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Looking for an answer, i need to update my old processor (i5-3470)

MLeon5
Beginner
1,427 Views

Hi, as in the title of this discussion i want to upgrade my old processor to something much newer - mainly for gaming purpose, but not exclusively. So i have, as said, Intel Core i5-3470 3,2Ghz and i was eyeing i7-7700K 4,2 Ghz.

Along with the processor upgrade i was thinking about buying GTX 770 (to upgrade my GTX 650) graphic card. Im sure my RAM is substantial even nowadays at 16 GB.

So could someone answer me if i can do that upgrade and how i can check my motherboard? I saw in few places information that higher generation processors might not work with older motherboards. How can i check the compatibility?

Sorry for my horrible english, im not native english speaker.

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4 Replies
AlHill
Super User
403 Views

Before you do anything, you must contact the manufacturer of your system/motherboard and ask them which processors are compatible with THEIR BIOS.

An upgrade processor must be socket, BIOS, and chipset compatible.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005682/processors.html Intel® Desktop Processor Upgrade Information

Doc

MLeon5
Beginner
403 Views

Ok, looks like even msinfo cant show me enough informations about the motherboard from AMI made by ASUS to ask them a question... so... another question - for new motherboard which chipset should i go for i7-7700K?

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AlHill
Super User
403 Views

For ASUS boards, they almost always have information for that board on what processors are supported. Look up the board on the asus site, and look for compatible processors.

For the i7-7700K, I would look for which boards support that processor first, then compare the boards.

Doc

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
403 Views

Let me summarize; you are asking essentially three questions, (1) what processors you could upgrade to if you wanted to keep your existing motherboard, (2) what if you wanted to upgrade to a Core i7-7700K and (3) What we think of upgrading from a GTX650 card to a GTX770 card?

Here are my responses:

  1. I have two answers for this question:
    1. As Doc told you, you need to ask Asus what processor upgrades their BIOS supports. This isn't a question for AMI; they are only the BIOS vendor; it is a question that Asus - and only Asus - can answer completely. What we can tell you is that the replacement processors are also going to be from the 3rd generation; 4th generation (and later) processors use totally different sockets so a motherboard upgrade would be required to utilize them.
    2. Your board is 6 years old and 5 processor & chipset generations out of date. Upgrading to any solution that utilizes this board is, IMHO, a total waste of money!
  2. If you want to upgrade to a Core i7-7700K, you will also need to replace your motherboard and you will also need to replace your memory (the new processors need at least DDR3L or, more often, DDR4 memory and your existing memory is DDR3).
  3. I have two answers for this question:
    1. This graphics update would be a total waste of money. The (relatively speaking) small performance gain that you would get is simply not worth it. Unless it is free, you should be looking at least at a GTX960 (or better, GTX1060) solution.
    2. Now is not the time to be replacing graphics cards. With the frenzy surrounding Bitcoin Mining, the cost of graphics cards has gone through the roof in the past few months. Prices are doubling, tripling or even quadrupling, depending upon the processing power they offer.

Hope this helps; I will get off my soap box now (if you don't understand that, it means I will stop preaching),

...S

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