CPU Upgrade Questions

Konasumi · January 4, 2015

Hello,

I am considering upgrading my E5300 to a Q9650/Q9550 soon, and I would like to know if it will work properly with my system, which has an Asus IPIBL-LB. I have heard that some motherboards from some pre-built systems need a BIOS update to work with the new chip, so I want to make sure. Do I also need to worry about power, since Q9650's max TDP is 30W higher than the current E5300? I have a 300W PSU in my system and can upgrade if needed.

Also, should I worry about cooling? It's the stock cooler that came with my desktop, and I have Arctic Silver 5 paste I plan on using with it. It cools my Pentium just fine, with the load temperature for it being around 43C.

shhnedo · January 4, 2015

Follow this and you should be fine. If I can trust your signature, I'd say the power supply will do fine, but if it's some old one i'd upgrade to 400W.

If I were you, though, I'd just grab the 750Ti and move on to a whole new platform(1150).

dadasmithywinkle · January 4, 2015

Hello,

I am considering upgrading my E5300 to a Q9650/Q9550 soon, and I would like to know if it will work properly with my system, which has an Asus IPIBL-LB. I have heard that some motherboards from some pre-built systems need a BIOS update to work with the new chip, so I want to make sure. Do I also need to worry about power, since Q9650's max TDP is 30W higher than the current E5300? I have a 300W PSU in my system and can upgrade if needed.

Also, should I worry about cooling? It's the stock cooler that came with my desktop, and I have Arctic Silver 5 paste I plan on using with it. It cools my Pentium just fine, with the load temperature for it being around 43C.

The stock cooler will be fine. As for the CPU, go into the BIOS, get the version and google the version. There should be soime results letting you know what that and future updates to the BIOS provided to the system. Generally, if it has a dual core pentium in it already, the quad core should work. It may not, but it should. Finally, the PSU will be fine but one with more headroom, say a 430W from EVGA or Corsair, would be more adviseable.