[SOLVED] Cpu upgrade from i7 920 to xeon x5690

[andrew_212]

i have a alienware desktop and want to upgrade my cpu. it uses the lga1366 socket and would like to put a xeon x5690. would the water cooler it has be enough to keep this processor cool? its running with a i7 920 at the moment

 

[iamacow]

Both have the same power requirements and both use the same socket and chipset. But the Core i7-990X (aka xeon x5690) needs the newest BIOS because Guftown CPU came two years later.

If your motherboard supports Core i7-970, Core i7-980, Core i7-980X or Core i7-990X in the lastest BIOS, than it will support that XEON.

 

[andrew_212]

thank you, ill have to check what version of the bios i am running. Its one of the old alienware arouras so i dont think itll be able to unfortunately... think itll run hot or should be about the same? also if it is compatible do you think its worth the upgrade for 90 bucks

 

[iamacow]

Both are 130 TDP. They would run the same at stock. You can't overclock a Xeon anyways.

I noticed a lot of board manufactures didn't release BIOS updates for the Gulftown cpus because the next generation had already come out. It wasn't very common and a weird side step when the i7 3930K was already out and a 6core and the newest platform.

 

[andrew_212]

thats okay, it just seems like the i7 920 is lagging behind a bit

 

[iamacow]

I'll say haha. It was great for its time. current gen Intel i5 will crush it though.