Welcome to the Dell Community @jben01 

First an SSD and fresh OS install.

Second would be the CPU or memory depending on the amount of money you can afford???

CPU: Core i7-3632QM

It has the same TPM and is Quad-Core.

https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Core_i5_Mobile/i5-3380M_(PGA).html

Memory:

2x8GB=16GB total.

Try to make sure they are a matching pair.

https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/dell/latitude-e6430#memory

Best regards,

U2

Thanks U2CAMEB4ME

Do you feel like the cpu and ram upgrades will make the video that much better?  I mean is there even a video card upgrade available or is it onboard video only?

thanks for the reply.

@jben01 

Not that much you can do about the video.

There are a few system boards that have discrete Nvidia???

Hard to say what the difference is because they do not describe the specs of the GPU???

https://www.parts-people.com/index.php?action=category&id=140&subid=410&refine=motherboard

Regards,

U2

My E6430 has the i5-2520M CPU. According to the same table if I want to upgrade to i7 4 cores CPU I will have to go for the i7-2715QE which has TPM of 45W instead of 35W of my current CPU. Is it possible to upgrade to this i7 without problems?

No.  Even if the system recognizes that CPU -- which in itself is doubtful -- it will overheat.

Welcome to the Dell Community @gehageh 

Check your CPU or laptop model???

An E6430 is a 6xxx series, x4xx 14" LCD, and xx3x third gen CPU

No matter, you run the risk of over heating.

I have upgraded some E6420 XFR's to a CPU with a 45W TDP and the fan would run 2-3 times as often as it should.

They worked as a test but we never sold any of them.

It was not worth the risk.

Best regards,

U2

thank you. It seems that the refurbished laptop was originally with a 3rd gen CPU and the refurb. has put this CPU which comes from a 6320.

I have dell letitude e6430

It is i5 3rd gen(Core(TM) i5-3210M)

I want to upgrade it cpu  i7-3940xm

It is support In this or not