It Can Be Possible to Upgrade Your Laptop CPU and/or GPU
This might be a "No shit, Sherlock" post for many of you, but people always seem to be asking about it and getting told that they can't do anything about it, so I wanted to share how I have upgraded several laptops for myself as well as friends and family, and when I worked in a computer repair store.
Most of the time you are locked in to whatever you have because it is soldered to the board. Chips are soldered in place. I used to encounter interchangeable CPUs, but it has been a while since I've seen one. Here's the thing that I think the average person doesn't consider when they're thinking of how to upgrade: You can possibly replace the entire motherboard with a different model.
Most laptops are not a one-off model. They share a chassis with several different models. If you happened to get one of the lower models, you can probably swap to a better model, and at relatively respectable price.
Times are tough. Not a lot of people can afford new laptops. I have people that are running laptops from a decade ago or more. One of mine is from 2018, and it still serves me just as well for what I need it for. Actually better than when it was new. It started as a Windows 10 laptop with 8GB of RAM, Intel integrated graphics, and an i5, and now it is a Linux (not a necessity, but if you are just using it for web and clerical, I highly recommend) laptop with 20GB of RAM, Nvidia graphics with 2GB VRAM, and an i7. The cost for this upgrade was about $50. If you aren't averse to doing the work to do this, it can be done.
Look at your model number. Search that on ebay and look for the motherboard. Search your model year and name. You should see several variations either way. Start typing your model into Google. Google will auto complete multiple numbers usually (Like an IdeaPad 330 15ARX might have a dozen or more variations). Start searching for the unchanged part of the model number (in this case, "IdeaPad 330", or "IdeaPad 330 15") as well as individual numbers. When you find models that share the same board pattern, you should easily be able to recognize that they will fit your device. You can also cross reference the case bottom/top where the boards mount, and find that they are actually the same part across the models. Make sure it will work with you existing hardware as well (touch vs non-touch screens, drives, RAM, same I/O as your case, heatsinks/fans). You can also search Alibaba/Express.
You have to do some research, but if you find a board that can give you a significant upgrade, you might be able to do it at a low overall cost. I have even done this at no cost or made money doing it. You were just going to watch AI-generated 10-second videos all day anyway. May as well use that time for something productive.
Now you will need some money upfront, and you will need to do the required legwork, but what you do is find a good option for the motherboard, and compare the cost of that to the cost of an exact replacement motherboard. Don't limit yourself to just motherboards. You may be able to find broken laptops with working boards as well (which could net you more parts). In my case the difference was about $30, and the motherboard I bought was from a 17" laptop while mine was only a 15" (same size boards). Buy the motherboard. Swap them.
Just a little side note that you may not be able to just plug your drive back in and start it up. You may need to do a fresh install of your OS (I always do this). Prepare by saving your data/cloning your drive, etc. before you do any of this stuff. Also, during the swap is a good time to make sure you have new thermal paste and cooling pads in place, clean fans, etc.
Take pictures of your old motherboard and put it in the same box your new one came in. Put up for sale on eBay (just copy a good existing listing), undercutting everyone, and recoup your money when it sells. There is obviously a waiting period that is not very definable here, but you can look at ebay sold items and get an idea on how long, and at what price to sell your motherboard. No worries on how to pack it as you already had everything you needed to ship it. Also, remember that ebay takes their big cut when you sell, and you have to pay to ship. Be prepared.
I have done this so many times over the past several years, and it has been a great way to extend the life and definitely the power of devices. I have even done it to make money buying and selling laptops as a side hustle. It will obviously be more beneficial to some than others, as newer (or ancient) laptops might not have as many options or might be cost-prohibitive. If you have a gaming laptop, you will need a lot more money upfront. Also, if you got exhausted reading this, just buy a new laptop. Some of us like to tinker. Some of us like to be frugal. Some of us don't have a choice.