Upgrading My Dell Inspiron Laptop

ishmael9100

ishmael9100

T4K3ND0WN
Hey Windows 7 Users. I want to make my Laptop a lot better and faster but I'm not sure on what to upgrade. Take a look at my specs and could you tell me on what I could upgrade? I know that I cannot upgrade my Graphics Card because of Intel's Intergrated Cards but what else could I upgrade? Any suggestions would be great. Thanks and have a good day :)
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
They aren't cheap, but you will benefit from a SSD (solid state drive).
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Toshiba Satellite S875D-S7239 laptop
OS
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
CPU
AMD A10-4600M
Motherboard
AMD Pumori (Socket FT1)
Memory
6.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz (11-11-12-28)
Graphics Card(s)
AMD Radeon HD 7660G
Sound Card
High Definition Audio Device
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor (1600x900@60Hz)
Screen Resolution
1600x900@60Hz
Hard Drives
SSD 119GB Corsair CSSD-V128GB2 ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
HP Wireless Optical Mobile Mouse Model FHA-3410
Internet Speed
What the local pub, local coffee shop offers.
Other Info
Optical Drive:MATSHITA BD-CMB UJ160B ATA Device


Also have an Asus ha1002xp netbook with Win 7 Ultimate installed.

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
I just replaced the spinning disk in my 2007 HP laptop (it has also a 1.8GHz CPU, but only 2GBs RAM) with an 80GB Intel SSD. It runs a lot faster (Vista) and cooler, but one is also limited in disk space (with a desktop that would ot be a problem). That is a point you have to consider.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP, Dell, Gateway, Toshiba - 4 laptops and 2 desktops
OS
Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
CPU
from 1.6GHz Duo to i7
Monitor(s) Displays
2x HP w2207
Hard Drives
5x HDD, 7x SSD, 12x Externals
Keyboard
with trackball - no mices
Mouse
Trackball mice
Internet Speed
DSL 6000
These links may be of use:
________________________________________
SSD
Storage - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News
OCZ Technologyy
Intel® Solid State Drives
Intel® Solid State Drive Toolbox
Enabling Trim Support in Windows 7
How do I know that Trim is working?
Hardware Analysis & News-See SSD and Bench sections
ATTO Disk Benchmark


________________________________________
 
Last edited:

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Toshiba Satellite S875D-S7239 laptop
OS
MS Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
CPU
AMD A10-4600M
Motherboard
AMD Pumori (Socket FT1)
Memory
6.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 798MHz (11-11-12-28)
Graphics Card(s)
AMD Radeon HD 7660G
Sound Card
High Definition Audio Device
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor (1600x900@60Hz)
Screen Resolution
1600x900@60Hz
Hard Drives
SSD 119GB Corsair CSSD-V128GB2 ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
HP Wireless Optical Mobile Mouse Model FHA-3410
Internet Speed
What the local pub, local coffee shop offers.
Other Info
Optical Drive:MATSHITA BD-CMB UJ160B ATA Device


Also have an Asus ha1002xp netbook with Win 7 Ultimate installed.
According to the service manual available at support.dell.com, your CPU is socketed (Socket P, I think), so that you could, in principle, replace the CPU.

It looks like a version of the 1545 is sold with a Core 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz). www.newegg.com (doesn't serve the UK) has it for $218.

Basically, though, I doubt that it would make sense to spend a lot of money upgrading an Inspiron 1545, even if you have the skills so that you wouldn't have to pay someone to do it for you.

Your most cost-effective upgrade could be a better laptop.

However, it's like automobiles. I see many customized Honda Civics driving around. Some may even be fast cars. Seems silly to me, but they are far from rare.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
homegrown
OS
Windows 7 Pro X64 SP1
CPU
Intel Core I7-3930k
Motherboard
Asus P9X79 Pro
Memory
16 GB Gskill DDR3-2133
Graphics Card(s)
eVGA GTX680
Sound Card
Creative X-Fi Titanium
Monitor(s) Displays
As PA246Q
Screen Resolution
1920 X 1200
Hard Drives
Corsair Force GT, 120 GB
WDC 1.5TB Caviar Black
PSU
PCP&C Silencer 750 Crossfire
Case
Silverstone FT02
Cooling
Noctua NH-D14
Keyboard
cheap Logitech USB
Mouse
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer (old optical) USB
Internet Speed
6Mb cable
Other Info
Pioneer BDR-205
Samsung SH-203B
Monsoon 5.1 speakers
bobkn said:
According to the service manual available at support.dell.com, your CPU is socketed (Socket P, I think), so that you could, in principle, replace the CPU.

It looks like a version of the 1545 is sold with a Core 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz). www.newegg.com (doesn't serve the UK) has it for $218.

Basically, though, I doubt that it would make sense to spend a lot of money upgrading an Inspiron 1545, even if you have the skills so that you wouldn't have to pay someone to do it for you.

Your most cost-effective upgrade could be a better laptop.

However, it's like automobiles. I see many customized Honda Civics driving around. Some may even be fast cars. Seems silly to me, but they are far from rare.
Click to expand...

Hmm...That might have to be something I will have to think about. I agree with what you have just said, it doesn't make sense spending a lot of money upgrading. I might just leave it as it is and wait until another Laptop comes a long. The Laptop I have isn't made for gaming, but it's made for Multimedia and stuff like Animation, Music making and HD 1080p playback but as a Gamer, this is frustrating. But, the good side of this is that I'm a composer (I compose Piano Music) and love Music and also Animation as much as Gaming so I can compose my own Music using this Laptop.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
bobkn said:
According to the service manual available at support.dell.com, your CPU is socketed (Socket P, I think), so that you could, in principle, replace the CPU.

It looks like a version of the 1545 is sold with a Core 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz). www.newegg.com (doesn't serve the UK) has it for $218.

Basically, though, I doubt that it would make sense to spend a lot of money upgrading an Inspiron 1545, even if you have the skills so that you wouldn't have to pay someone to do it for you.

Your most cost-effective upgrade could be a better laptop.

However, it's like automobiles. I see many customized Honda Civics driving around. Some may even be fast cars. Seems silly to me, but they are far from rare.
Click to expand...


Excellent analogy.

I don't get it with the Honda Civics et al. With the US 1-2 grand rims. Huge speakers.

And with an older laptop. I'd just sell the old one and get a new one.

I guess if one enjoys doing this then it is a hobby. And all should have one or two hobbies.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell XPS 410
OS
Windows 7
CPU
unknow
Motherboard
unkown
Memory
2
Graphics Card(s)
LE
Sound Card
LE
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung
Hard Drives
Unknow
PSU
What is PSU?
Case
Plastic
Cooling
Fan
Hi ishmael9100,

I've got the same PC as you, and it runs everything I need to use it for perfectly. My motto's always been, 'Why fix something that is working normally?'. However, if you're looking to upgrade because you want more from it in high performance situations, I'd recommend upgrading the CPU. The Celeron has never been amazing, and you can do much better than that. Performance wise, you'll see a huge improvement just from tweaking that. Is there anything in particular that you wanted to get from upgrading your system?

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, BackTrack 4, Ubuntu
Harvey Meale said:
Hi ishmael9100,

I've got the same PC as you, and it runs everything I need to use it for perfectly. My motto's always been, 'Why fix something that is working normally?'. However, if you're looking to upgrade because you want more from it in high performance situations, I'd recommend upgrading the CPU. The Celeron has never been amazing, and you can do much better than that. Performance wise, you'll see a huge improvement just from tweaking that. Is there anything in particular that you wanted to get from upgrading your system?

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your help! What I really wanted was a good gaming experience but that is never going to happen unfortunately :( But an overall good performance and fast loading on programs would be great!
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
ishmael9100 said:
Harvey Meale said:
Hi ishmael9100,

I've got the same PC as you, and it runs everything I need to use it for perfectly. My motto's always been, 'Why fix something that is working normally?'. However, if you're looking to upgrade because you want more from it in high performance situations, I'd recommend upgrading the CPU. The Celeron has never been amazing, and you can do much better than that. Performance wise, you'll see a huge improvement just from tweaking that. Is there anything in particular that you wanted to get from upgrading your system?

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your help! What I really wanted was a good gaming experience but that is never going to happen unfortunately :( But an overall good performance and fast loading on programs would be great!
Click to expand...

Hi ishmael9100,

Of course the Inspiron is never going to be a gaming beast, but I can run Counter-Strike Source with minimal lag. What separates it from being a gaming machine is the CPU and graphics card. If you're after a super fast PC, which the Inspiron can be, I'd look at upgrading the CPU.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, BackTrack 4, Ubuntu
Harvey Meale said:
ishmael9100 said:
Harvey Meale said:
Hi ishmael9100,

I've got the same PC as you, and it runs everything I need to use it for perfectly. My motto's always been, 'Why fix something that is working normally?'. However, if you're looking to upgrade because you want more from it in high performance situations, I'd recommend upgrading the CPU. The Celeron has never been amazing, and you can do much better than that. Performance wise, you'll see a huge improvement just from tweaking that. Is there anything in particular that you wanted to get from upgrading your system?

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your help! What I really wanted was a good gaming experience but that is never going to happen unfortunately :( But an overall good performance and fast loading on programs would be great!
Click to expand...

Hi ishmael9100,

Of course the Inspiron is never going to be a gaming beast, but I can run Counter-Strike Source with minimal lag. What separates it from being a gaming machine is the CPU and graphics card. If you're after a super fast PC, which the Inspiron can be, I'd look at upgrading the CPU.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Thank you very much! Would you recommend a CPU to upgrade to? I was thinking about the new 2010 iCore Processors. I wouldn't want the i3 nor the i7 or i7 Extreme so I think the i5 meets my needs. But, it is really expensive. Hmm... I don't know. Any processor better than Celeron.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
Hi ishmael9100,

The Inspiron is definitely customizable, but it's important to remember what you want and what price suites your budget best. If what you want is improved speed and performance in general, you shouldn't need to upgrade to an i7 Extreme. Something like the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) or the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3MB cache) should definitely suffice to your needs. Check out the Dell website for information on upgrades. Here, 'This Link' will be of help. Good luck.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, BackTrack 4, Ubuntu
I've looked into this myself. It appears that CPU is an option and possibly RAM. I've seen several places indicate that I could go to 8gb but Dell officially says 4gb. If 4gb sticks were cheaper I'd try it to see, just because.
 

My Computer

OS
Windows 7 x64, Vista, XP
roadrunr said:
I've looked into this myself. It appears that CPU is an option and possibly RAM. I've seen several places indicate that I could go to 8gb but Dell officially says 4gb. If 4gb sticks were cheaper I'd try it to see, just because.
Click to expand...

Hi roadrunr,

For what he wants, 4 gigabytes should suffice, but considering the fact that he's running the 64-bit version, 8 gigabytes would also help. However, price starts to become a problem when we upgrade RAM.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, BackTrack 4, Ubuntu
Harvey Meale said:
Hi ishmael9100,

The Inspiron is definitely customizable, but it's important to remember what you want and what price suites your budget best. If what you want is improved speed and performance in general, you shouldn't need to upgrade to an i7 Extreme. Something like the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) or the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3MB cache) should definitely suffice to your needs. Check out the Dell website for information on upgrades. Here, 'This Link' will be of help. Good luck.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the information! I will look into this. I might need to upgrade my RAM to 8GB, like what you said, since Im running 64bit version of Windows. Thank you for all of your help! If I could give more rep, I would.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
ishmael9100 said:
Harvey Meale said:
Hi ishmael9100,

The Inspiron is definitely customizable, but it's important to remember what you want and what price suites your budget best. If what you want is improved speed and performance in general, you shouldn't need to upgrade to an i7 Extreme. Something like the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) or the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3MB cache) should definitely suffice to your needs. Check out the Dell website for information on upgrades. Here, 'This Link' will be of help. Good luck.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the information! I will look into this. I might need to upgrade my RAM to 8GB, like what you said, since Im running 64bit version of Windows. Thank you for all of your help! If I could give more rep, I would.
Click to expand...

Hi ishmael9100,

Don't sweat it. Let me know if you'd like anymore information.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, BackTrack 4, Ubuntu
Harvey Meale said:
ishmael9100 said:
Harvey Meale said:
Hi ishmael9100,

The Inspiron is definitely customizable, but it's important to remember what you want and what price suites your budget best. If what you want is improved speed and performance in general, you shouldn't need to upgrade to an i7 Extreme. Something like the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T6600 (2.20GHz/800Mhz FSB/2MB cache) or the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz/1066Mhz FSB/3MB cache) should definitely suffice to your needs. Check out the Dell website for information on upgrades. Here, 'This Link' will be of help. Good luck.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the information! I will look into this. I might need to upgrade my RAM to 8GB, like what you said, since Im running 64bit version of Windows. Thank you for all of your help! If I could give more rep, I would.
Click to expand...

Hi ishmael9100,

Don't sweat it. Let me know if you'd like anymore information.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
Click to expand...

Could you help me with a problem I have been having with my Intel Graphics Card? I made a thread on this but I have had no replies so far.
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Celeron(R) Dual-Core CPU T3500 @ 2.10GHz
Motherboard
Dell Motherboard Model 0G848F
Memory
4.00GB
Graphics Card(s)
Mobile Intel® 4 Series Express Chipset Family (4500MHD)
Sound Card
IDT Hight Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Generic PnP Monitor
Screen Resolution
1366 x 768
Hard Drives
WDCW WD1600BEVT-75ZCT2 150GB ATA Device
Keyboard
Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
Wireless Optical Mouse
Internet Speed
48.0Mpbs
Hi ishmael9100,

I'd be delighted to take a look in the morning. Good luck.

Thanks,
Harvey Meale
 

My Computer

Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Dell Inspiron 1545
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, BackTrack 4, Ubuntu
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