Potential CPU Upgrade

[yzmxer608]

I've been thinking about my system lately (in my signature). Hard drives are fine, gpu is fine (could oc it if I want to, might eventually), RAM is fine (3 gb), motherboard can't oc, and processor isn't bad, but I would like to OC it.

Since my motherboard (well, the BIOS) doesn't have the ability to overclock, the only way I'm going to get more performance there (besides OS tweaks) is by getting a better processor. Now I don't know if I will get one in the near future, if at all. But I was just wondering what would be a good possible upgrade.

Here are my mobo specs: Motherboard Specifications, M2N68-LA (Narra3)*
Here is my power supply: http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?id=NjU=

Since the socket is AM2+, I searched the Egg with AM2+ socket type as a parameter. I got: Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,CPUs / Processors,Processors - Desktops,Socket AM2+

The one that caught my eye was Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X4 940 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor - Processors - Desktops.

You might ask why don't I just get a new motherboard then have the ability to oc? I thought most prebuilts have mobo designs built to that specific computer? Or am I wrong?

I just mainly want to know:
1. Could my current motherboard and psu handle the load of a newer, faster processor?
2. Is that Phenom II Black Edition a worthy upgrade?

Thanks in advance .

 

[Nubbleet]

1. I would assume so if the CPU is compatible with the Mobo.
2. Yes you would notice a performance increase.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

You might ask why don't I just get a new motherboard then have the ability to oc?

I would

I thought most prebuilts have mobo designs built to that specific computer? Or am I wrong?

you are.

I've never really been a fan of small system upgrades. As your rig gets older and older you'll keep spending more and more trying to keep it patched up and ready to take on the next monster game.

Your PSU is a good one, unfortunate that it's only got 44A max on the 12v rails which will limit the gfx power you can have.
The mobo is def getting a little old though, especially in terms of memory and cpu support. imo it'd be better for you to wait a little longer, say a couple more months, and then buy a new rig. Something that'll last you a few years, in the end you'll be saving. You'll be able to sell your old rig too if you want, that's kinda what I do when I upgrade (sell off parts from my old rig).

 

[yzmxer608]

That's news about the motherboard fitting in pre-built cases .

Thanks for the help you two, I think I'll go with phIRE's idea and wait a few more months to upgrade. Plus a lot of new stuff is coming out (7, the new/upgraded Intel processors, next generation of gpu's, hopefully price drops in ssd's).

 

[Nubbleet]

Yea. Waiting is a good idea. I'm waiting for the nvidia 3xx series .

 

[philbar71]

That's news about the motherboard fitting in pre-built cases .

Thanks for the help you two, I think I'll go with phIRE's idea and wait a few more months to upgrade. Plus a lot of new stuff is coming out (7, the new/upgraded Intel processors, next generation of gpu's, hopefully price drops in ssd's).

yep, it's best to hold off now and wait, cause the new lga 1156 stuff is coming out in the first week of September. and that will probably be in your price range and easily outperform the PII's

 

[yzmxer608]

Thanks I'll be sure to read all the news about the 1156 stuff when it comes out.

I'm hoping to build a new system (would be my first fully custom system, 3rd computer overall) in the winter sometime (well, if the parents let me ).

 

[yzmxer608]

Well I started thinking again.... I'm most likely going to get a new heatsink for my 9800GT, so I was just checking to see if I wanted to get anything else at the same time. My mobo and cpu came up in my mind again. I don't necessarily want to build a complete new system just yet, I think a couple upgrades would be fine for me for now. Now that I know I might be able to get another motherboard that fits in my case (micro atx so they don't seem too expensive) I'm playing with the idea of maybe getting a new motherboard and cpu heatsink, then seeing what I can get out of my processor.

I guess what I'm asking (again sorta hehe) is would it be worth doing a few small upgrades like this for now? Maybe in another 3/4 of a year or so I would be ready to build a complete new system. I don't really need one right now, plus prices will drop even more by then. Maybe I'm just confusing myself...

 

[S0ULphIRE]

Depends on how much the parts are going to cost you.
If you can get them on the cheap then yeah, a small upgrade while you wait is not such a bad idea.

 

[yzmxer608]

I think I could get a new motherboard fairly cheap, only needs really are 4 memory slots, a pci-x16 slot, and am2+ socket, something like this: Newegg.com - ASUS M3N78-VM AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 8200 HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - AMD Motherboards Then a am2+ cpu heatsink which isn't too expensive.

Think I might end up going this route, maybe .