shipped

Penryn 25W 2C/2T @ 2.53 Ghz with 3MB cache --> http://ark.intel.com/products/37006/Intel-Core2-Duo-Processor-P8700-3M-Cache-2_53-GHz-1066-MHz-FSB

2. i5-560M: starting at $15 shipped

Arrandale 35W 2C/4T @ 2.66 Ghz/3.2 Ghz turbo with 3MB cache, HD graphics--> http://ark.intel.com/products/49653/Intel-Core-i5-560M-Processor-3M-Cache-2_66-GHz

3. i5-2540M: starting at $28 shipped

Sandy Bridge 35W 2C/4T @ 2.6 Ghz/3.3 Ghz turbo with 3MB cache, HD graphics 3000--> http://ark.intel.com/products/50072/Intel-Core-i5-2540M-Processor-3M-Cache-up-to-3_30-GHz

4. i5-3320M: starting at $45 shipped

Ivy Bridge 35W 2C/4T @ 2.6 Ghz/3.3 Ghz turbo with 3MB cache, HD 4000 graphics--> http://ark.intel.com/products/64896/Intel-Core-i5-3320M-Processor-3M-Cache-up-to-3_30-GHz

 

[i7Baby]

They are all fairly old. Most new laptops use soldered in CPUs.

The later i5 - 3320 - would be the best of them performance-wise.

But you need a laptop that suits. Which should already have a CPU in it anyway.

G3258 motherboards - http://processormatch.intel.com/MotherBoards/CompatibleBoards?componentName=G3258

 

[cbn]

They are all fairly old. Most new laptops use soldered in CPUs.

Yes, Haswell and later dual core CPUs are all soldered in (only the higher watt quad cores come socketed).

Correction: 37W Haswell dual cores that span Celeron to i7 are FCPGA946 (see post #16).

But you need a laptop that suits. Which should already have a CPU in it anyway

The socket for the Sandy Bridge and Ivy bridge chips I listed is FCPGA988.

Some of these FCPGA988 laptops came with 35W Pentium and Celeron Processors. There are even two 35W Sandy Bridge Single core/single thread processors, B710 and B720.

If the BIOS is compatible, I am thinking upgrading from one of those 35W Celerons or Pentiums could be a massive upgrade for only $28 or $45.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If the BIOS is compatible, I am thinking upgrading from one of those 35W Celerons or Pentiums could be a massive upgrade for only $28 or $45.

Don't forget Intel's chipset lockout. Unless your laptop shipped with the more expensive Intel chipset, you can forget about upgrading, even if the BIOS is compatible. The chipset will shut down the CPU after 30 minutes.

 

[NTMBK]

To be honest, it's a bit of a weird question. If you have a laptop which needs an upgrade, you will only be looking at a very specific subset of all the laptop processors out there.

 

[cbn]

Don't forget Intel's chipset lockout. Unless your laptop shipped with the more expensive Intel chipset, you can forget about upgrading, even if the BIOS is compatible. The chipset will shut down the CPU after 30 minutes.

That is something to keep in mind (and thanks for bringing that up).

I wonder how many laptops have the limited chipset? While doing my internet search, I came across laptops with 35W Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge Celerons and Pentiums (but they were also capable of using i3/i5/i7 as well).

 

[TeknoBug]

i5 4200M, still a beast.

 

[SPBHM]

whatever gives the best IGP, the HD 4000 from your list.

 

[Yuriman]

If I remember correctly, the big offender in recent times was the HM70, which is what shipped in most Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge Celeron and Pentium notebooks. Although you can stick an i3 in it, the motherboard will power itself down after half an hour. You need the HM77 chipset, which was only shipped in notebooks that already had i3's or higher.

You could upgrade a SB Celeron to an IB Pentium, though, or a SB i3 to an IB i3. Ivy Bridge brought some pretty significant battery life improvements and performance within the same power envelope.

 

[dark zero]

Socket Notebook Nehalems. You can upgrade from Celeron to i7 Dual.

 

[Yuriman]

... except I'd rather have an Ivy Bridge Pentium than a Nehalem i7 (dual). Battery life and GPU performance will be phenomenally better, and CPU performance probably won't be much different.

 

[SPBHM]

If I remember correctly, the big offender in recent times was the HM70, which is what shipped in most Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge Celeron and Pentium notebooks. Although you can stick an i3 in it, the motherboard will power itself down after half an hour. You need the HM77 chipset, which was only shipped in notebooks that already had i3's or higher.

You could upgrade a SB Celeron to an IB Pentium, though, or a SB i3 to an IB i3. Ivy Bridge brought some pretty significant battery life improvements and performance within the same power envelope.

yes.. for Hm70 go with the pentium 2020M, it's 2.4Ghz ivy bridge, so not to bad as CPU, and the IB HD Graphics is also better than the sandy bridge one.

 

[cbn]

A8-4500M starts at $9 shipped (35W, 4 cores @1.9Ghz/2.8Ghz, 4MB cache, 256sp)

A10-4600M starts at $38 shipped (35W, 4 cores @ 2.3Ghz/3.2Ghz, 4MB cache, 384sp)

These would be the upgrade processors for a notebook that uses A6-4400M (35W, 2 cores @ 2.7Ghz/3.2Ghz, 1MB cache, 192sp)

 

[cbn]

A8-5500M starting at $15 shipped (35W, 4 cores @2.1Ghz/3.1Ghz, 4MB cache, 256sp)

A10-5750M starting at $52 shipped (35W, 4 cores @ 2.5Ghz/3.5Ghz, 4MB cache, 384sp, DDR3 1866 controller)

These would be the upgrade processors for a notebook that uses A6-5350M (35W, 2 cores @ 2.9Ghz/3.5Ghz, 1MB cache, 192sp)

 

[Dufus]

Yes, Haswell and later dual core CPUs are all soldered in (only the higher watt quad cores come socketed).

There are some Haswell mobile duals that are PGA also.

Mobile Penryn C2D was great for it's day, price has certainly dropped a lot since then.

 

[cbn]

There are some Haswell mobile duals that are PGA also.

Thank you for pointing that out.

My mistake. Yes, the 37W Haswell dual cores that span Celeron to i7 are indeed FCPGA946:

http://ark.intel.com/products/codename/42174/Haswell#@Mobile

 

[cbn]

As far as I can tell there was no processor chipset lockout for Lynx point like there was for Panther point (specifically HM70).

So that means any Haswell laptop with 37W Celeron or Pentium should be able to take a 37W Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 processor upgrade. (Correct me if I am wrong).

 

[cbn]

Mobile Penryn C2D was great for it's day, price has certainly dropped a lot since then.

The laptops that can use that chip are pretty cheap too:

http://www.newegg.com/All-Laptops-Notebooks/SubCategory/ID-32?Order=PRICE

(Starting at $65 shipped for grade C Dell Latitude E5400 with Windows 7 Home Premium)