Upgrading CPU

[Raptor]

How do I check the compatibility of my Motherboard with new CPU's. This is not my area of expertise, currently I have a Intel Dual Core 2. Asus PCI-E SLI motherboard. Basically I want to know what is the best CPU I can get? I don't want to spend $1,000 for an Intel XEON, but assume those would not be compatible anyway.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[Bizman]

• Find out the manufacturer and model of your motherboard
• Either Google for "[manufacturer] [model] CPU support", or
• Go directly to the manufacturer's site, look into "products" or "support" for your model.
• After finding your motherboard's product site, look for "CPU support"

[guncrasher]

raptore that sounds like a brand name puter you bought.  which brand is it?  hp? Hewlett Packard?



semp

[morfiend]

 Raptor,

  soundd like it's a socket 775,most  dual core cpu by intel are.  I have the same and it's a dead end in upgradeability.  I think the E8500 is the best cpu in that format.

  If you post the model of asus MB you have that would help alot.




   

[Raptor]

raptore that sounds like a brand name puter you bought.  which brand is it?  hp? Hewlett Packard?



semp

Actually I built this rig.

My Motherboard is an Asus P5N-E SLI

Looks like you are right about the E8500, that is about what I was looking at getting. Currently I have 1.86 Ghz, so this is a welcome upgrade.

Thanks for the help.

[Drano]

Quick search on EBay for E8500 CPUs yielded this:   http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=intel+e8500+processor&_frs=1&_sop=15&_trksid=p3286.c0.m359

I've bought a few P4s from there when I was trying to wring as much as I could out of my old rig. They all worked FWIW. I even snagged an engineering sample unlocked P4 for like 35 bucks. Took that one to just short of 3.9 on air. Still couldn't keep up with AH but that was only a single core CPU.

[Raptor]

Right now I can run AH on full everything without a problem, but AH isn't the most graphically advanced game I am running.

[Bizman]

The fastest choices seem to be a Core 2 Extreme QX6850 or an E8600 depending on how many cores you want, if I read the specs right. This Asus table gives you all alternatives.