Lenovo Thinkpad T430 Upgrades: Quad Core i7, 8GB DDR3, 1600x900 Screen, 9-cell
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ส.ค. 2024
- I recently replaced my IBM / Lenovo Thinkpad T60 with a Lenovo Thinkpad T430. The T60 was a great all around laptop for school and basic productivity tasks and it was by far my favorite laptop of 2016. If you just need a cheap beater laptop (I bought mine for 10 USD off eBay) then look no further than the IBM T60.
However, my work flow is changing and I needed to change up my hardware to accommodate my increasingly mobile production environment. I bought a Lenovo T430 off ebay for $125, it came equipped with 4GB DDR3 RAM, an Intel i5 3230m dual core processor, 1366x768 TN display, and Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics. This is a great base configuration for a high end office machine but it’s just not enough for video editing.
In this video I am going to be upgrading this laptop with a quad core Intel I7 3612qm processor, 1600x900 tn display, back-lit keyboard, 9-cell battery, and I also attempted to upgrade the laptop with 16GB of DDR3 but unfortunately that did not go as planned. When all was said and done, I had a powerful and portable editing rig.
I know that I could have bought a new laptop with what I paid for the Thinkpad and all of these upgrades but that is not what I wanted. I wanted something that would last, something that will actually survive the day to day abuses of being thrown and smashed around inside a backpack. I wanted a Thinkpad, and that’s what I got.
If anyone is curious about how much I paid in total here is a quick list: 8GB of DDR3 from friend (I am returning the other stick) $30, Intel i7 $107, 9-cell battery $69, 1600x900 display $28 + $7 shipping, backlit keyboard $24, base laptop $125. Total = $390 Keep in mind that this is not the net cost to me because I am taking the old parts and reselling them on ebay, so I do make some money back (approx. $100 back).
T430 unboxing: www.aacomputersandtechnology....
Parts links and link to T430 seller:
T430 seller: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
9-Cell battery: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
1600x900 display: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
backlit keyboard: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
slice battery: rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
8GB DDR3 (it worked, I just could not use it because of the RAM slot fiasco): amzn.to/2mriE6H
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Okay..... So I pulled the laptop back apart and put the i5 back in and both RAM slots worked again. So several things could be wrong. Something might be wrong with the CPU, the laptop's BIOS and the CPU might not be playing well together, ect... I am not really sure what I am going to do at this point, because besides the memory issue everything is working great. I keep having to edit this comment because I keep running into conflicting evidence as to whether I can use a 16GB dimm in the T430. The i7 DOES support 32GB of RAM according to the Intel spec sheet (though that might not be referring to a 2X 16gb dimm config) but I am not sure if the T430 BIOS/chipset supports 16GB dimms. Some say yes and some people say no. Any input on this would be appreciated.
Update: I just upgraded the T430 to the latest BIOS and that did not change anything (which was super easy, I am not sure where I read that it would be difficult, they were wrong). The top RAM slot still does not work not matter what configuration I try.
it could be a flaky memory controller in the cpu
have you updated the bios yet?
Nope.
AA Computers and Technology can't hurt to try
Just a theory...
I recall reading somewhere, Thinkpads having stability issues when using Quad core-i7 cpus, it had something to do with the motherboard not being able to provide enough juice to the processor, and maybe that could affecting your Dimm slot as well :P
I'm going to use this as a disassembly guide for the T430 because he told me to
The rough coating on the non-backlit keyboard is actually an antimicrobial coating.
Yeah I was going to post that the rough non backlight is the safer option when it comes to germs as it has the antimicrobial coating on it compared to the backlight one where the coating is not there hence the difference in texture between the 2.
Really? Well now I know! Thanks!
So the next question is, can the key caps be swapped over? Are the keys translucent through the marking, or is it just a backlight, in which case they might swap.
I don't think so
I have a T430S which came with backlit keys. They are translucent through the markings but are not removable/swappable.
first time here. enjoying your 100mph talking speed, somehow i can follow it even while multitasking. that deserves a subscribe in my book.
2nd comment: i dont see you using any jumpcuts, so you're talking 100mph in a straight shot.. thats amazing. not to mention easier on the editor.
weird flex but ok (and true somehow lol)
I've purchased my t430 1 month ago and I plan to make the same updates as you
ty for the video
It's nice to see relatively modern laptops still having sockets so you can replace their CPU
is there any processor socket to be considered in laptop before we changing the processor? or before buy a new one?
T430 Produccion Año 2012 Y AUN ES MAS RAPIDA QUE MODELOS 2021
@Polaris Lakewell yeah, it really sucks, I recently bought a t440p specifically because it had a socket, I don't plan on getting anything newer then that with exception to a framework laptop down the road once the t440p is either too slow or dies
@@ajddavid452 What processor was installed and what is the maximum supported in T440p?
@@alexf1515 an i5-4300m, but the t440p had multiple different factory options, any cpu made for Socket G3(FCPGA-946) should work, the highest end cpu is the i7-4940mx, but I don't recommend it for the t440p because it is has a 57w tdp and you'd need either a 135w or 170w ac adapter just to charge it, the best cpu to go with would be either the i7-4702mq or i7-4712mq, they both are 37w and are 4 core 8 thread, only downside is that for some dumb reason ebay sellers think they should be more expensive then the 47w equivalents the 4700mq or 4710mq, even thought the 4700mq and 4710mq are clocked higher, so best thing to do would be to wait for a great deal on either the 4702mq or 4712mq if you don't want to wait get the 47w cpus and undervolt them using throttlestop, there's also the 4800mq, 4810mq, 4900mq, and 4910mq which are all 47w don't go with the 57w cpus the t440p weren't designed for them
Actually the roughtness on the keys is the antimicrobial coating, which does not allow light to shine through. A lot of people hate it, but I think it rocks, love that textured feeling. As for the RAM, Lenovo site specifies that it supports up to 16Gb so I'd suggest to clear CMOS by taking out the cell battery after CPU swap. It may be some weird config stored in the BIOS that carries when you swap them.
I do love old laptops as they can actually be almost totally upgraded (especially the cpu as most modern laptops have soldered cpus)
Correction: most modern laptops have soldered EVERYTHING
soldered-on CPUs and RAM is a terrible trend that i wish would finally go away... but easy repairability is simply not "planned obsolescence" enough for them..... -_-
Very helpful video! Just got a T430 myself and stuck a 250gb 850 EVO in it as well as doubling the ram from 4GB to 8GB. I have ordered the 9 cell battery and am considering the add on "Slice" battery, however they are quite expensive here at around £70.
Thanks for the video! I actually didnt know you could do these upgrades to a laptop and now I really want to give it a try
I just got this model yesterday . It’s so cool in 2017 love
I just ordered mine yesterday t430 and 2020 I love it lol
thank you, I have a 430s I bought and just ordered the keyboard, already have the 4 core with 8 cache (and 16gbs of ram. thanks for the links. I'm looking over my screen now to look at upgrading. thank you
which 4 core did you use, whats the best or highest that the t430 will take
I know I seen some other forums about the ram issue working not working. hopefully you can get down to the bottom of it. thanks for sharing
The keyboard with more grip, aka the anti microbial keyboard the one that you liked is actually the better keyboard for resisting bacteria. Just wanted to let you know.
Love the videos!
Im watching this video on my t430 that came in the mail today, the speakers are amazing (actully came with better screen)
I have the t410s and the damn thing did the same thing with the same brand of RAM.
I had a crucial stick of RAM and it wouldn't POST at all, I pulled a 4GB stick out of my M17x and boom - started right up.
I got the laptop for $15 because it wasn't working, I was so excited when it turned out to just be a weird RAM incompatibility.
does anyone know if there's a limitation of how much RAM could actually be held in there like maybe only 8 gigabytes and you're trying to put in more than it can take I'm just wondering about that cuz I would like my ram to be more but right now I only have 8 gigabytes I have not opened up my computer yet to see if it's two sticks or one but I doubt it I think it's two sticks if you would have had a higher stick in there and might not function maybe that's just part of the configuration of this particular operating layout
I knew it, I was just leaving a comment about how it's probably just a compatibility issues linked to the 2 different brands of ram cards
@@Anjanya1948 He mentions in the video that this laptop supports 16 gb ram, and the new cpu supports 32, so its not that
this video is very educational thank you... keep up the great work.
Hey, just wanted to drop by and say thanks. I'd been looking for a decent used or refurbished laptop to practice Pentesting and other infosec things, and based on your videos you got me looking seriously at the T430.
I ended up finding one on eBay for $190, in really good condition, that came with a 256GB SSD and Windows 10 ( which i need for business), 1600x900 display, and I added a second SSD in the DVD drive to dual boot Kali Linux.
I may add the backbit keyboard, will definitely upgrade to 16GB RAM...but otherwise I'm extremely happy with this model and will probably grab a refurbished T440 down the line that I can run Parot Linux on.
Can't thank you enough for featuring this model as well as talking about other Lenovo's. They are really good refurb deals, and there's plenty of them out there,.
Keep up the good work.
T440 has one slot for ram and a shit touchpad, I have one and its a flimsy slow pc. And the motherboard and wifi card have both been warrantied by Lenovo. Hopefully it lasts for a few more years.
im thinking that its the bios thats maby not upgraded for that processer to use duel channel
2-1/2 years after this video was posted I bought a Thinkpad W520 with near identical
specs to your post-upgrade T430. Cost was about $150, including shipping.
Great vid. I'd love to see one about the T420! (maybe including coreboot and an i7-3740QM if possible)
Hi, I have t430 updated with i7, 16gbs ram, 1080 screen on the way with adapter and SSD. I just need to unlock the bios now. Anyway cool video and thanks for sharing.
Only another thing it could be with the memory - DDR3 SODIMM's can potentially be two different voltages - 1.5 volts and 1.35 volts - if you mixed voltages between the SODIMM's they won't boot in the notebook (it won't pass the power on self test) - and I also realise that this video is now over a year old - so I hope you've now solved your issue :) - Nice Video btw
I have a T60 but I had 2 hard drives go out in 2 weeks with mine and I get keyboard errors stating there is a stuck key but there are no keys that look stuck.
Haha... I was literally JUST ABOUT to comment when you asked for suggestions, "try updating the bios" when you suggested that updating the bios was something that you had looked into. ;)
what command you used in 10:15 to display detailed information about memory modules?
Hey! I just got that laptop! same price to lol. mine has the i5 3320M, 4GB ram, normal battery, and I threw in a 240gb SanDisk SSD. I did a bios update through the lenovo updater and it was seamless, just hit ok and plug it in to the wall! I plan to upgrade to 8GB ram and the backlit keyboard. Also look up 1920x1080 T430 screen mod sometime when you get a chance! great video as always
is there any processor socket type that we considered before we buy a processor?
Ive had mine for 7 years, since 2011, and it’s still banging it’s super fast
Gonna update you there pal.... ever since the Win10... Its now so slow.
@Real_OSHA_Unsafety_Engineer if you dont want it slow, dont use windows and use linux. If you dont want linux, deal with it ig
Got a T430 with a spotless 1600x900 screen and brand new 6 cell genuine battery for ~158$, 2x8GB DDR3L for ~98$ and an i7-3210QM for 65$ shipped on ebay. And it's a really nice machine, especially for 320$, but I always use a dock and a 1080p external monitor at home, because I just cannot stand the crappy TN panel. And just ordered two black friday sale Kingston 480 gig ssds for 70$ a piece, planning on putting them in RAID1.
16GB RAM works without problems? At what frequency?
Hi is it possible to install an 3720qm on this machine? Or on a t440?
According to Lenovo, the best CPU you could buy for that notebook was the i7 3520M. That leads me to believe the CPU you bought is possibly just not compatible with the BIOS/chipset/mobo and lead to that compatibility issue. I have a T430 myself, and I love it! Might snag an i7 for it, just to keep things relevant. Oh, you've got a spare mini-PCI slot underneath the laptop; look into external GPU solutions, they exist! Or maybe an SSD.
How to upgrade processor for Lenovo Thinkpad t440p ?
watching you on my lenovo, great video
I was issued a T430 for work. It is a pretty serviceable machine. I might buy one to be my personal rig.
this comment aged like milk!
@@SKDYCATwhy?
So if you use a slice battery on the bottom of your computer will that affect the cooling of the computer? as you know when a laptop is not on a straight surface it tends to overheat and what I want to know is since I was planning on buying a cooling fan for the bottom of my laptop if I were to purchase the slice and use it that would prohibit me from using the cooling fan correct? Or is there a way around this issue?
Is it just me or do I hear the sound of a macro lens autofocusing whenever you focus the camera?
The 2 sticks of RAM must have the same clock frequency, exactly the same. Great video💨🌻
What dock is that at 0:39? I like my Pro Series 3 but I don't think I'll ever have two DisplayPort or two DVI monitors, so one with a DVI and VGA connector would be good.
can cpu-z detect the new i7 processor? and also all new hardware will be visible in bios? pls help
hi, interesting video, i have got an old thinkpad t430s which has never let me down, has already got 16gb, i need to find out if htis model can produce 4k on my new wacom 4k tablet ? any help please ?
how come some t430 are 2nd gen an some are 3rd gen cpus? are they cross compatible or not?
The OCD in me wants to take a microfiber cloth and some alcohol/water spray to that thing.
I thought the same thing.
how about re-install the i5 and get back your 16gb of ram :) 200 plus score in cpu is it Worth it the loss of a slot?
can we still buy a 9 cell and a backlit keyboard for our t430's ? i live in germany rn and can't find it in stock.
so, hows the update?
im really wait your update about the i7 quad since i had a plan to upgrade my T430 too.
Hey i am looking at getting one of those and was looking up processor options and I was wondering if there was any reason you did not go with the 3612qm that seems to be the best 35w option but was wondering if it was just price and or available at the time and i assume the 45w and 55w would not be an option
So I got a T530i a few days ago. Going to put in the W530 motherboard, FHD display, 32GB RAM, 9-cell battery and i7-3940XM. Wish me luck!
I have Lenovo ThinkPad t430 but the bios is lock is it possible to upgrade the processor
what car is that with the solar roof
is it possible to switch the T430 keyboard to T420 ver.?
i'd like to ask something for you
you just replace teh Processor core i5 to processor core i7? without chaching everything?
if i just have Memory RAM 4 GB 2 stick, it can be use in Processor core i7?
did you fix the RAM issue? I had problems upgrading to DDR3 non L on a laptop, I returned the DDR3 and picked up a DDR3L instead (low voltage .. 1.35v) and worked..
How did you bring up that screen with the system specs in MATE?
whats the best thinkpad to get for lite gaming and notes and some work(rendering, blender)
i don't need the best battery.
i have a i5 t410i at the moment or should i just upgrade
Lets see how many times you can say eBay in the course of one video. Ok. seriously I like your videos. I have a T430 refurb. Its my favorite laptop. I used to work on IBM Thinkpads back in 1999.
would these same parts like i7 and ram work with the l520?
is it possible to upgrade the graphics for this model?
Is the heatsink enough for a cpu with double the core? How about battery life change?
I love your videos they’re really a great do you have any upgrade videos of the T420
can the addons you put on your computer work for a Lenovo t440?
i like how your office is setup then
Did you try cleaning the pads on the base of the CPU? it would only take one dirty one not making contact to knock out a memory slot.
ive replaced the screen on these thinkpads before. it is actually easier to replace the panel, not the whole lid
Most of these upgrades were marginal and not really worth it too. 5% better score in synthetics and an HD to HD+ panel instead of FHD, just don't make sense to me.
See: www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Replacing_T430_screen_with_a_better_one
i happen to own a thinkpad t530, and my dad dropped it, so i took the
opportunity to upgrade it to a FHD panel. the procedure for replacing
the screen on the t530 is the same as on the t430. I also posted the original comment as a tip to people who are considering doing similar upgrades on their thinkpads
Hey I have an ThinkPad e530 :D
Thanks, because that's what I'd like to do but was wondering if that would work.
Does the back lit keyboard compatible with the t420?
The T430S in 2023 is very cheap on Ebay now! This laptop I am typing on has the 3rd generation i5, (fast enough for me), 16 GB RAM, 250 GB SSD, DVD Drive, screen perfect, Charger, Battery still holds a little charge. With Zorin OS, 16.2 Core, I can do everything I need!
One can get those newer flat keyboard laptops, no panels for the RAM and Hard Drive, no DVD drive, i3, 8 GB RAM, 250 SSD for $399, Windows 11, (and we have a few), yet I am liking this laptop better that those, and it is over 12 years old!
How would a Lenovo B480 do for basic productivity? I'm at school and need one to hold me over for the year. What can I upgrade in it? I also want to try Sony Vegas on it, so how would that do?
I found it for $70 dollars, (2012 model) and I thought it was pretty good for 4GB DDR3 RAM.
Inspiring vid for this old guy. Just got a refurbed T430 to replace wife's WinXP Satellite.
She'll never need more than the 8G but --- one thing came to mind about that slot mystery vis a vis the BIOS idea was the old Pentium criteria about memory bus speed. Probably a dinosaur of a suggestion since I am sure you matched the speed and parity specs.
My big question though is whether or not you think the display change made a noticeable enough difference, for say, just plain old Photoshop tasks.
Guessing that the Intel graphics is integrated. Would be nice to swap in a new card and run external monitor over 1600*900.
Also appreciate the eBay refs. Very inspiring and motivating indeed.
Thanks in advance.
Hi, I am about to do that. When you watch 4k video at 60fps on YT, how much cpu usage do you get?
I was wondering if the t430 will be able to use the quad core i7 2670qm
Just ran across this video so possibly you've worked thru all your issues by now. I have done similar upgrades in T4/520 4/530 laptops with no issues. Re: your one DIMM slot not working after your upgrades (if it worked before) my #1 culprit would be incompatible RAM. I try to use the same brand when installing multiple DIMMs, but not critical. I haven't run into this issue personally. I have run into one issue (on a single laptop). I replaced a bad screen with a known good 1600x900 screen but it starts becoming distorted. This clears up with an external monitor connected to the VGA slot. When disconnected from the VGA becomes distorted again. I was wondering if you or any of your subscribers had any solutions for this issue? Thanks.
hi good afternoon, it pays to exchange an i5 3320 for an i7 3632, i have a lenovo t430 and i want to do the big up?
Does it become hot or have any problem after upgrade the cpu?
Dual core cpu has the TDP of 35W and quad core is 45W.
I'm wondering if i could upgrade my Acer 4749z with i7 2620M to i7 2720QM
which OS good for programming?
ubuntu or ubuntu mate or any others.
please replay...
What about the backlit keyboard replacement? You didn't say anything about it, did it worked? I'm willing to change mine non-backlit to a backlit version. The connections are the same?
hows the battery life with this setup? and temps on i7?
What i have found with the T430's RAM slots is that with me it only accepts two of the same brand and frequency, if your still using this AA try two identical sticks :) hope that helped.
When doing an upgrade of memory or CPU I always remove the bios battery for at least 24 hours prior to installing the upgrade, when it's finished I put the battery back in, works all the time.
please show us how you have upgraded the laptop
Nice idea !
i need your help brother, i have two lenovo t430, the other one has a screen back light problem or failure, by trying to fix it i have replaced the inverter but still same results. And the other thinkpad refuses to accept several i5, i3 core processors that i have tried, it just does not show up on the screen my RAM slots are both working properly.
Mboyisa Senzontlahla The backlight not working the probably the result of a blown backlight fuse on the motherboard. I personally accidentally blown the fuse on mine by replacing the screen without taking the battery out.
I just bought a T430 as my first Thinkpad and I have a feeling that it won't be my last one lol.
I just picked up a t410 i5 8gb and 250gb ssd. I got it for free. In great shape and I got a dock and 2 charging cables.
I have aT520, I connected to a 24 inch TV, but it runs slow even though I have a SSD. Why you think it runs slow, not enough ram? Graphics card?
Have tried resetting the BIOS to defaults first? I've had that issue with my DELL E6220 with a ram upgrade initially. Resetting to defaults then setting the BIOS back up worked.
Yup, that was the first thing I tried XD
Is it possible to do this for the T420? Mainly upgrading cpu,display,etc. I have an i5,8gb ram,ssd
Can you please make a guide on getting the most optimal power management on your thinkpad ? This is the only reason i'm still using windows on my laptop at the moment...
Do you think this laptop would he too bulky to take to school?
Can the backlit keyboard be used on T420?
Hi, i would like to know where to download the drivers for my Lenovo Thinkpad T430!
Thanks
Just google it, I think it may be on lenovo's website
Is there a website or page that has a cross reference for a Lenovo Edge E535? I need to replace the track pad. I already have a replacement keyboard. I upped the RAM to 16GB. I would also like to upgrade the CPU to an AMD A8 quad core. Thanks, & good choice on the replacement battery. Not worried about a high end screen
If you could suggest all the parts for a modest $1500 PC build.
Looks like a all around good laptop :D
Has anyone actually been able to install an IPS display panel in a T430? I've read plenty of stuff online about it but nobody seems to have the parts for sale etc. The LCD is pretty bad, even with the HD+ model. I upgraded mine to the "Alienware" screen but it's still not great. Cheers
I have t430 with the NVIDIA GPU can i upgrade CPU from an i5 to i7 3632qm?
Can you upgrade the CPU on the t440?
Great work . Is it possible to swap old vintage motherboard by a new modren will keboard and screen works will it connect to modren motherboard or do they need adapter ot something else for example thinkpad 701c could be upgraded with modren motherboard?!
Where'd you get the T60 for $10? I can only find them for $50 or more
Is it possible to have a gpu upgrade on t430?
How would you compare the t430 vs t440p in terms of upgrades? Thanks