Looking at CPU upgrade.

[[NP]Monte Montague]

Current processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz

Available upgrades:

Socket type: 775
Motherboard supports the following processor upgrades:

    *
      Core 2 Duo E6x00
    *
      Core 2 Duo E4x00
    *
      Pentium D 9x0 Dual Core
    *
      Pentium D 8xx Dual Core
    *
      Pentium 4 6x1 series
    *
      Celeron D 3xx series

So what should I use? What would be best?.
Motherboard: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00864946&lc=en&cc=us#N99

[EliteTerm]

Well, it's best to get Intel Core 2 Duo.. it's powerful than the Pentium and Celeron series.

[Bilbo]

The first one.

[Roadkill]

The first one would be the best choice. If you can afford it get a core 2 quad.

[EliteTerm]

The first one would be the best choice. If you can afford it get a core 2 quad.

Don't think his mobo supports Quads.

[Neave]

if budget is a problem, and replacing the motherboard isnt an option, then i'd say to go with a Core2 Duo e7500. its stock speed is 2.93GHz.

the E series of core 2 duos are very overclockable too. i have the e7200 2.53GHz overclocked to 3.5GHz on the stock fan

[Roadkill]

Well if your motherboard doesn't support quads and money isn't a problem then I'd recommend: http://ow.ly/3BKd1 but if money isn't an issue anyway I'd just buy a new mobo and get a core i5.
If money is a real issue then I'd recommend: http://ow.ly/3BKgB

[Wayne]

Apparently, i like the motherboard due to it is ASUS, a trustable manufacturer.
But the motherboard is not so good, it doesn't offer good options to upgrade.

But well, for upgrade, you must make sure your power supply will suport this configuration... (the most important piece that people always forget)

The core E6700 seems to be a good option so far. (E6750 And E6850 won't work well in your motherboard, their bus speed are 1333mhz)

E6700 - 4M Cache, 2.66 GHz,
Should be enough to run GTA IV on medium settings, if you have a good video card.


Honestly, if i were you, i would change this mobo to a new and better one, that suports I7 series or Phenom II

[[NP]Monte Montague]

I'll go with:   Core 2 Duo E6x00

Except.

I CANNOT FIND THE EXACT MODEL T.T , none with "E6x00" maaaan

[Wayne]

save cash to upgrade motherboard and put a better processor ;D

Dual cores like Exxx, and quads like Qxxxx are old, get a nice i3/i5/i7 or Phenom II from AMD.


OR, wait till AMD's bulldozer series gets released. prices are going to crash.

[Salmonella]

Nothing wrong with a Core 2 Quad / Duo.

[Alarba]

wait till prices crash.

[Wayne]

Nothing wrong with a Core 2 Quad / Duo.

they are still able to run recent games, but they're "past" technology.
if you're buying one now, in next two years or less, they're going to be like a Pentium 4 compared to today.

i3 and i5 surpasses Core 2 quad/duo in perfomance, power, overclock, etc...

i7 is not really recomended due to price, but when the prices crash (when bulldozer series gets released) it is sure a good choice.

[TheRock]

It's just all new technology, not useless CPUs .

And yes, as for me, his mobo wont be able to run Quads, because Core 2 Quads (EXCEPTION TO Q6600) are build on 45nm technology, while Core 2 Duos and Q6600 are 60nm..

I never had any trouble with my E6400(2,0) in past.. 2 of my friends also got E6300 (1,8) and another one.. at 2,2.. Through none had problem running games such as IV.. Anyways, if I were you, I'd go for E6700 as Wayne said, or a E6400.

if you're buying one now, in next two years or less, they're going to be like a Pentium 4 compared to today.

That's impossible, because more and more games will start taking advantage of multi-core rendering . So that means, that you can't compare an 'even' old (in your words) Quad, with 1-core old CPU which can run nothing.

And still, people who don't look to spend over $1000 on a PC, A Core 2 Quad is a very cheap and very good solution for gaming. I've taken my C2Q Q9400 (2,66 Ghz // 6MB L2 Cache) brand new, for only 180 Euros!

[Alessandro]

Well,for someone that isnt cheap And it all depend on Socket not on architecture. So if Motherboard support 775 Socket,it will support all kind of Core 2 Quad processors. People just need to realize that in Intel - Core 2 Duo is same as Dual Core just because of commercial reason they have different name. Even E3300 (which is Celeron) on same clock can be compared with all processors from E8xx,E7xx,E6xx,E5xx and E4xx Series. In games curentlly cash/cache memory is almost useless so its allways better to watch on lower-cost solution