[ASK] Can I Install Ivybridge CPU on Sandybridge (Upgrading Processor)

[AArdi]

Hello everyone

I want to upgrade my processor from Intel Pentium B960 (Sandybridge) to i5 3230M (Ivybridge) which supported on HM76 mainboard and socket rPGA 988B(G2).

What i want to ask is:

1. "is it possible to upgrade processor with different architecture/generation especially on HM76 Chipset Mainboard?"

2. "Other than CPU compability, chipset/mainboard series, BIOS and CPU socket, what else should i find out before i can upgrade my CPU?"

I already read some article about 'ivybridge cpu on sandybridge motherboard' and many of it says that it is possible to use ivybridge processor on sandybridge mainboard, BUT only work on LGA 1155 socket and limited to 4 Socket (H61, H67, P67, and Z68). Is that true?

On the other hand, based on my research, I found that i5 3230M processor does compatible to HM76 mainboard which used socket rPGA988B (G2), also in Lenovo Hardware and Manual Maintenance (link and picture bellow) page 86 write that my laptop Model (Lenovo G400) have many variant CPU installed (some released with 2020M, some with B960, i3, etc).

Does this mean that i can install that CPU to upgrade or?

I hope your information for me to decide to, or not to upgrade CPU, Thank you.

Laptop BRAND/MODEL : Lenovo G400

CPU Name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU B960 (Sandybridge)

CPU Socket : rPGA 988B (G2)

Mainboard Chipset : HM76

SMBIOS Version : 2.7 (Latest for my model)

GPU Name : AMD Radeon HD8750M

https://download.lenovo.com/consumer/mobiles_pub/lenovo_g400g500g405g505g410g510_hmm.pdf https://download.lenovo.com/consumer/mobiles_pub/lenovo_g400g500g405g505g410g510_hmm.pdf

[AlHill · Accepted solution]

You already know that the upgrade processor must be socket, chipset, and bios compatible.

To determine BIOS compatibility, you must ask Lenovo what (IvyBridge) processors are compatible with their BIOS. Then, you can select from them.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005682/processors.html Intel® Desktop Processor Upgrade Information

Here you can compare the THREE processors. Yes, three. And, none of them use LGA1155.

https://ark.intel.com/compare/72056,72164,59836 Intel® Product Specification Comparison

Whatever the case, contact Lenovo.

Doc

[AArdi]

Thank you for your attention and answer, sir. I'll try to contact Lenovo.

and about 4 sandybridge motherboard that support Ivybridge processor apparently it was an outdated information, i just realized that after i'm doing more research, and here the source

https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403407,00.asp Intel's Ivy Bridge: 10 Things You Need to Know | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

and it said:

"7. Compatible with Sandy Bridge. Intel has, not entirely unjustifiably, earned a reputation of forcing people to upgrade their motherboards to run almost every new processor line on the market. But that's not the case with Ivy Bridge CPUs: Because they also use the LGA1155 socket, you can put one in a Sandy Bridge motherboard and still have it work - all you'll need to do is update your firmware, BIOS, and video drivers. Only four motherboards using the 6 Series chipsets support Ivy Bridge (H61, H67, P67, and https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2385173,00.asp Z68), but if your computer already uses one of those you already have everything you need."

or perhaps i'm the one who misinterpret this information, due to my bad english.

Thank you so much for helping me, now i can narrowing my search to Lenovo Community Forum or similar to find my need.

[AlHill]

No, you are reading it correctly. It is just that the processors you are using are not for 1155. And, the information from PCMAG is incorrect. If the motherboard BIOS does not support the upgrade processor, you could have problems. They failed to mention that. Look at the second paragraph in the first link I provided.

Doc