Computers & Electronics

Laptop upgrade?

  • Last Updated:
  • Aug 22nd, 2014 11:15 am
Tags:
None
Sr. Member
Jan 3, 2013
919 posts
475 upvotes
Mississauga

Laptop upgrade?

My son is starting college in a couple of weeks. His current laptop is an AMD A10-5745M processor with 2.1 GHz processor speed. The program he is enrolled in requires a 2.4 GHz processor speed. All the other specifications for his current laptop are fine.
Is processing speed something that can be easily upgraded?
13 replies
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 14, 2009
2194 posts
1106 upvotes
London
No it's not. It will likely cost you quite a bit, and I'd be willing to bet that most of them are soldered in.

What is he going to need it for? The A10 is pretty new still isn't it? It should be fine. It isn't the best processor, but it is far from the worst. 300Mhz difference isn't going to be a day and night difference. The important things I believe are of course the cpu and ram&hdd depending on what he's doing in College. The A10-5745 is a pretty good cpu
Sr. Member
Jan 3, 2013
919 posts
475 upvotes
Mississauga
Thanks for the reply. I was afraid it would not be that easy to upgrade.

He's going into mechanical engineering technology. His current laptop is less than 1year old and all the other spec requirements ram and hdd are fine except for the processing speed. Hopefully he can get by for a while with his current laptop.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 24, 2012
5909 posts
2223 upvotes
Space
That processor is okay, I think he will be fine ( processor wise ) with that course.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 14, 2009
2194 posts
1106 upvotes
London
looking4deals1 wrote: Thanks for the reply. I was afraid it would not be that easy to upgrade.

He's going into mechanical engineering technology. His current laptop is less than 1year old and all the other spec requirements ram and hdd are fine except for the processing speed. Hopefully he can get by for a while with his current laptop.
Np, and like the other member said, that cpu is okay. Assuming this is his first year, he'll probably be fine. My brother went through his first year with a core2duo lol. I just helped him by upgrading his ram to 8GB and he got through fine, though there were several complaints. Your son has a better laptop already. Worst case, deal with it afterwards.
Deal Addict
Jun 30, 2010
3209 posts
1742 upvotes
Markham
looking4deals1 wrote: My son is starting college in a couple of weeks. His current laptop is an AMD A10-5745M processor with 2.1 GHz processor speed. The program he is enrolled in requires a 2.4 GHz processor speed. All the other specifications for his current laptop are fine.
Is processing speed something that can be easily upgraded?
Clock speed (Ghz) doesn't mean much anymore with CPUs. All that matters is the specific model of the CPU. For example, an i5 running at 1.8Ghz will be faster than the AMD A10 at 2.1Ghz. Though, if it does make you feel any better, the AMD A10-5745M has a turbo boost speed of 2.9Ghz.

More importantly, as everyone else has pointed out, the AMD A10 should be fine for your son's schooling. It's always ideal to have the fastest computer for engineering, but its not always possible to expect every student to buy a $1000+ laptop after already paying so much for school. You will probably see some students in his class with even worse laptops.

Even if it ends up not being fast enough, its not like he won't be able to do his work, it will just take a little longer to complete. If this happens, what I would probably suggest is to build a good $500-600 desktop with an i5 cpu, rather than spending $1000+ on a new laptop.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 14, 2009
2194 posts
1106 upvotes
London
cloakster wrote: If this happens, what I would probably suggest is to build a good $500-600 desktop with an i5 cpu, rather than spending $1000+ on a new laptop.
Damn man, you bring desktops to classes?? Maybe back in the ol' days!
Deal Addict
Jun 30, 2010
3209 posts
1742 upvotes
Markham
datako wrote: Damn man, you bring desktops to classes?? Maybe back in the ol' days!
Did they ever bring desktops to classes? lol

I meant for him to continue using that same laptop in class and then have a much faster desktop to use at home.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Sep 27, 2011
3952 posts
2856 upvotes
Toronto
----------
Last edited by drz400 on Jul 25th, 2022 1:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 14, 2009
2194 posts
1106 upvotes
London
cloakster wrote: Did they ever bring desktops to classes? lol

I meant for him to continue using that same laptop in class and then have a much faster desktop to use at home.
I assumed you meant that lol, but i dont understand why you'd suggest that if the student potentially needs it for classes and possibly exams. Seriously though, if his laptop can't keep up, he's not better off with a desktop if there's examination involving the use of a laptop. I'd assume there's some hands-on, that's why it's a requirement.

Building a desktop would be a waste in this case.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jan 19, 2005
5203 posts
2486 upvotes
Vancity
Make sure the son's laptop has an SSD. It's arguably the best upgrade on any system.
signature closed for renovation
Banned
Aug 9, 2014
1239 posts
400 upvotes
datako wrote: Damn man, you bring desktops to classes?? Maybe back in the ol' days!
No one brought desktops to class even in the "good old days"...
Deal Addict
User avatar
Aug 14, 2009
2194 posts
1106 upvotes
London
Lexusisf wrote: No one brought desktops to class even in the "good old days"...
Well you took that a little too seriously lmao. The sarcasm should've been obvious
Sr. Member
Jan 3, 2013
919 posts
475 upvotes
Mississauga
Thanks for the replies everyone.

It seems then that the difference in speed is minor and may not be crucial to complete course work. He may be able to get by with the laptop he has since it is fairly new and meets all other requirements.

Top