CPU Compatibility

[Amit]

Alright, so I have an old PC lying around with a Pentium 4 630 3.0Ghz HT in it. The motherboard is the Gigabyte GA-8I945G Pro (http://gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=1908#ov) and I have another HD 5750 Vapor-X video card in it. On the box it says the motherboard was made for Pentium 4 and Pentium D processors. I was wondering if you guys could help me find the best processor I could purchase to replace the Pentium 4. From looking at the "CPU support" chart it looks like nothing beyond a Pentium D will work, but I still want to know if there is some way around this. The computer works good for most games (considering how old the CPU is), but games like BC2, Gears of War, and Crysis still bring it to its knees.

I was hoping one of the Pentium Dual-Core CPUs would work at least. Doesn't look like they will, though.

[InnerGoat]

Looking on that cpu chart, Pentium D 960 would be the best you can get. It's a dual core.

e: Way to get around this? Buy a new board:-3

[Warsaw]

It's an LGA 775, so there might be a BIOS flash you could use to get one of the Core 2-based Pentiums or better running on it.

[Amit]

Looking on that cpu chart, Pentium D 960 would be the best you can get. It's a dual core.

e: Way to get around this? Buy a new board:-3

Yeah...I can't be bothered to change the motherboard just for a CPU. I would just save up more money and build a whole new budget computer.


It's an LGA 775, so there might be a BIOS flash you could use to get one of the Core 2-based Pentiums or better running on it.

Well, based on the chart GigaByte provides for the board, flashing the Bios only allows up to the Pentium D 960. I could try researching this a bit more to see if anyone has tried anything above the Pentium D.

[343guiltymc]

I ran into this problem too with a old board. Got a BIOS update and upgraded a Pentium D 915 to a Q6600.

[Amit]

I ran into this problem too with a old board. Got a BIOS update and upgraded a Pentium D 915 to a Q6600.

Your board probably isn't as old as mine though, which is why you could make such a drastic upgrade. What is the model of that motherboard that you had, btw?