What can be upgraded in a laptop. How to upgrade your laptop as much as possible: step by step instructions

The invention of the laptop was the answer to the primordial request of every person - the desire for freedom. You can take your entire office and any computer entertainment with you, and go to a business meeting or nature, continuing to participate in the affairs of the company or play your favorite games. That is why laptops and similar mobile devices have gained immense popularity.

There comes a point, however, when the faithful laptop is thought-provoking. Its capabilities, which you were proud of a year or two ago, are now clearly not enough. Time passes, new programs become more demanding on resources, and now there is not enough space on the hard drive, the amount of RAM is small, the processor power is already insufficient. Some at this moment learn a new word - "laptop upgrade" ...

An upgrade is the replacement of some components of a laptop with others, more advanced. Many technically complex devices can be upgraded without problems, such as cars or desktop computers. How difficult is it to upgrade a laptop?

In a situation where the capabilities of a laptop are not enough, some for the first time regret that this is not a desktop computer. After all, its modernization is a very simple task. But a laptop is another matter entirely.

Let's take a closer look at the features of laptop upgrades.

Components that are easily replaced in almost every laptop are memory, hard drive, battery and processor. You can also add a CD / DVD drive to this list, but replacing it is almost always associated with failure, and not with a lack of resources. The component that is nearly impossible to replace is the laptop motherboard. Below we have provided information on the nuances of replacing each of the mentioned devices.

Increase in RAM

The first thing that owners of old laptops traditionally start with is an increase in the amount of RAM. This is a very simple task, to solve which it is enough to remove the cover on the back of the laptop and see if there are free slots in the memory section. Also, in the documentation for the laptop, you need to find out what maximum volume it supports - 2 GB, 4 GB or 8 GB. The process of replacing memory modules, despite the simplicity, may differ for different laptop models, so it would be useful to get additional information on this issue.

Replacing the hard drive

Replacing a laptop hard drive with a larger capacity drive also leads in the frequency of calls to service centers, and is most often done without problems. Most laptop models are equipped with a 2.5-inch hard drive. This size offers a wide range of hard drives in a wide variety of capacities. If the laptop has a 1.8-inch disk, the choice will be somewhat limited, and the prices are slightly higher. Please note that a smaller 1.8 "drive can be installed in the 2.5" drive slot through a special adapter, but the reverse operation is not possible.

Are you going to change the hard drive in your laptop? Please note that there is another important parameter that needs to be considered - the rotational speed of the disk. For laptops, discs with a rotational speed of 4200, 5400 and 7200 rpm are used. As a rule, a drive with a higher rotational speed is faster, but it consumes more power and generates more heat, which is critical when installed on a laptop. In laptops, the most dense installation of all nodes is used. If the "laptop" does not provide for a system of sufficient heat dissipation, the warming hard drive may deteriorate or damage neighboring components.

If you are going to install a larger hard drive with an increase in the rotation frequency in a laptop, try to choose a disk whose frequency will differ from the available one by one step.

You should also take into account the thickness of the hard drive, for which the laptop compartment is designed. At the moment, the following standard sizes are produced: 5 mm (for example, WD Ultra Slim), 7 mm, 9.5 mm (still the most common), 12.5 mm. A thinner screw can be installed in the slot for "thick" and "heavy" screws, but not vice versa.

Nowadays, it makes sense to pay close attention to SSD drives. Installing an SSD instead of the usual one will not take much time, and will give a noticeable increase in the operating system speed, as well as reduced power consumption. In addition, the price of SSD drives is almost equal to the cost of conventional hard drives. If you want to increase the speed and longevity of your laptop, opt for SSD drives.

Replacing the battery

Replacing the battery for most laptops is a routine operation that can be performed by any service center or by yourself. You just need to find out what type of battery is suitable for your model - read about this in the documentation or on the manufacturer's official website. Alternatively, look at the marking of the current battery and look for its analogue on the Internet.

CPU upgrade

If replacing the processor is possible on your laptop model, and this is not always the case, replacing it is quite simple. Please note that the new processor must be of the same series as the old one. At the same time, a more efficient processor consumes more energy and generates more heat during its operation, therefore, it requires sufficient cooling. In addition, the central processing unit is one of the most expensive parts of a computer.

Graphics card upgrade

We will separately consider the issue of replacing a video card in a laptop. In most models, this operation is impossible, since the video subsystem is integrated on the motherboard. Even if your laptop allows you to change the graphics card separately, be prepared for limited choices and high prices. In some cases, it is possible to use external video cards for laptops, which will solve the problem of the weak capabilities of the old one. However, there are very few such offers, and your laptop platform must support the use of such a card.

In conclusion, we note that upgrading a motherboard for a laptop is an almost impossible task due to the inconsistency of the installation forms, mounting connectors and attachment points in the cases of different laptop models. Considering that the cost of replacing a motherboard in the event of a failure of the current one is slightly less than half the cost of a laptop, there is no need to talk about its upgrade.

Upgrading your laptop efficiently and effectively is a real challenge. Employees of our company will help you quickly upgrade almost any laptop. In addition to modernization, we offer laptop repair services - repair, installation and configuration of various software, setting up network connections and much more.

Hello everyone! Today we'll talk about how you can upgrade your laptop or, in other words, increase its performance by replacing some components. Upgrade or Upgrade from English translates as upgrade.
The whole difficulty lies in the fact that the configuration of mobile PCs is rigidly set by the manufacturer, so the field for activity is not as wide as in the case of desktop systems, where you can change everything or almost everything.

Laptop motherboard upgrade

Impossible in principle. Firstly, the cost of the mother can be up to 80% of the cost of the laptop itself. Secondly, it is not a fact that a more powerful motherboard will fit into the case of your device. As I said, replacement is possible only for a mother of a similar model.

CPU upgrade

It's easier here. You need to choose a processor for the socket on the motherboard of your laptop. If the processor, which is replacing the old one, is more powerful, there may be difficulties with cooling. It is possible that the cooling system is designed specifically for your processor, respectively, after upgrade the laptop will get stronger.

RAM upgrade

Everything is easy here. Find out what type of RAM is installed in the laptop and its size. For example, my Asus K52Dr originally had 4GB DDR3 - two 2GB sticks. (in most laptops there are 2 slots for RAM). Buy and set an additional bar or change the already set one for a larger memory. You also need to find out what the maximum size of RAM is supported by the laptop.
A larger amount of RAM will allow you to comfortably work with a large number of running processes (programs). It should be noted that 32 bit operating systems do not see more than 3.5GB of RAM. Therefore, if you decide to increase its size, think about changing the OS to 64-bit. Difficult how to do it correctly? Probably, masters who carry out computer repairs at home can help you.

Laptop GPU upgrade

Almost impossible, because on most laptops the video chip is built into the motherboard, and the latter is designed to work only with these chips. If the video card is discrete, then you can try to choose a more powerful video adapter, unless of course you are confused by its price.

Hard disk drive (HDD) upgrade

The easiest upgrade option, but do not forget about the compatibility of hard drives. Mobile HDDs are found in 2 of the most common interfaces: SATA and the older IDE. In addition, mobile discs can vary in thickness. If a thinner drive is likely to be installed instead of a thicker predecessor, then the opposite situation is not always possible.

By upgrading the HDD in a laptop, you can increase its size (amount of stored information), speed). The biggest performance gains will come from installing a solid-state drive (SSD) into your laptop. Disks made using this technology have a significantly higher read-write speed than traditional ones. However, it is worth considering their high cost for now, compared to HDD with magnetic platters.

In general, if you wish, you can increase the performance of your mobile device by spending a minimum of money. The main thing is to approach this wisely. If you are quite a teapot in this matter, then it is better to turn to a specialist. He will advise on all aspects of upgrading, both laptop and desktop.

The Complex carries out the modernization of laptops, as well as the modernization of computers. We can improve performance and improve old computers and laptops with minimal costs.

Almost all laptops and computers have the ability to upgrade (upgrade). Determine the purpose and nodes of modernization of a laptop or computer, and we will implement your wishes in hardware for minimal money, taking into account old parts.

The advantages of upgrading or upgrading laptops and computers with us:

• we will show you what will really increase productivity;
• all parts are in stock;
• there is a trade-in (selling a new one taking into account the old one);
• qualified managers will choose the best option, and experienced craftsmen will professionally install and configure;
• extensive experience (over 20 years), a guarantee for every detail;
• When replacing the processor, we will update the BIOS of the motherboard for free.

Replacing the processor, video card (in games and 3D applications), increasing memory (if not enough), installing an SSD (solid-state hard disk) can significantly speed up the operation of a computer and laptop. Each case is different. For example, you doubled the amount of memory, but did not feel any gain in the speed of work, because you had enough memory for applications before, the amount of memory was not a bottleneck.

Computer upgrade

In a computer, as in a designer, any part can be replaced with another, taking into account compatibility at all levels of mating - mechanical (in terms of connectors, dimensions), electronic and software. A computer upgrade should be done by a specialist.

The main components of a computer that affect the speed of work are the processor, memory, video card and hard drive, so the upgrade is primarily related to their replacement. The power supply unit is changed if necessary.

Computer motherboard upgrade

When replacing a motherboard, the cost of upgrading a computer is close to assembling a new one. A complete computer upgrade is if you need to replace the motherboard, processor, memory, video card, and even the power supply. It is better to change the motherboard if a significant increase in performance is required. And this is support for faster processors, memory and other devices, for example, support for SATA3, USB3. ...

CPU upgrade

Replacing the computer processor is possible only within the same socket (socket).

Sockets 478, 775, 1156, 1155, 1366, 2011, 1150, 1151 are for Intel processors, and 462, 754, 939, AM2, AM3, FM1, FM2 are for AMD.
When replacing a computer processor, you need to know which processors this motherboard supports. for an upgrade.

Upgrading the hard drive in your computer

Replacing the hard disk of a computer is done to increase capacity and boot speed (new disks are faster than old ones). Computer drives use IDE (old, already gone) and SATA2 and SATA3 (new) interfaces. If you need a high download speed, then you should. Here you can The cost of a SATA 1Tb hard drive with the installation of 3500 rubles. The price of SSD Kingston 240Gb with installation is 4500 rubles, 120Gb is 3500 rubles.

Computer graphics card upgrade

The video card provides the main performance in games, graphics programs. Its speed is determined by the graphics chip (the microcircuit on which the card is made). Then comes the type of memory (DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, DDR5), its capacity, and only last but not least, its size. Here you can see and. For very old motherboards, only AGP cards are suitable, for modern ones - all PCI-E cards. For gaming computers, choose video adapters with a faster accelerator and bit depth. When replacing a video card, it is necessary that the power of the power supply is sufficient for its operation, if necessary, replace the power supply unit.

Increase memory

To upgrade the computer memory, check its type - DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4. It can be easily identified by the shape of the chips and the key cut in different places. Memory upgrade cost: 2 Gb DDR2 800 1600 rubles; 4Gb DDR3 1600 1500 rub. On motherboards that support two types of memory, only one type of memory can be installed.

Replacing the power supply unit of the computer

If you put a productive video card in your computer, it is worth upgrading the power supply to a more powerful one, better with a margin. Basically, the power of the computer's power supply is selected based on the plus of the processor. When replacing a power supply, pay attention to the manufacturer, choose from trusted brands - Powerman (Inwin), Delta, Thermaltake, FSP, OCZ, etc. Here you can. PSU replacement prices: 450 W Inwin - 2000 rubles, 550 W Gembird - 2500 rubles.

If you want to know how you can upgrade your computer, fill out the application below.

Upgrading laptops

There are fewer options for upgrading a laptop than a PC. Upgrading laptops is usually associated with an increase in memory, hard drive, processor, and less often with replacing a drive, and very rarely a video card. Replacing the motherboard, case and built-in video card with others in laptops is impossible. You can find out if it is possible to upgrade a laptop of a specific model only with a specialist.

Upgrade a modular laptop graphics card

Recently, the processors have been soldered to the motherboard. To upgrade the processor of a modern laptop, you need to re-solder the processor. But this is already an expensive procedure - 4000 without the cost of the chip.

One way to determine if you can upgrade your laptop processor is to look at what processors are available in similar laptop models. For example, your Asus K73SV laptop has an i3 processor, but there are models with i5 and i7. It turns out that replacing the processor is possible.

Some laptop models do not provide for processor replacement. it is soldered to the board. It is possible with us inexpensively.

Battery Replacement

When increasing the battery capacity, it must be borne in mind that only a certain type of battery is suitable for a particular model. Others will not fit in shape, size, connector, voltage. The cost of high-capacity batteries is up to 5000 rubles.

To find out the possibility of upgrading your laptop, write to us in the contact form. Indicate its characteristics: processor (for example, Celeron 430), hard disk, memory (which modules are installed), etc.

Any technique becomes obsolete over time. This pattern also applies to laptops. In most cases, they are not particularly involved in updating them, preferring to purchase a new model. However, there are a number of components that can be successfully replaced with new ones. Next, let's take a look at the upgrade potential of notebooks.

When should you upgrade your laptop?

First of all, an upgrade of the hardware of portable computers is necessary in cases where the current configuration does not have enough resources to perform the assigned tasks and work with the new software. If the computer already copes with everything that is required by its user, then there is no need to update.

For example, changing the processor on a laptop designed for Internet surfing, watching movies and working with text does not make sense. It's another matter if it is used as a workstation for video editing, 3D graphics and other resource-demanding tasks.

What can be improved

Unlike desktop computers, laptop upgrades are quite limited. In a stationary PC, you can change almost any component yourself. This is more difficult for portable solutions.

RAM

The easiest and most easily accessible way to upgrade is to increase the RAM. You will have to look for a bar that is suitable for a particular model, but it will not be difficult to install it. It is also worth remembering that laptop parts are more expensive and not as uniform as desktop parts.

Adding strips of RAM will not be superfluous in any case. The more RAM, the higher the performance. However, before this step, you should carefully read the requirements of the motherboard for the RAM strips. If a particular laptop model was produced with the maximum available amount of RAM, then, of course, it will not work to increase it.

HDD

The main data storage changes in three cases: when the "native" hard drive has become unusable, during replacement by a more capacious or hard drive with SSD elements. The first case does not need comments. The second is relevant when storing an impressive data archive (although you can do with external drives).

Replacing a hard drive with an SSD increases the speed of the system, as well as increasing the RAM, so these two procedures are often performed in combination. The need for surgery depends on the needs of the user. If the system performance is sufficient at this level, then there is no need to change the hard disk.

CPU

Upgrading the CPU of a laptop is possible and practiced by many users. However, in this matter, a lot depends on the way the CPU is attached to the motherboard. If it is equipped with pin array connectors (PAC), then its replacement is relatively easy and can be done without special tools.

If the CPU is "landed" on the board using balls of solder (BGA - ball grid array), then replacing it will require an infrared soldering station and strict temperature control. Therefore, not every workshop provides BGA soldering services.

Another nuance lies in the compatibility with motherboards. As a rule, it is limited to the processor models with which a specific product line of notebooks is equipped. That is, the possibility of installing a more efficient chip is limited by the top model of the line. And if the computer was already purchased in the most expensive configuration, then there is nowhere to increase performance.

Video card

Updating the graphics card or GPU of a laptop to improve the quality of the graph display is a risky and in most cases unjustified task. It is very rare to find laptops where the video card is made in the form of a separate unit, which is easy to replace (more difficult to get).

In other cases, the chip is responsible for processing graphics, soldered to the board using the balls mentioned earlier. Therefore, you should only resort to this step if the graphics chip fails.

Thus, by installing more advanced components, you can upgrade your laptop. However, due to the design features of laptops, this will be more difficult and more expensive than in the case of desktop systems.

The capabilities of laptops are limited by their electrical parameters. Powerful iron consumes a lot of energy and generates a lot of heat. Relatively modest batteries and compact enclosures do not allow for a powerful battery and an efficient cooling system. As a result, the performance of laptops becomes insufficient faster than that of PCs. If the desktop of the current generation is able to cope with new heavy games and programs for several years, then a laptop already a year after the purchase may not "pull" new applications with a sufficient level of comfort from use.

In such a situation, the natural question becomes how to improve the performance of the laptop. An easy way to solve the problem is the programmatic method. Disabling unnecessary applications from autorun, cleaning the system, removing unused programs - can increase the speed of the device. But they only reveal the potential of the hardware. This method will not work to significantly increase the performance of a laptop.

The way out of this situation is to upgrade the laptop. Replacing components with more productive ones allows you to increase the speed of the device, opening up new opportunities for it. Unfortunately, the design of mobile computers has its own limitations, which do not allow changing all the internal components, but an upgrade is possible.

Is it possible to improve the processor on a laptop

The central processor is the main part of the computer, on which the overall level of performance depends. If the capacity of the old CPU is insufficient, it needs to be replaced. In a PC, this operation does not cause any difficulties: you need to remove the cooling, remove the old chip, install the model in its place as soon as possible, grease it with thermal grease and return the cooler to its place. There are a number of nuances in laptops.

To save space, reduce device thickness, simplify manufacturing, and reduce costs, engineers have resorted to installing the processor using the BGA (ball grid array) method. In this case, the chip is soldered on the board on small tin balls and its dismantling (without sophisticated equipment) is impossible. If the laptop has an Intel Atom processor, it is most likely impossible to replace it.

The processor with BGA pins is soldered on the board and cannot be replaced

It's another matter if the CPU is installed in a socket - a special multi-pin connector. In this case, dismantling the old one and installing a new processor is no more difficult than in a PC. In Lenovo, you don't even need to disassemble the laptop for this: just remove the bottom cover and unscrew the cooling system.

When replacing a processor, consider the socket type and CPU generation. You need to choose a replacement so that both the connector and the architecture of the old and new chips match. Even with an identical socket on the purchased CPU, the motherboard may not recognize it if such a processor model did not yet exist at the time the laptop was created. To clarify the compatibility of the laptop and the selected "new thing", you should contact the technical support of the computer manufacturer, consult with specialists in the SC or on the thematic forum.

CPU socket on laptop motherboard

It can be difficult to find a new CPU: laptop processors are less common in free sale than desktop ones.

Is it possible to improve the graphics card on a laptop

Replacing the video processor in a laptop may be of interest not only to those who are fond of computer games. Programs that use multithreaded computing and GPGPU functions are not only CPU intensive, but also GPU intensive. Improve performance by replacing the video card with a more powerful one. As with the processor, this feature is not supported by all laptop models. Atom devices cannot be upgraded. Updating the graphics accelerator is also not available for models with an integrated video card that do not have an expansion slot on the board.

The laptop video card soldered on the board cannot be improved

In budget laptops, the graphics chip is often installed separately from the CPU, but also using the BGA method. It is theoretically possible to change it, but you will have to spend money on the services of a master with professional soldering equipment.

If the GPU is removable, you can also change it to a more powerful one yourself. You just need to find a newer, connector-compatible video card on sale. Laptops use the MXM connector, which is much smaller than the full-size PCI-E, but belongs to the same data transfer standard. There are two generations of this interface, each with several standard sizes of contact groups. They are only partially compatible with each other. Within one generation, smaller modules can be installed in a larger slot, but not vice versa. Different generations are not compatible with each other.

Removable laptop graphics card can be replaced

Most fortunate are the owners of budget versions of laptops belonging to the middle category. In such laptops, manufacturers use the same versions of the motherboard, but to reduce the cost, they install inexpensive processors with integrated video and leave the discrete graphics slot empty.

How to improve laptop performance in other ways

Besides replacing the CPU and GPU, there are other methods to improve the performance of your laptop. They are often simpler and cheaper than replacing the CPU and GPU.

Adding RAM

With the advent of large memory chips on the market and the transition to 64-bit operating systems, software developers have begun to pay less attention to RAM consumption. Even simple "Opera" or "Chrome", with a large number of open tabs, can consume more than 2 GB. 3 or 4 GB of RAM installed in a laptop becomes small even for simple tasks.

Fortunately, SO-DIMM memory cards used in laptops are readily available from electronics stores. Replacing old planks with larger ones allows you to speed up your laptop.

The amount of RAM in the laptop can be increased

Such an upgrade is not possible in some inexpensive netbooks, where the chips are directly soldered to the motherboard. But there are relatively few such models on the market, so this problem is insignificant for 95% of users.

Replacing the hard drive

Another way to improve the performance of your laptop is to replace the drive. Laptop hard drives are subject to mechanical stress when moved and used while traveling. They negatively affect the state of the mechanical elements of the structure, lead to the appearance of bad sectors, slowing down the speed of the railway. A motion sensor built into the drive is triggered by small vibrations and triggers the head parking mechanism. This also helps to reduce the speed of the computer (when driving in transport or in the process of using a laptop on its knees).

Replacing the hard drive with an SSD will speed up the laptop

To avoid this, you can change your hard drive to a solid state drive (read about this). Owners of laptops with an installed CD / DVD drive (which, most likely, is rarely used or not needed) can save money by installing an SSD as the main drive and putting a spacious hard disk drive in place of the DVD drive (there are special adapters for this).

A special adapter allows you to install an HDD or SSD in place of a DVD drive

Conclusion

You can improve your laptop by replacing the processor, video card, hard drive and RAM. Such an opportunity is not available to owners of budget devices where the components are installed using the BGA soldering method and to owners of old laptops. In the first case, nothing can be done in practice, in the second, you will have to look for (new or used) parts that have long been out of production.

When upgrading, you should carefully study the characteristics of the laptop, familiarize yourself with the types of connectors that the motherboard is equipped with, and the list of supported processors. When planning a budget for improving a laptop, you need to take into account that components will cost more than their desktop counterparts.