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My computer is Acer Aspire 7250-0672. I have an AMD Dual-Core Processor E450. I want to find out if it's possible to upgrade it. If yes, what processor can I replace it with?

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From a little research I've found that the AMD E-series APUs, like most low-voltage CPUs, are soldered directly to the motherboard, rather than socketed. That means that you cannot upgrade the processor.

Source: AMD E-450 APU specifications
Note the socket is listed as "FT1 BGA". BGA stands for Ball Grid Array, which is a technology used for soldering integrated circuits (like a processor) to circuit boards (like a computer motherboard).

Also, and perhaps more importantly, you already have the fastest processor your system will support, so even if you could upgrade it, there'd be nothing to upgrade to.

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For your viewing pleasure... enter image description here ... this is the socket for an Intel Core i7-3820qm. That's a mobile processor. Oh, and that's a laptop motherboard there.

So, as you can plainly see, new and current generation processors can be replaced.

The issue you will have, is one of whether or not the BIOS has been written to recognize the processor you want to replace your existing one with.... and of course, whether the processor you want will even work in the existing socket. Now, you might ask... why would a BIOS not recognize every processor put into the computer... or why a BIOS wouldn't be written ahead of time to just recognize every existing processor? Well, there are multiple reasons for that.

  1. Laptop manufacturers are in the business of selling laptops. Making their laptops upgradable means they sell fewer laptops.

  2. It's hard to write a BIOS to recognize a processor that doesn't exist yet.

You cannot apply the same logic that fits a Desktop BIOS and how they are regularly updated, with a laptop BIOS. Two different economic models attached to the reasoning behind the why.

What you need to do is find somewhere that sells replacement motherboards for your model Acer, and examine one. If it has a socket, you can replace your processor. If it doesn't have a socket, then your processor is probably soldered on.

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Well from my own previous experiences, it depends on whether there is a socket for your processor or not.

I had two laptops, a Dell Latitude D620 and a MacBook Pro, and I have disassembled both. The D620 have its Core Duo T2300E processor sitting on a ZIF socket and the MacBook Pro have its i7-2620M soldered on.

The first means that I can swap a compatible processor, probably a Core 2 Duo, into the Latitude and give it some extra computing power and 64-bit capabilities. The latter meant that I hit the dead end on the MacBook Pro, and I cannot make a processor upgrade without buying a new computer.

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In general it is possible to upgrade the processor of a laptop. As long as the CPU isn't soldered onto the motherboard you should be able to.

Take a look at this site http://www.pcworld.com/article/148910/replace_your_laptops_cpu.html

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    The processor is directly soldered on the PCB ... Have you ever opened a new generation laptop ?
    – aleroot
    May 20, 2012 at 14:41
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    @aleroot: This might be true for netbooks or ultrabooks but not for every modern laptop.
    – Gurken Papst
    May 20, 2012 at 17:46
  • @aleroot: However in this specific case you are probably right, as I a can only find references to BGA versions of this CPU.
    – Gurken Papst
    May 20, 2012 at 17:55
  • I got 2 downvotes but finally i was right ... :-)
    – aleroot
    May 20, 2012 at 18:21
  • @aleroot You're not right because you never answered the OP's question. You only made blanket statements, which were (and still are) incorrect.
    – Indrek
    May 21, 2012 at 9:32
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Is it possible? Probably yes, or no. Since you asked that question, I assume. that you are advanced PC/laptop user. But laptop CPU (Processor)/GPU( Graphical Processing Unit) upgrade depends on the type of CPU/GPU socket of the motherboard. There are entry level, mid-range and high-end laptops on market and each of them has a very specific type of hardware. High-end laptops has full upgrade potential of RAM modules, hard drive, CPU and graphics card. CPU in high-end laptop (and some mid-range ones) are attached on motherboards by detachable socket, so you can easily remove chip by turning only one screw on the socket. Entry level and mid-range laptops on other hands has limited upgrade potentials, there are CPU and GPU chips assembled as “on system chips”, it means, that CPU and GPU, and sometimes even RAM chips are directly soldered on the motherboard via a BGA (Ball Grid Array) type socket.

An ordinary PC user cannot remove by himself such a type of CPU and GPU from the motherboard socket without specific knowledge, tools and hardware. The only option that you have in this case, is to upgrade RAM (not in all case) and hard disk drive (mechanical by solid state drive). But theoretically everything is possible, if you have enough motivation and some cash. An experienced professional can do this job for you, but it also carries the risk of doing permanent damage to the laptop's hardware, such as burning of the system board caused by heat damage.

There are some high-end soldering stations, designed for melting up socket, that allow you to do on chip level repairs, heat up and remove CPU and GPU chips from the motherboard and replace with other, more powerful ones. This job need high skills from a professional, continuous monitoring of board temperatures, and exact guiding of laser controlled soldering process. It is like brain surgery for laptops. Even if you are lucky, an upgraded GPU will rarely last more, then two years, and a CPU may work much longer.

In addition, most in cases, there is problem of compatibility. You must select a very specific range of CPU for your motherboard. Even same class and models of laptop/ultrabooks may have different system boards, depending on chips they use. in case of unsuccessful soldering of CPU and boot up, there may be problems of BIOS conflict, underpowering, overheating of the processor, some system crashes, blue screen of death, boot loops, etc.

The most frequent problem of BGA socket CPU resoldering/upgrade is overheating. A more powerful CPU generates more heat (for example: 35 watt mobile i7 Quad core CPU versus 6 watt Pentium Quad core CPU). A heatsink designed for weak, low TDP processor can not dissipate properly more heat generated from a resoldered more powerful CPU. You also probably will need to undervolt CPU (if the BIOS settings allow you to do this), install a more powerful fan, flash the BIOS with the latest version, or flash with a modified BIOS, use comparable graphic card driver for the new GPU chip. Such an upgrade is a time-consuming, dubiously cost effective and very complicated process.

That’s why most people answer to your question is NO, no one want to crank up expensive hardware. One mistake in soldering process and your laptop motherboard will turn into a useless piece of junk. Beside all above-mentioned tasks, such on chip level upgrade would void your warranty agreements and the entire job will proceed at your own risk. After lucky end upgrade it is mandatory to periodically tear down and clean your modified laptop from dust accumulated inside heatpipes and fan, change thermal compound on CPU and GPU units every other year.

If you are ready to undertake this very risky job, good luck! I hope I have answered your questions as you wanted to.

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    Why is this the exact same answer as below, but by a different user?
    – CharlieRB
    Jun 1, 2016 at 17:24

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