CPU advice please

[Heaton89]

Hey all I have a hp pavilion a6635uk model desktop,just put a 460gtx card in it to find the CPU is holding it back to very well crap lengths. Any ideas on a possible upgrade for me please. 100 to 150 budget. This is my current mono. >> M2N78-LA (Viola)

 

[o1die]

If hp doesn't list any optional cpus, then it's a crapshoot. But they should give you a wattage limit. I had a similar board with 89 watt cpu limit. 95 watt cpus might work, but be prepared to change boards and the operating system coa if you have to change the board for the newer cpu. Oem boards are not designed for cpu upgrades, and the power supply is too weak.

 

[shanky887614]

i dont think it is worth upgrading the cpu, it will still hold your gpu back

you would be better of saving money till you can afford a new motherboard as well

either a core i5/i7 2500/2600

or go a Phenom II X4 Black Edition 975

but all these options are going to at least double your budget by the time you throw in ram and a new motherboard

 

[Heaton89]

this is my mobo http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c01421635 im on the verge of buying a http://www.ebuyer.com/product/190673#reviews as suggested and it was the one i was considering purchasing anyway. will this mobo support it and let me play wow bfbc2 etc with my gtx460 soc? thanks again.

 

[o1die]

No. Try it if you want, as you can run some 125w cpus. The phenom I is listed in the update list. If you can't afford a decent power supply, then you shouldn't upgrade just yet. Your original power supply is probably 250-300 watts. For a new ps, look at antec, corsair, seasonic, or enermax in 500-600 watts. For the board, msi makes the 785GT-E63 for $85 that works with ddr2 and will run the phenom 955 with a bios update. I've found remarkable deals on craigslist, if you have it available in your area. Right now a trader is selling his gigabyte board with 4 gb of ddr2 and 710 tri core cpu for $85; would probably take $70-75. You must use a micro atx board for your hp case. And a non hp board normally requires a new windows coa. Your original windows operating system is designed to work only with hp motherboards.

 

[buzznut]

this is my mobo http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c01421635 im on the verge of buying a http://www.ebuyer.com/product/190673#reviews as suggested and it was the one i was considering purchasing anyway. will this mobo support it and let me play wow bfbc2 etc with my gtx460 soc? thanks again.

That's not an AM2+ CPU, your recommended CPU list does not show AM3 CPU's. It possible you could get the motherboard to run with AM3 and a BIOS update, but thats chancy. The best AMD CPU you could get would be an X4 940BE. That's a 125W part, and harder to find now.

The HP board is a budget motherboard and oem to boot. Meaning upgrades will be difficult.

I recommend that you look at an upgrade to either the aforementioned i5 or AM3+. You could get a nice AM3 motherboard, but its a dead end as AMD is coming out with a new platform. Here's a budget AM3+:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128504

Here's an AM3 board that will take ddr2 or ddr3 memory:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157204

 

[_Pez_]

HP bad luck .... buy a new system that's the best you can do...

 

[marco324]

if you live near a microcenter great instore only sale buy an amd cpu cheap get a free motherboard
http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html