[Antman06]

Hey there, I know some decent knowledge of computers.. Ive made 3 of my own so far.

I just never ever changed the CPU of a computer before of 1 I currently have had.

I want to change my CPU from Pentium to Core 2 Duo. Here are my specs.



Mainboard : MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO.,LTD G31M3-L V2(MS-7529)
Chipset : Intel G31/G33/G35
Processor : Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5200 @ 2500 MHz
SOCKET: 775 LGA
Physical Memory : 2048 MB (2 x 1024 DDR2-SDRAM )
Video Card : NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
Operating System : Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.01.2600 Service Pack 2
Operating System: XP



I was thinking http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115037

But really, People told me I need to check my Motherboard to see if its compatable and I have no Idea how to do that.. IF you guys can figure out what CPU I can get that my Motherboard will be able to run and What I have to do after I switch the CPU and turn it on my Comp.
I really dont want to spend that much money on a CPU, But if I have to I will.
I need a CPU that is a Core 2 Duo @ 2.0 GHZ atleast.

I really appreciate the help! All of my specs for the Game I want to play is Fine, it just says I need a Core2Duo @ 2.0Ghz for Minimum Req. And I want to play the game at a decent rate

THANKS IN ADVANCED!

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http://global.msi.eu...mp;maincat_no=1

AFAICT, your motherboard will support the CPU you listed, with the newest BIOS, which is here:

http://global.msi.eu...mp;prod_no=1449

**Be very very sure this is the right file for your motherboard if you decide to flash it.**

[DaffyKantReed]

http://global.msi.eu...mp;maincat_no=1

AFAICT, your motherboard will support the CPU you listed, with the newest BIOS, which is here:

http://global.msi.eu...mp;prod_no=1449

**Be very very sure this is the right file for your motherboard if you decide to flash it.**

[Antman06]

Thanks for the Reply,
Is there any other good CPU I can get thats not as expensive as that one?

I have no idea what to do with the BIOS. Which Bios to Download.. Etc.. Im new at this.

[DaffyKantReed]

In the first URL I provided, you will find a list of supported processors such as the SLGTK E5400, which is not expensive.


http://global.msi.eu...o...2&type=bios

This /seems/ to be the correct BIOS update, though I'm not certain due to the ambiguous way MSI names their products. If you have any doubts, do not update the BIOS yourself, as it can brick the motherboard. The best way might be to contact support at MSI and as them to be sure.

[Antman06]

Well, Im not looking for another Pentium Dual Core, I would like to get a Core2Duo or Maybe a Core2Quad.

My comp is running the game a little laggy, I know its not my vid card. But Yeah, I know I need to upgrade the processor

[Antman06]

Actually, I would like to get the Intel Core 2 Duo E8400. Its 170$ And I see that its giving a lot of good reviews.

[Ferrari]

Hi Antman06, Welcome to Geekstogo!

I don't think you'll need to update the BIOS. I don't think you should unless it's absolutely necessary. Please take a look at this link... http://us.msi.com/in...od_no=1449#menu Make sure to click on the CPU Support Tab and notice that most of the processors you are looking at are supported since BIOS 2.0 which was the first BIOS to come with the board. I know this because of the BIOS update list HERE Notice 2.0 is the oldest one and also notice what comes with each BIOS update in the description box, not all necessarily just for cpu compatibility, but other miscellaneous things.

I think the Core 2 Duo E8400 is a nice choice, but for just $30 more you can get a Q9300 HERE that is a quad core which will benefit you more since you will be using this processor primarily for gaming. It has the same FSB, the same L2 cache (6mb) 2 more physical cores, and according to Tomshardware.com it benchmarks higher than the E8400 in gaming benchmarks. Take a look... GAMING CPU HIERARCHY CHART. Tomshardware does extensive testing and benchmarking on many products, I always trust what they have to say. Best of all it is compatible with your motherboard since BIOS 2.0, So there is no need to take that risk updating the BIOS. Refer to my first link for BIOS Version per CPU.

If all you can afford is the Core 2 Duo E8400, then go with that and you won't be disappointed, both are very nice processors.

Hope that helps.

Edited by Ferrari, 03 March 2010 - 06:03 PM.

[Antman06]

So All I have to do is Buy the CPU.. Replace it with my Older one.. and turn on the comp and ill be good?

[Ferrari]

In a nutshell, yes. Just replace the cpu and turn on the computer. The retail processors on Newegg come with a heatsink and fan with thermal paste pre-applied. HERE is video on how to install a Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad. It's not the greatest video, but it will do.

You should be able to google for text instructions or further help if needed. Or just post back here. Questions are always welcome!

[Antman06]

Thanks man! My video card is a 8500GT Nvidia.. 512MB...

My friend says its mainly my vid card, that my Processor is ok...

would you say so? I know its very outdated lol

[Ferrari]

My mistake, I sped through the post earlier when I just got home from work... I didn't see your system's specs. Your system is fairly dated. Below are the minimum and the recommended requirements for Bad Company 2... that's the game you wanted to play right?

Just to get the game started you need to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo or you won't even meet the minimum requirements. Even then, the video card you are using barely meets them. I think for you to enjoy this game at all you will need to upgrade both the processor and the video card. You are looking at about a $330 upgrade for recommended and a minimum of $170 just to get the game started with a Core 2 Duo. Hmmm, let me know what you want to do.

My friend says its mainly my vid card, that my Processor is ok..

Processor does not meet minimum requirements, and the video card barely does... Just one notch above.

Minimum Frostbite PC Specifications for BFBC2 & BF1943.

* Processor: Core 2 Duo @ 2.0GHz
* Main memory: 2GB
* Graphics card: GeForce 7800 GT / ATI X1900
* Graphics memory: 256MB
* OS: Windows XP
* Free HDD space:
o 15GB for Digital Version, 10GB for Disc Version (BFBC2)
o 10GB for Digital Version, 4GB for Disc Version (BF1943)

Recommended Frostbite PC Specifications for BFBC2 & BF1943

* Processor: Quadcore
* Main memory: 2GB
* Graphics card: GeForce GTX 260
* Graphics memory: 512MB
* OS: Windows Vista or Windows 7
* Free HDD space:
o 15GB for Digital Version, 10GB for Disc Version (BFBC2)
o 10GB for Digital Version, 4GB for Disc Version (BF1943)

[Antman06]

So do you think atm the biggest upgrade is the CPU? and the best CPU to Upgrade from is QUAD Core?

I hope my comp will show a noticeable difference.

Edited by Antman06, 04 March 2010 - 10:08 AM.

[Ferrari]

Yeah, just to be able to play the game you have to upgrade the cpu, but that video card is going to struggle, you'll probably have pretty low FPS (Frames Per Second). May not even be enjoyable.