As a hardware enthusiast, Im going to escort you through the process.
Dont get extravagant with the processor choice if you own a bare-bone motherboard.
This will hold back the CPU an awful lot in terms of performance.
It happens due to the overheating of theVoltage Regulatory Modules (VRM)when delivering power to the CPU.
This board is simply incapable of supplying such an amount of power.
Having said that, I chose the core i5 10400 as it has a base TDP of 65W.
It pairs up with my existing motherboard just fine.
Thereby, snag the CPU as per your motherboards specifications.
You might ask why it is necessary.
The truth is, you never know when a data loss is going to hit you like a hurricane.
Though in theory, CPU removal should not affect the storage data or OS.
Better safe than sorry, right?
See, motherboards are designed to support CPUs from different generations.
But how many iterations are we talking about?
Well, it depends on the manufacturer.
If they lock you down after 2 gen then you have to buy a new board.
For example, on theAM4 socket, AMD provided support fromZen 1toZen 3CPUs.
Thats a whopping 4 generations of CPUs.
So that it can identify the chip.
On the Intel side, however, things are a bit rough.
They support only CPUs from 2 gen on a single chipset.
Thus, if you want to change from8th-gento10th-genCPUs, theres no way but to upgrade the motherboard too.
Condensing all the details,update the BIOSbefore upgrading the CPU.
It is optional at this point.
Step 5: Remove the Cooler
The stage is ready.
Its time to swap the processor physically.
But first, you oughta take out the cooler to reach the CPU.
Note: Stress the CPU for at least 15mins to soften the thermal paste.
Heres how you should attempt to remove the CPU cooler:
Your cooler should come off easily by now.
Clean off the surface of the cooler and the existing CPU with rubbing alcohol.
Its just a piece of cake!
Now, do you notice the retention arm just beside the socket?
Press it down and move it a bit away to the side.
It should be loose now.
Pull it up as far as it goes.
But dont force it too much.
Stop when you feel resistance.
Now, gently take out the CPU and set it aside delicately.
Put it inside the processor box if possible.
You have successfully removed the old processor from the socket.
You just drop in the processor on the socket and kaboom!
Yes, just like that.
But you have to ensure one crucial fact place the CPU in the right orientation on the socket.
So, how do you realize that you have placed it appropriately in the socket?
Observe the CPU carefully, and flip it to the other side if necessary.
Do you see a triangle?
Thats a good sign.
Now, inspect the socket, and at one end, youll see another triangle on it too.
Align the CPU triangle with the one on the motherboards socket.
Drop it in, and youre good to go.
Ive described the complete process ofinstalling the cooler and keeping the motherboard in place.
Manage the cables as per your preference, and get rid of any sort of clutter inside the chassis.
Step 10: Boot your rig
Moment of truth!
Is all the hard work going to pay you off?
To get the answer, power on your PC.
It may take some time to post for the first time after a CPU change.
In a few moments, youll see a message on the screen that the new processor is detected.
On an additional note, aCPU upgrade without reinstalling Windowsis possible.
EnterBIOSand set all the tweaks toDefault> Turn on theXMPprofile >Save and Exitthe BIOS.
And there is no better way to confirm it than running some stress test on the system.
Run them for a minimum of 30 mins.
Run some games as well andmonitor the CPU tempand statistics to ensure everything is snug.
If anything is out of place, the system will crash.
But the good news is you canfix the blue screenand other issues with simple troubleshooting.
FAQs
Can the CPU be Upgraded On a Laptop?
No, modern laptops come with CPUs soldered on the motherboard.
Its not upgradable by a user.
Some old machines used to have desktop-like sockets and had support for a processor swap.
However, some startups offer modularity in a laptop.
They allow CPU and GPU upgrade as well.
Is It Easy to Upgrade CPU?
Is CPU Upgrading a Good Idea?
CPU upgrading is mostly a good idea.
But upgrading within the same generation will not help much in terms of single-core performance.
Multicore, however, can get a monumental performance boost.
That said, you should reconsider the budget and upgrade the path to make the change viable.
And upgrading to the right processor can be that getaway.
Have a nice day!
