Upgraded CPU seems to be slower

[general gred]

The other day I upgraded my CPU with a Pentium D 945 3.4GHz with a 4MB L2 Cache. Now my computer seems to run slower and I have no idea why. I had the Intel Core 2 Duo 1.84GHz with a 2MB L2 Cache before. I have 5GB of DDR2 RAM (2GBx2 and 513MBx2) running on a HP motherboard model 0A58h (XU1 PROCESSOR). I also have ATI Radeon HD 5450 2GB running at 650MHz. The CPU driver did successfully install and windows index even gives it a high rating. Yet the computer is noticeably slower, from gaming load times to pulling up folders. Any ideas?

 

[mavroxur]

Because you essentially downgraded. It's not all about the megahertz and cache. The Core 2 is a more efficient architecture. I'm guessing your old CPU was a Core 2 Duo E6300 judging by the clock speed (which is actually 1.86), and that chip would beat a Pentium D 945 any day of the week, as you found out.

 

[mavroxur]

And the Windows Experience Index is a crappy way to measure performance. Its results are heavily skewed.

 

[general gred]

Best answer selected by general gred.

 

[InvalidError]

Netburst (P4) was Intel's worst CPU architecture ever, carried over from s478. Core2 came after P4 and 'Core' and was Intel's best and greates architecture ever at the time. Netburst had about half the instruction-per-clock (IPC) as its Pentium-3 predecessor and was banking on raw clock speed to overtake it, which never happened due to Intel hitting an unexpected brick wall with Netburst at ~3.6GHz.

So by going from Core2 to P4, you downgraded from Intel's greatest to Intel's worst architecture for LGA775.

 

[general gred]

I should have guessed that was the case, that will be the last time I take advice from my friend. Well I guess I'll just have to reinstall my Core 2 Duo. What CPU would you recommend? I'm need something that will give my computer a real kick. Not the state of the art kind but something that will let me run most games without problem, any suggestions?

 

[InvalidError]

OEM motherboards usually have severely restrictive CPU support lists in their BIOS so I would have very low expectations of finding many upgrade candidates worth considering.

A C2D-E8400 would be a nice upgrade but I would be surprised if your motherboard supported it.

On this page, it seems the E6700 is the most powerful CPU you can put on your board:
http://www.findlaptopdriver.com/hp-0a58h-cpu-support-list/

Not really worth upgrading to IMO.

 

[mavroxur]

I don't think it'd be worth the time and money to upgrade from an Core 2 Duo E6300 to an E6700. It might be slightly noticable under full load, but not by much. The limiting factor is that your board doesn't support a 1333 FSB, only 1066FSB, and doesn't show to support chips based on the Kentsfield core (Like Core 2 Quads). There are faster 1066 FSB chips out there, but they're rare and hard to come by (Like the Core 2 Extreme X6800) and still bring a premium price on eBay. I'd almost bet money an X6800 would work since it's a 1066FSB chip and it's a Conroe-EX core. Now, if you had a 1333FSB chip laying around, you could always try it. A lot of boards don't *offically* support 1333 FSB, but work with it just fine. I've run into several that did. But offically, i'm going to say "no" to a further upgrade.

 

[kristjan_i]

They aren't hard to come by, ebay's full of them. Forums, replacement part suppliers etc.
Yes they aren't sold in shops, but that doesn't mean they're lost forever.

Got my core 2 quad off ebay for 109£, brand new and with warranty.

 

[general gred]

Well at that I guess Ill quit upgrading this temp computer if I can't really upgrade its core. I only need this computer to get me through a couple of years anyway while I get the 2k I need to complete my main build. Thanks for great and fast advice, now all I need to do is try to get my money back for this CPU, luckily I got it at a real bargain so that shouldn't be hard.

 

[mavroxur]

They aren't hard to come by, ebay's full of them. Forums, replacement part suppliers etc.
Yes they aren't sold in shops, but that doesn't mean they're lost forever.

Got my core 2 quad off ebay for 109£, brand new and with warranty.

I never said Core 2 quads were hard to come by, I said Core 2 Extremes were hard to come by reasonably priced. For what they are, they're way overpriced.

 

[kristjan_i]

I never said Core 2 quads were hard to come by, I said Core 2 Extremes were hard to come by reasonably priced. For what they are, they're way overpriced.

My bad, my bad.