lucky7 :
My specs
System Model: Dell XPS720
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E6850 @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS
2GB Ram
I'm pretty I should have upgraded a while ago,but haven't yet.I use my PC for gaming mainly.
Hi lucky7
...For a start what do you mean by upgrading,some people use this term to buy a totally new PC
...Anyway I think your PC is O.K. to keep as a spare one on the side
...You never know what can happen to a future PC
...I have PC's that can use this cpu that you have with the LGA775 socket number...In fact I still have 3 E6850's left over to use in total
...Two have been in other PC's and one is still in a sealed box
...Now to get to it,if your using the term upgrade like adding some new sticks of ram or a new processor
...Or are thinking of buying an OEM system built or even making your own,which is a better idea to do then the former within the context of this one sentence
...First of all to mention upgrades
...You do not need to go to the manufacturer of this OEM built PC for parts as if you do,these parts will cost more
...Check Dells site out to find out what cpu's and gpu's you can upgrade to,since they should have the bios downloads for you to use
...When you find out then you can go online to see if any of those parts that you choose are still available to purchase
...Not only go to normal online stores,but also try eBay and use your own phone book to find out the stock and prices from your local area where you live
...As for parts that I would advise you to use if you can upgrade to them (I am writing it this way as I do not want to do a whole lot of research for you
) are for cpu's the E8600 @ 3.33 GHz dual core with 6 Mb of Cache and is the highest dual core cpu in MHz in the LGA775 range...If you can not go that far up because of Dells bios updates then try the E8500 @ 3.16 GHz,there is one more also,but it is 3.0 GHz also like your E6850 and that is the E8400 with 6 Mb of cache and I think your E6850 has only 4 Mb of cache only
...I prefer you to use dual core,because it is cheaper and cooler then the Quad Core of the LGA775 socket number types
...These E8600 processors are still to be seen easily on eBay from sellers like Techtreasure from the U.S.A.,but check all of PC hardware sellers on ebay anyway since techtreasure and the likes are fairly expensive
...As for gpu's I would just get another NVidia model type (I use both,ATI and NVidia gpu's and I would advise that NVidia are better colour wise,like more realistic also
)...Also with these gpu's you can go up to the manufacturers site and just download their drivers and install them onto your operating system hard drive disk...Pretty much with new sticks of ram you should be able to use any of the performance brand types and if something goes wrong then I say there is a bug,virus or something that has been downloaded onto your PC or a used set of ram sticks sold as new to you and may even be faulty,because I have never had any problems yet with a offline PC
...But with online PC's yes,I have had those problems that people out there mention as not compatible with your mainboard/motherboard or computer,what ever the term you want to use...Once again like I said any good performance brand e.g.:-OCZ,Corsair etc...One thing that I forgot to mention is to upgrade to an SSD (solid state drive)
...You should have Sata 2 (3GB/s) ports to use and if you still have or where at least sent with your Dell system built PC the operating system disc or discs...You can reinstall your operating system onto an SSD of your choice for your computers upgrade...Depending on your Dell's operating system is depending on what you choose for a future SSD to use...If you have windows XP home or Pro then OCZ vertex will do as it has on the manufacturers site the utility called garbage collection that can be run as idle or user initiated (oxz vertex for use with XP x32,Vista x32 & x64 bit operating systems)
Or if you want to use something more simple like a new HDD,then the Western Digitals Velociraptor of the newer generation will do
...Do not worry about your warranty as most of what you can still get repaired is not worth while the hassle to keep the warranty going
...I myself has installed new "NON" OEM brand name recomended HDD's on my old OEM brand PC's and have done it successfully
...Now for making a totally new computer from scratch
...If you want something cheap to go online with these new latest releases of retail CD software games that you have to be at least logged onto the sites servers
...You can go with AMD if you are "WORRIED" about viruses and other bugs destroying the performance of your future home made computer for online use,because AMD based parts are cheap...If you are "NOT WORRIED" then you can go with the more expensive Intel based parts and still use the NVidia gpu's
...All I am going to advise now is the case size and type and the cpu cooler types that maybe needed with a larger size PC case
...First off the computer case
...1) The CoolerMaster case with Model # RC-692-KKN2 (I have one of these also)
...This case has a width of 214.5mm and most performance based cpu coolers will fit inside,whether you can fit them with side panel system fans installed is another thing so think about carefully the parts you install within this case...Within this PC case there is an area that they left for a 80mm x 80mm x 15mm case fan for use of cooling underneath the cpu socket of the motherboard area (this is not exposed from the side panel window,but can be seen partly through the vents on the opposite side from that of the window panel side,in other words the motherboard side)...Not many PC hardware stores sell these 80mm x 15mm case fans,so you may have to go online for them...Remember to choose something with a higher CFM rating even if it means that you get a little bit more noise out of your PC...Although you can get fan controllers,you will most likely have to get case fans that also have variable speed control also...The reason why I mentioned this cooler master case model is because it is cheap enough and has that underneath the motherboard/mainboard cooling affect...2)The Thermaltake Spedo series of cases with the model # V190001N2Z (this is the model with out the side panel window)
...I have the one with the side panel window and it sports the same system of cooling from underneath your future mainboard/motherboard area ( cools underneath motherboard/mainboard area of the cpu socket) as the cooler master model that I mentioned above...Now this one can fit my Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme copper cpu cooler with the side panel fan installed
...For cpu coolers I prefer to use air and not water coolers,but if you so wish you can use the water cpu coolers,but remember that you can get water leaking problems etc...I will stay with the cpu air coolers for now...There are a few that I will only mention and those two are the Thermalright Ultra 120 extreme (beware of case size to install into and this comes without fans,fan clips and you will most probably have to order the back bracket for the cpu socket separately)...The second is Noctua NH-D14 all in one cpu cooler (this comes with fans,fan clips and a multiback bracket to fit the socket sizes of LGA1366 & LGA1156 (LGA1156 is the same size as LGA1155 for the socket pinset number of processors for the use of cpu cooler fan brackets) )...That is all I will mention...A long post,but I thought it should be explained through like I have done...+++...P.S. Also if you are not going to go online,then I feel that you can use the more expensive Intel brand with feelings of safety,also wait for the cougar chipset motherboards/mainboards to be repaired and a little later,then start to buy parts to your specifications delight...Although I would prefer you to get a core i7 2600k since they are supposed to be part of the lower priced processor range compared to X58 chipset cpu's and the future X68 chipsets cpu's prices...As you can see I did not want to make any decisions up for you in the way of which mainboards,cpu's,gpu's or other parts when it comes to making your own home made gaming PC...Except for the PC case and cpu coolers and the core i7 2600k is all I mentioned for home made...When it came to upgrading I felt that a site visit to Dell's site to see which cpu & bios they have to download that is available for your motherboards use & then you go to get a suitable cpu to choose from...With the rest of the upgrades it is up to you again to choose your own ideas of parts since the gpu's drivers can be downloaded from the manufacturers site...Also one more thing and that is the Thermaltake Case,I know that I have told you one model that has no side panel window,but my model that I use is the Thermaltake Spedo Advance Package model #V190001W2Z with the side panel window and side panel fan...Now the model I use should be the exact dimensions of the model without the side panel window & fan,so you can still fit my same specifications of the combination of PC case and cpu cooler fan types...You can still visit the Thermaltake site if you think that there is a dimensions issue...Bye,Bye for Now on this long post...
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