Help with my processor please

[rightseater 0]

Hi all,This computer illiterate really needs some help, and hopefully fast before the sale at CompUSA ends tomorrow. I have a computer that I use alongside my gaming rig for other applications while I'm simming, such as charts. I decided to upgrade my processor tonight, but between all the folks at Best Buy and all the folks at CompUSA, none of them seemed to know the first thing about processors. The original processor was an AMD dual core 2.5 socket AM2. I upgraded that to an AMD Phenom II 3.1 X2 550 socket AM3, and it works fine. But everyone at the stores I went to tonight tells me that is not possible for that backwards compatibility, but I know for a fact that the processor that came with the computer was a socket AM2 because it says so right on the front of it, and I know that the one I replaced it with is a socket AM3 because I'm staring at the box right now. So since they don't know anything at those stores, now I don't know what I can upgrade to. Do I have to stick with a dual core, or can I go to a quad or six core? I saw a dual core 3.5 AM3, a quad core 3.5 AM3 and a six core 3.4 AM3. I believe my motherboard model is ASUS RS780HVF, and it's in an Acer Aspire M3201. I appreciate any help you all can throw at me because I don't know the first thing about this stuff.

[dazz 69]

It's an AM2+ socket motherboard obviously, but that doesn't mean any AM3 CPU will work. Some mobos will not run CPU's with too high of a TDP. Your PII x2 has a TDP of 80W while most Phenom II x4 are 125W. I'll see what else I can find in the interweb

[rightseater 0]

It's an AM2+ socket motherboard obviously, but that doesn't mean any AM3 CPU will work. Some mobos will not run CPU's with too high of a TDP. Your PII x2 has a TDP of 80W while most Phenom II x4 are 125W. I'll see what else I can find in the interweb

Yea, I think I'm starting to understand a little better now. I just found the book that came with my motherboard and it said 95W, though I could have read that wrong since you noted 80W. Either way, that only allows me dual cores from what I could find since all the quads and higher were 125W and up. I'm not sure if I'm quite up to being brave enough to change out my motherboard. I'm worried I won't put something back right and I'll be out another computer.

[dazz 69]

Phenom II x4 940. It's an AM2 quad with a 95W TDPSorry, that's wrong, that's also a 125W CPU apparently. There are some 955 95W but those are not easy to find

Edited March 18, 2011 by dazz

[rightseater 0]

Phenom II x4 940. It's an AM2 quad with a 95W TDP

Just saw that searching the web. But now I think I gave the wrong motherboard info. The one I listed came with the computer, but it was replaced, at least I thought it was, and I don't know where to find out which model it is.......re: computer illiterate. Since I currently have a 3.1 GHz dual core, will I lose performance going to a 2.6 quad core? I'm so stupid about this stuff that I'm thinking I might just have to take the whole computer into the store and just tell them to upgrade it........or, can I just change the motherboard and slap an I7 in it? That's what my gaming rig has, and it runs nice.

[dazz 69]

Ok, if you're unsure about what mobo it is, download and run this little tool: CPU-Z . Click the "Mainboard" tab and post a screenieGoing for a quad you mean an Athlon II x4? I wouldn't do that to be honest.You would need to change many things probably to run an I7. The RAM needs to be DDR3, your PSU may not be enough, what are your PSU specs BTW?

[rightseater 0]

Ok, if you're unsure about what mobo it is, download and run this little tool: CPU-Z . Click the "Mainboard" tab and post a screenieGoing for a quad you mean an Athlon II x4? I wouldn't do that to be honest.You would need to change many things probably to run an I7. The RAM needs to be DDR3, your PSU may not be enough, what are your PSU specs BTW?

My PSU is a 2000 watt X3 ATX, which replaced the stock 500 watt the computer came with. Going to go run that program now to see what I've got under the hood.

[dazz 69]

2000W ?!?!?!? :Hypnotized: hahaha. You can power the whole neighbourhood with that

[rightseater 0]

Here you go. I guess I was right about the board the first time, and you are right about the 80W and the DDR2. I think I'll just junk this one and buy another computer already built to go along with my gaming rig.Oops, I was looking at the wrong PSU box. The 2000 watt is in my other computer. This one is a 1000 watt.P.S. Thanks for the help. You probably just saved me from wasting a lot of money on a useless processor.

[dazz 69]

Well, the 80W is the TDP of that Phenom II x2 of yours, it doesn't mean it won't take a 95W CPU.You could get a Phenom II x3 but it runs at 2.8GHz. You get an extra core but lose 300MHz. Not worth it reallyA 95W x4 like the 945 or the 95W revision of the 955 should also work, but it's not like double the cores, double the performance in all cases. It depends on what you'll be using it for.

[rightseater 0]

Well, the 80W is the TDP of that Phenom II x2 of yours, it doesn't mean it won't take a 95W CPU.You could get a Phenom II x3 but it runs at 2.8GHz. You get an extra core but lose 300MHz. Not worth it reallyA 95W x4 like the 945 or the 95W revision of the 955 should also work, but it's not like double the cores, double the performance in all cases. It depends on what you'll be using it for.

It's just to sit alongside my gaming computer for me to use to pull up charts, surf the web while I'm simming, and stuff like that. However, since I dedicated my gaming rig to FSX only, I've been using this one for some other games, and I found that it performs well, but I'd like a little more horsepower under the hood. But if I try to change a motherboard, there's about a 100% chance that the computer won't work when I plug it back in since my expertise in computers is limited to playing solitaire. So I think I'm just going to buy a second gaming rig and use my laptop for my charts.

[dazz 69]

Well, actually to change the CPU you will most likely need to unplug everything and take the mobo out of the case. And if you can afford it, yes, get a new gaming rig. Something with a I5 2500, an H67 board and 4GB of 1333MHz CL7 DDR3 RAM + a Fermi GPU (I take it overclocking is out of the question)

[rightseater 0]

Well, actually to change the CPU you will most likely need to unplug everything and take the mobo out of the case. And if you can afford it, yes, get a new gaming rig. Something with a I5 2500, an H67 board and 4GB of 1333MHz CL7 DDR3 RAM + a Fermi GPU (I take it overclocking is out of the question)

Yea, I saw a whole row of I5's and I7's at CompUSA tonight, and I nearly picked one up, but decided to chime in on the forums first. The gaming rig I use for FSX was custom built by a shop down in Daytona, and they did a very nice job, but they moved out of state, so I'll need to find another place if I want another custom built machine.I'm not opposed to overclocking, mostly because I've got a great cooling system in my case and I don't really care about this computer. If it blows up tomorrow, I'd just toss it in the garbage and move on. The problem is that I know less than zero about overclocking. I tried it once before on my old Compaq, and I ended up messing it up pretty bad. I was told I tried for too much too fast. I'd give it another shot, but I would need to study up on the subject first. To be honest, this computer really isn't that terrible. I used to use it for FSX, and it performed just fine with the type of flying I mostly did. But it's starting to show it's age, and a lot of the new games want a little more muscle to keep the stutters away. I thought that maybe I could upgrade my video card for a little boost, but I wouldn't know where to begin, or if it would be any notable improvement.

[dazz 69]

That Acer mobo won't allow any OC whatsoever, just like any OEM board. I was talking about OCing the new I5. What I would do is to replace your current I7 FSX rig with the new I5 2500 one, as it will be faster, and maybe canibalize some parts from your current Phenom & I7 rigs.Can you post the complete specs of both rigs? You can use CPU-Z for the I7 one too, and also the cases and cooling systems of both of them please. The brand & model of the PSUs would also help, but it looks like you have nothing to worry about in that regard with 2000 & 1000W LOL