Processor & Motherboard upgrade

kk, im going to upgrade my computer with a processor , and a new motherboard.i have already chosen the processor but i still need opinions for it because im not too much of a wizard with computer hardware...

The processor is Quad core , 3,0 GHz, L2: 4x 512Kt, L3: 6Mt and costs about 290 euros.

it fits for AM2 and AM2+ positions, but (yes here comes the but) i am not sure if i have the AM2 or AM2+ , how can i make sure i have it? and is it in the motherboard or on other parts?
Here´s my motherboard - ASUS P5QL SE IP43 ATX , do you know if it has one?

And i need suggestions for the new motherboard to buy....

And is RAM connected to the motherboard in anyway?


Heres my "old" computer, which i am going to upgrade.

INTEL E8400 CORE2D 3.0GHZ Processor
· XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 "RED SCORPION" HEATPIPE CPU Cooler
· ASUS P5QL SE IP43 ATX-Motherboard
· KINGSTON 4GB DDR2 800Mhz
· 500GB SATAII
· ECS 9600GT 512MB ARCTIC COOLING ACCELERO S2 Passive Graphics card


Please answer fast =) and thank you in advance

PS:For the bolded parts , can u explain them to me? i have absolutely NO idea about them...

 

that cpu will not work with your current motherboard. You mother board uses socket 775 (intel) the cpu you're looking at using socket AM2 (amd.) You will also not see that much of a performance increase in everday use. Even in gaming, a quad preforms the same as a dual core. Unless you do something cpu intensive, like video rendering, this would be a wasted upgrade.

 

Why are you upgrading?

That CPU is fine?

Seems like a waste of money to me.

If you have money you want to spend then upgrade your graphics card.

 

ok , ill push this upgrade aside and think about the craphics card upgrade , i edited the first post , answer to it plees.

 

kk, cuould not edit any of my posts... here it is


My craphics card now is a ECS 9600GT 512MB ARCTIC COOLING ACCELERO S2 Passive Graphics card

im going to upgrade it for a

GIGABYTE NVIDIA GEFORCE 9800GTX+ 1G

128 stream Processors, 1Gb GDDR3 Memory (256-bit) and 2x DVI´s... for 190euros.

And again , suggestions are accepted xP

 

very nice card.

Not sure what your budget is, but you were gonna spend a lot on ur mobo and processor so what about this.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/2280768/art/asus/geforce-gtx-285-1-gb-ddr.html?srcid=867

May need to get a bigger PSU, not sure what you have now but this is Nearly the daddy of all cards.

Only a suggestion, but the 9800gtx+ is still cool.

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2118-7.html this covers everything but the 285 and 290, which sit atop the chart on the Nvidea side.

 

whats PSU? and do i have a pci-express 2.0 position? i have no idea about these things

 

You have a 9600gt so you will have a PCI E slot.

Your PSU is the big box with loads of wires coming from it that supplies all your components with power, usually in the top of your comp.

This needs to be powerful enough or you will mess your components up. for a 9800gtx and your processor then I would say a 650w - 700w PSU will be fine but for the GTX 285 maybe a 800w would be a better option.

Google PSU's and see what comes up, one bit of advice, dont go cheap on a PSU, you will regret it.

http://aphroheadmicro.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70&products_id=307378

 

i seem to have a 120MM 500W "PSU" , so it wont be able to run the card? and is it very hard to put up the new PSU?

 

Changing a PSU is not difficult (i have just done it) but the 500w that you have now should run the card.
If you feel you want to change it here is an illustrated explanation on how to do it.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/362http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Computer/computer-stealing.gif

 

do u mean its good for the 285 card or the 9800gfx?

 

Before i changed it i was running a GTX260 on 300w but it was a strain.
the 500 should not give problems with either card.

 

well it better not i wouldnt exactly love to take my comp to the shop for the warranty... :-D

 

sorry for double post.

i found that same graph card from a finnish store , i just need to know if its really worth the money (about 395 euros :yum) and if it is identical with the one that has been suggested before.

Suggested before:
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/2280768/art/asus/geforce-gtx-285-1-gb-ddr.html?srcid=867
The identical ones specs are here:
GIGABYTE NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX285
1024MB DDR3 memory (512-bit) and 2x DVI. Warranty 36 months

i think theyre identical , but there might be something im missing.can u confirm it? pwease

 

I suppose it depends what you want to do,if it's gaming then the GTX series is for you.
My 260 is incredibly fast and the 285 is 2 steps up from mine.
I paid 300euros for mine and think it was money well spent.

 

Ok, This is your choice and for everyone else that thinks I am talking rubbish too.

I built a new gaming machine last week, like the others I thought a 450w PSU would easily do it. I have the 9800GT and E8500 C2D, when I but it all together and installed windows my PSU started making some real horrible grinding noises. If I am honest I am very lucky that I did not mess any components up in my machine, I think asus do an online PSU requirement for the components your running.

If you are happy to take the risk then go for it, save yourself £60 by doing it, but if it does not come off then ur gonna be out of pocket in the long run.

My advice, with the 9800gtx get a minimum of 550w with the 280 go for 700w.

But hey its up to.

 

Might just be from a different manufacturer but you will need to give us the link lol.

 

http://www.lapstore.net/store/product_info.php?cPath=744_1074&products_id=13049
thats it , its in finnish though , u can use google translater i think

heres 1 fault from the translater:"The new powerful graphics processor equipped with a driver for the player!"
it goes like this : (i think) a card with a new powerful graphics processor for a player! or something.