• M3A78-EMH HDMI TDP
    9 replies, posted
My friend has this processor ( [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103273[/URL]) and wants to sell it to me. It has a TDP of 140w, but I dont know what my motherboards TDP is, I spent around 30 minutes looking but I cant find it. Does anyone know what it is? my mobo [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131273[/url]
According to ASUS, it will. [url]http://usa.asus.com/Motherboards/AMD_AM2Plus/M3A78/#overview[/url] As to if you should buy that CPU off of him, I don't recommend it. A 140W TDP for a CPU is absolutely ridiculous. In order to run a CPU like that, you'd need an absolutely massive aftermarket cooler (the stock AMD cooler isn't going to cut it.) That CPU will essentially run like a last generation Pentium 4, it will consume massive amounts of power, produce ridiculous amounts of heat and have abysmal performance. If you want to upgrade, I suggest either buying something modern or finding a CPU with a TDP of 125W or less.
Ah I see, thanks. I just dont know what to do, I want to upgrade my processor from my current 2.2 Ghz to something modern, but I dont want to have to buy a new motherboard along with the ram and new PSU. One of my friends suggested I dont buy it either, that it might be used and might not even work, although the guy is a friend, but he lives in another state now.
You're in a position I like to call "upgrade hell". You basically have an antiquated motherboard that uses DDR2 and supports a small subset of semi-modern processors that are all out of production (except some Phenom II x6 parts.) You're basically limited to shady backwater retail channels for CPUs that cost usually far more than the parts did originally due to scarcity. And even if you got a new CPU, the new CPU would be bottlenecked significantly by the DDR2. I've been in your position several times before, and as much as it pains you to want to keep that system running longer, just don't. You'll end up wasting more money trying to keep it going than it would be to build a new machine. All you really need is a new CPU, Motherboard and RAM. If your PSU is 450-600W then you really don't need to get one, unless it's showing signs of failure.
I think my PSU is 400 something, I have been looking at just getting a Motherboard, CPU, and RAM. But im going to college this fall and my parents don't want me to spend too much if any cause they want me to buy a laptop. So that's why I was just looking at old AM2+ processors. Ugh, I just don't know what to do.
How much are you looking to spend? I could build a parts list for you.
[QUOTE=bohb;34781106]You're in a position I like to call "upgrade hell". You basically have an antiquated motherboard that uses DDR2 and supports a small subset of semi-modern processors that are all out of production (except some Phenom II x6 parts.) You're basically limited to shady backwater retail channels for CPUs that cost usually far more than the parts did originally due to scarcity. And even if you got a new CPU, the new CPU would be bottlenecked significantly by the DDR2. I've been in your position several times before, and as much as it pains you to want to keep that system running longer, just don't. You'll end up wasting more money trying to keep it going than it would be to build a new machine. All you really need is a new CPU, Motherboard and RAM. If your PSU is 450-600W then you really don't need to get one, unless it's showing signs of failure.[/QUOTE] This is where I'm at right now. I got an amd 965 and 4gb ddr2 ram in an am2+ board. I used to have a dualcore in this board though I upgraded at the right time.
Im probably willing to spend max $300. Here is my current specs if that helps. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/xfzzI.png[/IMG]
Now that I see your CPU, the one that your friend wants to sell you isn't that much better. Here's a CPU/Motherboard/RAM that goes slightly over your budget: CPU: Intel Core i5-2300 (2.8 GHz quad) [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115076[/url] Motherboard: MSI H67MA-E35 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130569[/url] RAM: G.SKILL 8 GB DDR3-1333 (2 x 4 GB) [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231426[/url] It comes out to $320 without shipping.
Thanks, ill bookmark those and since my birthday is coming up I can see if they want to pick those up as a present.
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