Upgrade Service was a service offered by Intel allowing specific models to be upgraded via software. The service was introduced in late September 2010 with Westmere and was later expanded with Sandy Bridge in 2011. The service was discontinued in 2013.

Compatible models

Only a handful of models could be upgraded via this service:

Compatible Model			Post-Upgrade Model
Model	Frequency	Cache	Model	Frequency	Cache
Core i3-2312M	2.1 GHz	3 MiB	Core i3-2393M	2.5 GHz	4 MiB
Core i3-2332M			Core i3-2394M
Core i3-2102	3.1 GHz	3 MiB	Core i3-2153	3.6 GHz	3 MiB
Pentium G622	2.6 GHz	3 MiB	Pentium G693	3.2 GHz	3 MiB
Pentium G632			Pentium G694
Pentium G6951			Pentium G6952

Additionally, those models can only be upgraded with:

• 6 Series Chipsets (Cougar Point)
• 5 Series Chipsets (Ibex Peak)

Mechanism

Upgrade could be done by purchasing a scratch-off card from a store such as Best Buy. A software was then required to be installed which requires the code on the card to be activated.