Upgrading one of my PC from Dual Core to Quad Core (Intel LGA775 Socket)

Checking on the old boxes of my computer hardware, I came across to the motherboard manuals (walang magawa kasi brownout non). There I see the ASUS P5G41T-M LX3 motherboard manual. I bought the motherboard a year ago because I was looking for a Pentium 4 motherboard that time. It was hard to look for those kinds of motherboards in our place because Pentium 4 boards are already outdated and most of the computer shops were not keeping them. While frustrated in looking, I remembered that one of my computers is using a LGA775 socket dual core processor could actually support the Pentium 4 CPU. I then realized that I could replace the processor in that computer with the P4 CPU. Then, I will just look for an Intel LGA775 dual core processor compatible motherboard, which is easier to find than the P4 version, in order to house the dual core processor. Therefore, what I did instead is just buy a cheap motherboard that could at least support a dual core LGA 775 socket CPU. Thus, I have the ASUS P5G41T-M LX3.

While reading the manual, I learned that the motherboard could support Intel Core 2 Quad and Extreme CPUs. This motivated me to plan for an upgrade. I am currently building a 6-core AMD rig and the idea of building an Intel Quad Core computer would be interesting. I am not yet aiming for an i7 six-core upgrade because I believe it is still very expensive for me. The target is to have a low-budget ass-kicking upgrade.

ASUS P5G41T-M LX3 is good to go

This ASUS P5 model is an entry level DDR3/1333Mhz motherboard, so it has promising capabilities with a low price. It is currently running a dual core processor in a computer used by customers in my internet shop. I am planning to remove it in the shop and upgrade it for my personal and brothers gaming needs. My brothers and I are hardcore gamers and we do not want to buy another expensive unit, so this upgrade will be very useful.

Intel Core 2 Quad Processor

Ultimately, I need an LGA775 quad core processor for the upgrade. Though the board supports Intel Core 2 Extreme, I will just choose Intel Core 2 Quad because it is cheaper. I am not particular with performance levels this time as long as I will reach the 4-cores target. I have spotted an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66Ghz (1333Mhz speed) at Sulit for only P 6,500.00. The original price is approximately P8,000, so this would be a big part of my build.

Kingston 4GB DDR3 1333Mhz

For the memory upgrade, I need to have one 4GB DDR3 module. While I am not that particular with the CPU, I’m aiming to have at least 6GB memory in this upgrade. I already have a 2 GB DDR3 stick. I only need to buy the module with the same brand and speed for better performance. Here’s a stick for only P1,050 at Sulit.

GeForce GT 220 1GB

Nothing fancy about it. This is the current video card of the computer and I am not planning to replace it. Unlike my 6-core build, I am not planning for dual graphics (SLI) in this; in fact, my mobo only supports one card. GeForce GT 220 is not that cool but until it has 1GB memory, GDDR3, PhysX, and CUDA features, you could expect great gaming with this card.

HEC Cougar ST 400w Power Supply

I am aiming for this at Sulit. I always love Cougar PSUs, so I believe this is the best.

Coolermaster Elite 372 Casing

I have spotted this one. My decision is not yet final with this because it costs extra cash. If I can find a simpler yet wider casing, I would leave this for good.

Other Parts

I also need a good cooling system (metikuloso ako sa cooling kasi pampatagal ng machine) this time because I’m now running 4 cores for gaming. The best thing to do is to have CPU cooler. I have a spare 120 mm fan, which will be my air intake fan (lakas ng hangin nito) and an 80 mm fan for exhaust. SATA3 Hard Drive is also my option to add more speed.

I will be posting the final build later on. Be back later…