[JJHCRazor]

Hey guys,

SOrry for my computer ignorance, but anout 6 months ago i purchased a computer and I have been upgrading it slowly over that time.
I have upgraded to corsair XMS3 DDR ram and put in a Gigabyte GTX460 Graphics card, and now I am looking at upgrading the CPU.

Just wanting to find out how easy it would be to do?

I currently have an AMD Phenom X2 Black ED 3.2g Dual Core, but i want to upgrade to one of their newer ones. Its running off a GIGABYTE MA74GMT motherboard if that makes any difference.

 

[TwoCables]

Aside from the physical labor, it'll be very easy. It won't require you to reinstall Windows or anything like that either.

 

[pzyko80]

yea it should be cake just make sure the chip you get is supported by your motherboard and you should be golden. good luck

 

[Concorde105]

For the sake of you, your CPU, and your mobo, don't use anything higher than 95 watt TDP - even 95 watt is pushing it. The VRMs are 3+1.

I have that mobo. The VRMs get HOT. If you want, for example, a Phenom II X4 or X6, upgrade the mobo.

You should probably get a Bulldozer-compatible mobo though, since that comes out this summer. Wait a bit for upgrading your CPU.

 

[rocker22dallas]

so its a phenom II? you could get a quad core phenom II and that would be a good upgrade. all it requires is removing the heatsync, then lifting the lever and taking out the cpu, then replacing it with the new one, lowering the lever, then just use the stock heatsync andthermal paste if you don't plan on overclocking.

 

[TwoCables]

You mean "heatsink", right?

 

[JJHCRazor]

Thanks for all the help guys, just read the thread about VRM's too which leads me to thinking i should upgrade the mobo at the same time.

I have been looking at either a Gigabyte GA-890FXA UD5/7 or the Asus CROSSHAIR-IV FORMULA AMD, but i can't seem to find any VRM info on them. From the photos i have found the Asus seems to be an 8+2, but not sure about the Gigabyte.

I will be sticking with an AMD Phenom CPU for now, most likely an X6, seems you can pick them up fairly cheap at the moment as well, and seems they will go down even more when the Bulldozer comes out, so i might hold off until then.

 

[xd_1771]

You probably don't need a chipset that high end

Check the link in my sig: AMD Motherboard VRM info. Me and another compiled this to make it easy to get details about VRMs, phase count, MOSFET quality, etc.

I recommend an 870 motherboard for your purpose, good features and good for overclocking; the only difference of anything above is better CrossfireX and iGP, so 890GX if you need CrossfireX for a majority of video cards, and 890FX for tri-fire and/or crossfire with really high end cards that get bottlenecked by 8x PCI-E.

There are motherboards out there on AM3 that have been claimed experimentally AM3+ (Bulldozer) compatible. Look for high end ASUS motherboards such as the M4A89GTD PRO (USB3) and Crosshair IV Formula. AM3+ boards out soon too.
You may wish to upgrade motherboard now only, and processor later. You could also try unlocking your processor to 4 cores in the meantime (but on a better motherboard, that Gigabyte 740G won't do it safely)

 

[JJHCRazor]

Thanks for the help mate.

So a Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 will support a Phenom II 1100T Black Ed as it is ony a 125W cpu?

Are there any options above the 1100T (excluding the bulldozer) or would this be the best one for the job?

Sorry for all the questions

 

[xd_1771]

That should be good... i don't recommend the 1100T for most though, I say the $25 price premium is not worth it over a 1090T
And as I said, wait for buying the top end CPU until AMD FX-Series ("Bulldozer") is out.... unless you have a lot of money

 

[JJHCRazor]

Well i managed to pick up a GA-890FXA UD5 for the same price as a GA-870A-UD3 from a mate, so will be swapping my existing gear onto that and into a Thermaltake V9 case in the next few days.

If it ends up that the Bulldozer isnt compatible with this board, ill upgrade to a higher end Phenom II and leave it until the bulldozers are cheaper. Thanks alot for all the help