AMD CPU Upgrade Help

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thunderclap

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Feb 10, 2014
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I picked up a Dell Inspiron 546 and want to make it into a HTPC. I installed Windows 7 SP1 on it, a TV tuner card, and would like to use it as a DVR using Windows Media Center as well as install Plex to house and stream my other video content. It's a pretty low powered system: AMD Athlon 64 LE-1660 @ 2.8GHz (Socket AM2 (940)), 2GB RAM, and onboard ATI Radeon HD 3200 for graphics. I know this won't hold up for 1080p recording or streaming. My initial thought was getting a dedicated GPU but I'm not sure a single core CPU will be able to handle recording the OTA HD signal, nor will it be able to transcode 1080p properly.

So my question is will a CPU upgrade be enough, or will I need a new graphics card too? Any recommendations? I'm on a very tight budget so I don't want to sink a lot of money into this system.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.
 
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thunderclap

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Feb 10, 2014
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You'll have to forgive me since I'm not as knowledgable about AMD as I am Intel. So the motherboard I have, according to CPU-Z, has an AM2 socket. I know they don't produce AM2 CPU's anymore, but it is my understanding that I can use an AM3 or AM3+ CPU in this socket. Is that correct? So one of these chips (Newegg link) would work?
 
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laviniuc

laviniuc

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Nov 29, 2013
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the pins fit for every amd socket after am2 but the new am3+ (fx) cpu-s don't support ddr2 ram. phenom II are the last cpu-s to feature a dual mode (ddr2 or ddr3 based on motherboard) integrated ram controller. they work on am2+ and am3 sockets.

phenom II/athlon II had also a higher power requirement / voltage regulators compared to the first generation athlons so they don't "officially" support am2 boards. but the boards that were built well have been found to work with them. i am hoping your dell board is one of these.

the safe choice is a phenom/ahtlon x2/x4 xxxx/xxxx series am2 socket cpu even if used
 
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Kisianik

Kisianik

Splendid
Jan 24, 2013
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You have Dell - not all rules are to apply here. What ever will be backward compatible with regular AM2 motherboard, most likely would not with Dell AM2 motherboard!

Give me some time and you will get an answer. Mean time, get CPUZ and check for sure which MOBO you have, I think you have AM2+ not AM2 - big difference for Dell.
 
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Osoclocker69

Osoclocker69

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Jan 12, 2014
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If you are on a tight budget I would recommend the new AMD A10 apu's. They have really great performance even when it comes to intergrated graphics power in very intensive games like Bf4.

But since you have an Am2 socket then I really don't know what good options you have.
 
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