PC Hardware..UPDATE, notebook

[10thumbs]

Help needed.

Hi guys,

Anyone have experience with upgrading Laptops? I have one from '06 that is just too slow.

I know how to put together PC's but no experience with laptops.

It's an AMD 754 platform, with Sempron 3300, less than 1GB Ram.

Can I just get an Athlon or Turion CPU, mainboard and Ram bundle and exchange the hardware?

Thanks in advance for any tips on how at best to proceed,

Michael

Edited May 1, 2015 by 10thumbs

[SSNJim]

Generally not. Laptops use non-standard components to fit inside whatever case the manufacturer decides. Even if you find a motherboard that physically fits, the peripherals (ports, disk drives and the like) will probably be in different places.

If your laptop is 9 years old, you'd be better off just replacing the whole thing. Performance will be much better, and it will be much cheaper. There have been a lot of advances in that time.

[Ace-Garageguy]

It's taken me years, but I've finally found a computer shop staffed by guys who actually know whet they're doing. I've bought a couple of hot-rod machines from them, built from components from trade-ins. When they make a mistake, they're very fair about fixing it for free...and admitting it.

Point is, they usually have refurbished Win7 laptops with huge RAM and hard drives for less than $300. I was given an older laptop with a bad drive...nice machine and not too old...but by the time I'd bought a new drive and more RAM, I'd have spent more.

I'd suggest you try to find something like that in your locale.

[10thumbs]

Thanks guys, I have the feeling the best thing to do is get a newer piece.

I only use the thing as a backup PC, meaning not very often. I can keep it because it still works. I hope newer stuff will at least seem to be more responsive. I'm familiar with OCi'ng from back in the old days, and benchmarking, so i have an idea of what a relatively quick PC is like. But this old turd is a cramp, and drives me nuts.

I'll look into a refurbished and freshened up laptop, or notebook. No need for me to buy anything new though. I'm just getting over revamping my home PC and I'm hardwared out.

Thanks for the replies.

[1930fordpickup]

All good points , new can be kept longer but a refurbished old one with turbo added works just fine and is cheaper. That being said finding a good place like Bill has, is a needle in a hay stack though.

[10thumbs]

Hi Andy, exactly. I saw on eBay CPU's for this old biscuit can be had for $10, just no bundles. I haven't a clue what I'd need for hardware for a decent upgrade. A shame that a good working machine will have to be sidelined. I'm even timid about opening the thing for a looky.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Hi Andy, exactly. I saw on eBay CPU's for this old biscuit can be had for $10, just no bundles. I haven't a clue what I'd need for hardware for a decent upgrade. A shame that a good working machine will have to be sidelined. I'm even timid about opening the thing for a looky.

There was a time I was heavily into computers, and it was on the verge of becoming an all-consuming hobby. This was many years ago, and I still have oddball machines that I really thought I'd get to "someday". Thing is, with as cheap as used computing power is these days, there's almost no reason to keep an old fossil chugging along. It kind of bugs me to dump something that still works, but if you use your computer for business and other real-life functions, it only makes sense to have something reasonably current.

Unless you're really into it for fun, the time it would take you to find exactly what would be required to hot-rod your older laptop could probably be spent much more profitably.

[Quick GMC]

laptops are not worth the money when they are that old. Ditch it and get a new one.

Mine is still great after 3 years, but I paid $1200 and put an SSD in it. It's funny, the charging port had to be replaced, the keys are worn out and the case of the whole thing is starting to warp. It's the first computer U have had where the electronics outlasted the mechanical parts.

Microsoft just announced the new Surface 3 tablet. It starts at $300 less than the Surface Pro 3 and has nearly the same specs. Once they come out with the wifi/4G version with the 250GB SSD version I am buying it. Much more portable than what I have now and I am traveling more these days.

[Tom Geiger]

A lot of what a computer costs is what you intend to do with it.

The laptop I'm on right now was eBay's deal of the day $199 delivered. It's a manufacturer refurb machine, but was absolutely brand new when I got it. We're not doing anything exciting here... cruising message boards, Microsoft Suite, minor graphics programs.... works just fine!

[10thumbs]

I've gotten a bit further with plans now. I can get new ram from the folks that built the thing, the mainboard has 2 slots and an upgrade to 2GB would help. It has old DDR Ram, single channel. A Turion CPU will pick up the speed a bit as well, I can get one for cheap from eBay, it'll fit just fine.

So, this should pick up performance a bit and I'd be good with it. As Tom wrote, just some surfing and emails, it's a good backup machine.

[SSNJim]

Good luck with that.

[Quick GMC]

I've gotten a bit further with plans now. I can get new ram from the folks that built the thing, the mainboard has 2 slots and an upgrade to 2GB would help. It has old DDR Ram, single channel. A Turion CPU will pick up the speed a bit as well, I can get one for cheap from eBay, it'll fit just fine.

So, this should pick up performance a bit and I'd be good with it. As Tom wrote, just some surfing and emails, it's a good backup machine.

The RAM won't really help with that. That would be your internet connection and processor. Your RAM speed helps when you are running multiple programs at a time, switching back and forth, etc. If you email and your browsing is slow, I doubt you'll see an improvement.

[blunc]

The RAM won't really help with that. That would be your internet connection and processor. Your RAM speed helps when you are running multiple programs at a time, switching back and forth, etc. If you email and your browsing is slow, I doubt you'll see an improvement.

that seems a little misleading since internet surfing and email IS multiple programs.

ram speed and ram capacity are two different things...increasing ram capacity will almost always result in better performance (up to a point), ram speed is usually dictated by the motherboard and processor and has less impact on performance than ram capacity.

[blunc]

I've gotten a bit further with plans now. I can get new ram from the folks that built the thing, the mainboard has 2 slots and an upgrade to 2GB would help. It has old DDR Ram, single channel. A Turion CPU will pick up the speed a bit as well, I can get one for cheap from eBay, it'll fit just fine.

So, this should pick up performance a bit and I'd be good with it. As Tom wrote, just some surfing and emails, it's a good backup machine.

I think you may find that "bang for the buck" on this project may end up negative unless you just want the experience of tearing into a laptop.

there are a whole bunch of "gotcha's" in dealing with laptops that can result in a useless pile of parts so be vigilant in your research before taking it apart.

[1930fordpickup]

I think you may find that "bang for the buck" on this project may end up negative unless you just want the experience of tearing into a laptop.

there are a whole bunch of "gotcha's" in dealing with laptops that can result in a useless pile of parts so be vigilant in your research before taking it apart.

So you are saying do not start with the hammer? This is some good info , I did not know they were built that way.

[blunc]

So you are saying do not start with the hammer? This is some good info , I did not know they were built that way.

I smell a little snarcasm here, have fun with that.

[10thumbs]

Guys, the folks who made the laptop have ram and a cpu that fits the existing mainboard, so nothing else will be changed/replaced.

I think an increase in ram capacity, and an upgraded Athlon type cpu will be quicker than the puny Sempron in there now. I've been assured also the installed heat sink will work fine too.

[1930fordpickup]

I smell a little snarcasm here, have fun with that.

Just the Hammer part. I had no idea that they were not easy to just take apart.

[blunc]

Just the Hammer part. I had no idea that they were not easy to just take apart.

pray that you never have to learn how many ways and places they will put screws and brackets and clips and...., sorry, I got a little twtchy there.

I have been way more intimate with laptops than I wanted to.

[10thumbs]

Mike (blunc), that's the way I'm thinking now too.

I did some researching on the weekend, plus ebay. For just a bit more than what I would spend to upgrade the old biscuit, I can get a nice 3 yrd. old power notebook. I like the Dell Latitude line, because I have some Win 7 software from Dell that I could easily use. They seem to be robust and quick, so I'll put my Desktop PC to rest too.

Michael

[blunc]

I think you'll be much happier with a newer unit and you can still connect the monitor from your desktop if you want to work on a bigger screen.

I got a refurb'd HP Elitebook 8440p for $300, it's about a 3 yr old corporate class laptop with an i7 cpu, it's faster than anything where I work so I use it there.

I liked it so much that I got one for my wife (but her's is an i5 cpu).

I suggest shopping for refurb'd corporate class laptops that have been returned from lease. At the Intel plant I worked at, they replaced laptops every two years so I'm guessing they leased them or got smoking deals from HP.

[blunc]

Mike (blunc), that's the way I'm thinking now too.

I did some researching on the weekend, plus ebay. For just a bit more than what I would spend to upgrade the old biscuit, I can get a nice 3 yrd. old power notebook. I like the Dell Latitude line, because I have some Win 7 software from Dell that I could easily use. They seem to be robust and quick, so I'll put my Desktop PC to rest too.

Michael

If you haven't run into this before, Dell OS software is usually "branded" to work only on the exact model of Dell computer that it shipped with.

[10thumbs]

Mike, well it looks like I've been bitten again by ebay dealers. Matter of fact is, I bought a year or so ago a legal Win7 64bit Full CD. Great. New HD, I was hoping to finally become somewhat up to date. The episode turned out to be total frustration. Absolute no worky.

So here I read if I get a snappy Dell Professional Notebook, like a 6520, with an i7 cpu and 8GB ram, the sucker won't work with my Dell-type-Win-7 super-disc.

I've had it for awhile with PC's on the cheap. I ain't buying nothing new either. So I'll stick with super fast DSL internet, but with a PC from yesteryear.

I'm going to dig up the dealer who I bought the software from, and see what he lies to me.

[10thumbs]

I found a Dell forum over here and it looks as if there are issues to deal with, for sure. Also some remedies available, meaning tutorials. Some corporate notebooks can be had for cheap, and modern enough for me. I just want to be able to install a OS if I get a hot rod that has no software installed.

Mike, is the i5 platform quick? Does it feel quick and responsive? I can get these, lots to be had here.

No modern gaming, just usual office stuff and internet and music. I'm sure a i5 would do it too.

[blunc]

I found a Dell forum over here and it looks as if there are issues to deal with, for sure. Also some remedies available, meaning tutorials. Some corporate notebooks can be had for cheap, and modern enough for me. I just want to be able to install a OS if I get a hot rod that has no software installed.

Mike, is the i5 platform quick? Does it feel quick and responsive? I can get these, lots to be had here.

No modern gaming, just usual office stuff and internet and music. I'm sure a i5 would do it too.

I think my wife's i5 performs well, it has win7-64 installed and I cleaned the BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH off before giving it to her.

I don't know if a Dell i5 will perform the same as the HP Elitebook but the i5 processor is a dual core cpu and it seems to perform basic to intermediate tasks well.

My Elitebook has the i7 in it (4 core cpu) and I find it performs well with 8gb of ram, I don't game on it since I feel that integrated graphics don't run the games I like well enough to enjoy them.