Upgrade CPU on my Dell Optiplex 760 SFF

[xIIWIIx]

I'd like a more powerful CPU in my SFF unit. Using the CPU-Z utility I see that my current CPU is an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400. I don't know that I want to risk overclocking this chip, as I've never done that so I think I'd just like to replace it. I don't wish to change out my motherboard either. Current motherboard model (again, as represented by CPU-Z) is 0R230R, chipset being Q45/Q43 Rev. 03. Southbridge 82801JD (ICH10D) Rev. 02.

Given all this information, what are my options as far as an upgraded CPU?

 

[space55]

....

That thing is OLD! You said "I don't wish to change out my motherboard either." You need to, as pretty much NOTHING runs on the Q45/Q43. That's like asking a military sniper to use a shot-gun from the 1400s

I'd swap out the board and CPU, as your only option as far as I know is another Core Duo.

 

[bambiboom]

xIIWIIx,

These are the Socket 775 1333 FSB CPU's sold new with the Optiplex 760 >

OptiPlex 760 Technical Specifications

http://www.dell.com/downloads/emea/products/optix/optiplex_760_spec_sheet_en.pdf

Q9000 series Intel® Core™2 Quad 12M/6M, 1333 FSB
Q8000 series Intel® Core™2 Quad 4M, 1333 FSB
E8000 series Intel® Core™2 Duo 6M, 1333 FSB

>and you can see in this hierarchical CPU chart>

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/socketType.html#id5

> that the CPU with the highest processing power for that position (Socket 775, 1333FSB) is the quad core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 @ 3.16GHz and another possibility is the Core2 Extreme QX9650 @ 3.0GHz (12MB cache, 95W). In my view, changing to the highest E-series dual core would not provide enough improvement

For comparison, the Passmark CPU score of the E8400 is 2178, the QX9770 scores 4799, and the QX9650 scores 4378, both quite good. In practical terms, the clock speed is the same and as the cache is doubled, the cache per core is also the same, so the experience may or not be an important improvement. Certainly, in multi-core application such as CPU thread-assigned rendering the speed would be significantly better- on the order of the benchmark score difference.

Another listing to look into might be the Intel Core2 Quad Q9705 @ 3.16GHz which 3947- a slightly higher clock speed, but I couldn't get more information on that one- semi-mythological.

As is typical with the highest speed CPU's in a range, these were expensive new. The QX9770 was $1000, and they are sought after and expensive used. It appears the QX9770 is in the $250-350 and QX9650 is in the $150-220 range on Ebay, which makes a used CPU possibly more valuable than the entire system. Of course, it depends on your uses and expectations, but given the cost of upgrading the CPU, it may be more to your advantage to sell the Optiplex 760 and buy a later series like >

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optiplex-960-Intel-Core-2-Quad-Q9650-3-00GHz-2GB-DDR2-K169-/390801008630?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item5afd8e27f6

> which is an Optiplex 960 with a Q9650 already in it. This is current listing, starting out at $51 and checking completed sales, it appears it may sell for something in the $150 region. Think of it as the possibility of selling your 760 for $100-120 and buying this for $150- a big upgrade for $30-50. Interestingly, this one has a Quadro FX1800- the FX x8xx were the high line then, one of the better older Quadros- great 2D.

Optiplex 990 with an i7 @3.4GHz sold for $240 >

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optiplex-990-Desktop-3-40GHz-Core-i7-2GB-250GB-DVD-ROM-Win-7-Pro-/111293276634?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item19e998a1da

This was chosen fairly randomly, and would need the graphics card added, but, in my view, this type of system would be a much better, and much longer term investment of time and cost than upgrading the 760. Not only would an i7 at that speed provide a whole new world of performance, it also uses faster, much cooler, and actually less expensive DDR3 RAM, and the disk system would have much better higher transfer rates.

Just a thought.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

HP z420 (2014) > Xeon E5-1620 quad core @ 3.6 / 3.8GHz > 24GB ECC 1600 RAM > Quadro 4000 (2GB)> Samsung 840 SSD 250GB /Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > AE3000 USB WiFi > HP 2711X, 27" 1920 X 1080 > Windows 7 Ultimate 64 >[Passmark system rating = 3815, 2D= 767 / 3D=2044]

Dell Precision T5400 (2008) > 2X Xeon X5460 quad core @3.16GHz > 16GB ECC 667> Quadro FX 4800 (1.5GB) > WD RE4 500GB / Seagate Barracuda 500GB > M-Audio 2496 Sound Card / Linksys 600N WiFi > Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit >[Passmark system rating = 1859, 2D= 512 / 3D=1097]

2D, 3D CAD, Image Processing, Rendering, Text > Architecture, industrial design, graphic design, written projects [AutoCad, 3ds Max, Vray, Solidworks, Sketchup, Adobe CS, WordPerfect, MS Office]

 

[BornFree1983]

Thank you for such an in depth response, I am researching a similar desktop and will use your response

xIIWIIx,

These are the Socket 775 1333 FSB CPU's sold new with the Optiplex 760 >

OptiPlex 760 Technical Specifications

http://www.dell.com/downloads/emea/products/optix/optiplex_760_spec_sheet_en.pdf

Q9000 series Intel® Core™2 Quad 12M/6M, 1333 FSB
Q8000 series Intel® Core™2 Quad 4M, 1333 FSB
E8000 series Intel® Core™2 Duo 6M, 1333 FSB

>and you can see in this hierarchical CPU chart>

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/socketType.html#id5

> that the CPU with the highest processing power for that position (Socket 775, 1333FSB) is the quad core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 @ 3.16GHz and another possibility is the Core2 Extreme QX9650 @ 3.0GHz (12MB cache, 95W). In my view, changing to the highest E-series dual core would not provide enough improvement

For comparison, the Passmark CPU score of the E8400 is 2178, the QX9770 scores 4799, and the QX9650 scores 4378, both quite good. In practical terms, the clock speed is the same and as the cache is doubled, the cache per core is also the same, so the experience may or not be an important improvement. Certainly, in multi-core application such as CPU thread-assigned rendering the speed would be significantly better- on the order of the benchmark score difference.

Another listing to look into might be the Intel Core2 Quad Q9705 @ 3.16GHz which 3947- a slightly higher clock speed, but I couldn't get more information on that one- semi-mythological.

As is typical with the highest speed CPU's in a range, these were expensive new. The QX9770 was $1000, and they are sought after and expensive used. It appears the QX9770 is in the $250-350 and QX9650 is in the $150-220 range on Ebay, which makes a used CPU possibly more valuable than the entire system. Of course, it depends on your uses and expectations, but given the cost of upgrading the CPU, it may be more to your advantage to sell the Optiplex 760 and buy a later series like >

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optiplex-960-Intel-Core-2-Quad-Q9650-3-00GHz-2GB-DDR2-K169-/390801008630?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item5afd8e27f6

> which is an Optiplex 960 with a Q9650 already in it. This is current listing, starting out at $51 and checking completed sales, it appears it may sell for something in the $150 region. Think of it as the possibility of selling your 760 for $100-120 and buying this for $150- a big upgrade for $30-50. Interestingly, this one has a Quadro FX1800- the FX x8xx were the high line then, one of the better older Quadros- great 2D.

Optiplex 990 with an i7 @3.4GHz sold for $240 >

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optiplex-990-Desktop-3-40GHz-Core-i7-2GB-250GB-DVD-ROM-Win-7-Pro-/111293276634?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item19e998a1da

This was chosen fairly randomly, and would need the graphics card added, but, in my view, this type of system would be a much better, and much longer term investment of time and cost than upgrading the 760. Not only would an i7 at that speed provide a whole new world of performance, it also uses faster, much cooler, and actually less expensive DDR3 RAM, and the disk system would have much better higher transfer rates.

Just a thought.

Cheers,

BambiBoom