Msi gx740 cpu upgrade capacity

hi all, what are the highest i5 and i7 possible in the gx740, it has hm55 chipset. i just wonder whether it can handle anything past the 1st generation i5 and i7 cpus.

 

The chipset is usually tied to the processor generation (for Intel products) - in this case Core cpu's... (btw; 1st gen cpu's would be something built in the 50's... ).

Answer: no, nothing past Core...

 

Nope, nothing past the first-gen Core i CPU's.

These are the i5 and i7 it supports:

List of Intel Core i5 microprocessors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

List of Intel Core i7 microprocessors - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Looks like the fastest would be the i5-580M and i7-940XM.

 

i7-940xm is the max.

 

help my frind
As for the CPU, the i7-820QM cost me $110 at the time of purchase, but... I have a 920XM on the way (bought off eBay for $265) .
1920x1200 1xCCFL screen cost me $90.
16GB DDR3-1333 (2x8GB SO-DIMM) -> $80.
AMD 7970M -> $480 + shipping (I bought the card from R&J Tech). It's a Clevo card, initially it came with Enduro enabled vBIOS for EM Clevos, I had to blind flash a HM vBIOS with Enduro disabled.
Intel X25-M cost me $370 at the time of purchase. It was a long time ago, at that time Intel's price for the SSD was $440/piece with 1000pcs purchase, so it was a pretty good deal for me.
WD Scorpio Blue 1TB -> $107.
2xWD Caviar Green 2TB was 2x$99 (at the time of purchase, of course).
Welland ME-580J enclosure was $105.
Intel Ultimate-N 6300 WiFi card was $48.
Targus 180W PSU was $49. My laptop originally came with a 120W PSU. I had to buy a 180W one in order to be able to make any hardware upgrades, like stronger CPU and GPU. BTW, the 120W PSU died when I OCed the 5870M GPU. It had too much to handle, I guess.

If You add all the prices together, it will turn out that it would be cheaper to get a new laptop (If I were to buy a new laptop today, I'd go for Clevo P170EM/Sager NP9170). Mind You, I was spending my money gradually over a period of 3 years (I bought the MS-1727 barebone in January 2010). However, with a 7970M and 920XM the laptop will go on par with current generation, brand new gaming laptops.

As long as the LCD is 17inch, 1xCCFL, WUXGA (that's for 1920x1200) and has a 30-pin connector, it should work.

Good luck with the upgrade!

 

No, no where close to current generation, brand new notebooks - unless we're comparing to the grossly (cpu) underpowered MSI GX60 w/AMD A10 5750m...

See:
AnandTech | AMD's A10-5750M Review, Part 2: The MSI GX60 Gaming Notebook


See:
PassMark - Intel Core i7 920XM @ 2.00GHz - Price performance comparison


See:
PassMark - AMD A10-5750M APU - Price performance comparison



Sure, you were able to upgrade (gradually) over a period of three years. But your performance is basically stuck at 2009/2010 levels with current games for the whole length of that time... no matter what GPU you are able to put in the system.


...

 

Fastest Dual core would be I7 640M or at least 620M.

 

Rubbish. The 920xm can be OCed which everybody that has one does to 2820qm levels no problem (in some rare cases exceeding even that!)

Paired with a modern high end GPU performance is NOT AT ALL at 2009/2010 levels.

 

Yeah; it can be overclocked...

So can any new XM based chip too...

So now we're up to 2011 levels of 'performance'...


And still far behind what a current level cpu is capable of (without O/C'ing... and what that means when coupled to a powerful gpu - to not only unleash it's (the gpu's) performance, but to also have it a chance of doing so without the cpu cooking it in the meantime, in the limited space a notebook chassis offers that it is meant to be used in)...



If we're going to compare, then let's do it right...


See:
ARK | Compare Intel® Products


See:
Intel Core i7 920XM vs 4930MX


That second link will become more meaningful (hopefully) soon, as the tests/benchmarks come trickling in for the 4930MX.


Old technology was great.

But it doesn't hold a candle to what can be done 'now'. All it takes is money. And the ability to say goodbye to the old, still good, but not currently great platforms.


For a mere 2W more TDP - you get a platform that not only completely and utterly destroys (RAM quantity/speed supported, IPC, features, HW offloading, not to mention built in GPU...) the 3/4 gen old platforms - but does so without needing to be manually O/Ced at all... And when you do...


Upgrading (or overclocking) the main components (cpu/gpu) on a platform is mostly just 'side-grading', not upgrading the overall performance (unless you bought at the bottom of the pile). It may allow you to keep up in specific 'scores' to a generation or two newer tech - but when the platform is this old, it's done.


My point wasn't to show the 920XM as incapable - just to show that it's performance in relationship to current offerings is not what it once was. Especially paired with a very powerful gpu and wanting to use it for modern games.


Performance has always been a moving target - staying with an old platform (even while switching major components) is never cost effective in the long term. It may seem like it is in absolute dollars - but in $$$/performance over time, it's a loosing battle. Always*.


*At least a 'true' generation difference between platforms is required to make a new purchase 'performance' worthwhile. And with Intel being at the top of their (and the rest of the worlds) game since 2006, usually two generations is where the 'sweet spot' is lately.

 

What I dont understand is PassMark - Intel Core i7-3940XM @ 3.00GHz - Price performance comparison its listed as a 3rd generation, which I thought did not work in the laptop.

also as I posted to another user asking similar questions for their laptop, I found the 580m for £50 new unopened on ebay from a seller with 4 available, so if i buy that and sell the 430 (which is listed as £30 used) then I haven't lost out much really.

James D mentions two dual cores that seem to be listed as 32nm , whereas the other cpus listed are 45nm, am I right to assume these can be used or should i still look at 45nm.

 

That cpu (i7 3940XM) will definitely NOT work in your system.

 

I don't understand why is this topic talking about the 3rd gen. First gen i series only, max is 940xm. Nothing better can be installed. If the 940 is overclocked it can beat the second gen. entry level quads.

 

Indeed. The OP wasn't interested in throwing out the old and putting down a couple of grand on a new laptop with an XM or current high end chip inside!

OP simply get yourself a 920xm you won't be disappointed. As tiller says you get 2011 high end cpu performance by spending a fraction of the amount a new machine with same or better performance would cost you.

920xm stock = slow by today's standards.
920XM OCed = 2820qm -> stock 2920xm or 3rd gen 3610qm performance

Not comparable to the current high end but not bad at all still especially in a single GPU system.

 

I have an i7-920XM for sale if OP is interested (just PM me). The CPU worked in my GX740 with no issues.

 

If you upgrade to xm model you need some heatsink modification or high quality thermal paste because the cpu can reach high temps easily.

 

Hi guys update on this, recently got the i7 720QM from ebay for a steal of a price ( used and sold due to new laptop ) and have got it installed, seems to run well and i'm happy with the upgrade (only cost me £23) now the issue is, I bought some thermal paste http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=TH-001-ID&groupid=701&catid=27 which I know you shouldn't spread yourself, instead I have put some on GPU and CPU and placed the heatsink back on, making sure pressure is applied to spread this.

Now the issue is I am seeing 80 celcius under load (which is an improvement of previous) and about 70-75 idle, I know it takes a while to burn in but should it be this high ( even if applied incorrectly?)

 

Yes. 80 under load is actually pretty good. If you had applied it incorrectly, you could have gone as high as 100 or even higher, depending on how bad the paste job was.

 

70-75 C when idle? Very strange, i think you have to spread your paste better!

My idle temps with 720qm are now about 54 C and 75 C under heavy load, but i've applied gc extreme paste.

 

Switched on today and idle was 49, like I say I didn't spread it, they recommend using the Heat sink's own pressure to spread this, which I did, I guess it takes a while to burn in!

@ Marecki_clf I would like to find out, if I can PM yet I will do! *just found out how* also if I do upgrade to this, I may need some help with what heatsink mods would be required!

 

I still prefer spread the paste manually before apply the heatsink on, it's only a matter of taste i think

 

It's not a matter of taste, it's a matter of the right method and the wrong method. On modern CPU's and heatsinks, you should never spread the paste. It will create an uneven seal and introduce air bubbles. Since air is a very poor conductor of heat, this is guaranteed to result in poor thermals. The correct way is to put a small amount (about the size of a grain of rice) in the middle of the die and press the heatsink straight down, wiggling slightly to facilitate spreading. Once the PC is turned on, heat will cause to TIM to spread out evenly over the contact surface. This is the best way to create an airtight seal and ensure optimal performance from your TIM.

 

from what I had known it was product specific, but now you say this I suppose it makes sense, gone are the days where I used to get a credit card and smooth out the heat paste manually, I simply let it do its own work now

 

The spread method has been outdated since Intel and AMD moved to an IHS. So unless you happen to have some ancient Pentium III's or Athlon/Athlon XP lying around, it shouldn't be used.

 

I think the right metod can change tim by tim, otherwise there's no need to add the applicator with some type of TIMs (gelid or prolimatech just to do an example).

Besides that, i think desktop heatsinks can spread the paste better and uniformly instead of some notebook heatsinks.

Anyway, i already now about the "grain of rice" technique and i think it's good only for thin TIMs.