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    Upgrade Acer TravelMate 7740G

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Galaxy1111, Jun 25, 2018.

  1. Galaxy1111

    Galaxy1111 Newbie

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    Hello,
    I want to upgrade laptop Acer TravelMate 7740G 17,3” - replace CPU and graphic card. Is it possible? Which components can I use?

    Current components:
    CPU - Intel Core i3-370M (2,4GHz, 3MB L3 cache)
    GPU - ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470

    Dream components:
    CPU - i7 (for exapmle: i7-8750H) or some better i5 (for exapmle: i5-8300H)
    GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GTX1050 Ti or GTX1060

    Thanks for the anwers
     
  2. alexhawker

    alexhawker Spent Gladiator

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    Buy a new computer, that CPU is from 2010...
     
  3. downloads

    downloads No, Dee Dee, no! Super Moderator

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    @Galaxy1111 GPU can't be upgraded as it's not an MXM-one. CPU can be upgraded buy the fastest you can get working in this laptop is Core i7 720QM.
     
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  4. OverTallman

    OverTallman Notebook Evangelist

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    There's nothing wrong with using Nehalem / Westmere in 2018. True they're 7-8 years old but they're still perfectly capable for everyday work. My current workhorse is a Latitude E5510 which is also a Westmere laptop, and it doesn't even have a dGPU like OP's Acer, yet I don't feel a need to upgrade as of now.

    The 7740G doesn't have switchable graphics AFAIK (like its 15.6" brother, i.e. 5740G), so quad core Nehalem (e.g. 720QM and 740QM) should work.

    Just be aware of the 45W TDP, they're gonna run a bit hotter than the dual core Westmere, the stock heatsink looks kinda weak but that's just me. They also have rather low clock speed, that may be a bigger issue as Nehalem / Westmere does favor high frequency.

    For dual core Westmere, i7-640M, i7-620M, i5-580M, i5-560M are the best you can get.
     
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  5. alexhawker

    alexhawker Spent Gladiator

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    True, but OP asking about an upgrade suggests the machine is no longer capable of their day to day needs. I'm all for getting the most out of a machine (I'm at five years on mine), but I'm sure they could benefit from newer ports/features, even a new battery.
     
  6. OverTallman

    OverTallman Notebook Evangelist

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    That'll depend on the budget OP has.

    If OP can shell out $150 or more, sure go for a newer used laptop, Ivy Bridge is easily reachable at this price point, may even get Haswell if lucky. Less than that it'd be better to upgrade the processor and be happy with it cause it's rather hard to find a decent IVB machine without flaws for less than $100. (e.g. failing battery, 2-3GB RAM, small hard drive etc.)

    An i5-560M doesn't cost a lot in used market and should give a nice boost, or at least up its resale value by a good margin if the result isn't exactly satisfactory. If OP is shameless enough he / she can sell it as a budget Dota / LoL gaming laptop and use that money to get a newer machine.
     
  7. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

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    I'm in agreement it's time for a new computer. Investing money in a platform that's ancient by modern standards isn't worthwhile. A new system will be much snappier, performance-wise, and have a warranty.
    Create a thread in our What Should I Buy forum. Use the form.

    Charles
     
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