updating my cpu

[The_Lyrics]

hello, once again. here to ask you guys about updating my cpu.
im currently running a amd athlon 64 x2 4600+(am2 slot)
with a motherboard of asus m2a-vm with the bios update of 1705, ive been reading in different forums with a bios update(which i have never done) to 5001, you can run some amd quad core cpu which im looking forward to upgrading sometime before the end of the year.
the AMD Athlon II X4 635 Quad Core Processor ive read that someone was able to make it work.
ive also never installed a cpu before, and im kinda on debate wither i want to do it myself or not.
is this a good solution or are there any alternatives?

yeah, any ideas, or recommendations would be gladly appreciated.
i wouldn't mind getting a intel processor, but im not in the mood to swap put my motherboard, mainly because of the wiring involved with the led lights, reset button and what not.

 

[patonb]

I'd do the cpu swap... A quad core will be a nice update for multitasking.

Switching cpus is quite easy, depending on your heatsink, and for a mobo swap, the light/button plugs is the easy part..

 

[Trotter]

CPU swap is a piece of cake. Remove the heatsink, lift the retention lever and remove the CPU, drop in the new one, put down the lever, apply thermal paste, remount heatsink.

i wouldn't mind getting a intel processor, but im not in the mood to swap put my motherboard, mainly because of the wiring involved with the led lights, reset button and what not.

Just work in reverse to put everything back in. The connectors for your front switches are labeled, BTW... just match them up with the configuration in the mobo's manual.

But why go Intel? You are always looking for the best deal, so why would you spend that kind of extra dosh?

 

[The_Lyrics]

sounds easy enough.
i might as well just do a cpu swap and a bios upgrade(any good links that show step by step.) to save me money, which i really need to do.
any recommendations in cpu that could work with my asus m2a vm.
as mention before quad core, would it really matter on how much ghz it runs at? looking at around 100 to 150 max. If theres something alot better ill dish out an extra 50 bucks.

 

[patonb]

Search youtube... PLENTY of good videos.

I don't know the cpu question though.

 

[Slaymate]

The procedure for updating your bios varies from mobo to mobo but it's usually quite easy. There should be some directions for updating your mobo on the Asus website. You want to update your bios before you change the cpu

 

[The_Lyrics]

after tons of researching, I've narrowed it down to either a athlon II x4 635 or 640 which will work with my current mobo with a bios update.
anyone else have any recommendations/feed back would be great.

another quick question. i know i wont get the maximum potential out of my cpu(am i correct on this?) when i swap it out since my HT link wont change from my original 1000 Mhz to 2000 Mhz
are there any other downfalls in doing this? anything that could lower the performance?