# Seeking advice on Intel CPU upgrade for PPGA478 socket **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486 "2010-07-21T17:23:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/1 "2010-07-21T17:23:04Z")
I have a Gateway laptop with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 CPU. This CPU is listed by Intel as supported by the PPGA478 socket. I am considering an upgrade and want to figure out the fastest (or at least faster) CPU that will be compatible with the socket. I’ve looked around at Intel specs but don’t see a list all in one place of what CPUs are compatible with a given socket. How can I find out what my options are? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/2 "2010-07-21T17:32:56Z")
Just wanted to point out that upgrading the CPU on a laptop is not as trivial as upgrading it on a desktop. And for some models, it’s just no possible at all. Make sure you look online for instructions from people who have done so successfully on your particular model before you delve into this. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/3 "2010-07-21T17:33:09Z")
Sometimes the laptop manufacturer will provide upgrade path options. What is the model number? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/4 "2010-07-21T17:43:06Z")
> [@Iggins](#): > > Sometimes the laptop manufacturer will provide upgrade path options. What is the model number? The model is C-140X. It’s a convertible tablet PC. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/5 "2010-07-21T17:44:57Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I have a Gateway laptop with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5250 CPU. This CPU is listed by Intel as supported by the PPGA478 socket. I am considering an upgrade and want to figure out the fastest (or at least faster) CPU that will be compatible with the socket. I’ve looked around at Intel specs but don’t see a list all in one place of what CPUs are compatible with a given socket. It’s not as simple as that. You’ve got to consider other things like how much power a new CPU will consume and how much heat it will generate and whether the laptop will cope with either. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/6 "2010-07-21T18:06:21Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > It’s not as simple as that. You’ve got to consider other things like how much power a new CPU will consume and how much heat it will generate and whether the laptop will cope with either. So, I should upgrade everything except the wall outlet then? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/7 "2010-07-21T18:11:12Z")
Relevant thread from another forum from two years ago, asking the same exact question on the same model: > **[TechnologyGuide](https://www.techtarget.com/technologyguide/)** > > Thank you for visiting the TechnologyGuide network. Unfortunately, these forums are no longer active. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the entire community for their steadfast support—it is really you, our readers, that drove Longish story short, he seems to have successfully upgraded the cpu to a T9300. There’s no saying what happened in the long run tho; as others have said, different power consumption can lead to burned chipsets and such. Tip: make sure your BIOS is fully upgraded first. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-advice-on-intel-cpu-upgrade-for-ppga478-socket/547486/8 "2010-07-21T19:19:57Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > Relevant thread from another forum from two years ago, asking the same exact question on the same model: > > [TechnologyGuide | Informa TechTarget](http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/gateway/21542-cpu-upgrade.html) > > Longish story short, he seems to have successfully upgraded the cpu to a T9300. There’s no saying what happened in the long run tho; as others have said, different power consumption can lead to burned chipsets and such. > > Tip: make sure your BIOS is fully upgraded first. Interesting, thanks. Same model but different CPU.