What Can I upgrade to...?

[Anomaly1964]

I have a Gateway LX6810-01:

Processor Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q82001 (2.33GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 4MB L2 cache)8 Operating System Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium (64-bit) with SP19 Memory 8192MB 800MHz DDR2 Dual Channel Memory (4 x 2048MB Modules)10 Hard Drive 640GB 7200RPM SATA II hard drive with 16MB Cache4 Chassis Premium Tower Desktop with Media Control Interface Video Nvidia 9800GT


Audio 8-Channel (7.1) High Definition Audio with Dolby Home Theater® Sound11 Available Expansion Slots Available: 0 - PCI-E x16, 0 - PCI-E x1, 1 - PCI Digital Media Software Cyberlink® Power2 Go™, & Cyberlink® LabelPrint7 Dimensions (Box) 11.42" (H) x 23.68" (W) x 19.6" (D) or 290mm (H) x 602mm (W) x 498mm (D) Dimensions (System) 17.7" (H) x 7.5" (W) x 19.0" (D) or 449mm (H) x 191mm (W) x 482mm (D) External Ports (6) USB 2.0 ports (2 Front, 4 Rear), (2) IEEE 1394a Ports (1 Front, 1 Rear), VGA (Rear), (3) Front RCA Ports (Video, Left/Right Audio), (2) PS/2 Ports, HDMI (Rear), DVI (Rear)

Memory Capacity Maximum 8GB Modem 56K ITU V.92 ready Fax/Modem (RJ-11 port) Motherboard Systemboard with NVIDIA® nForce® 720i Chipset (MCP7A-D)

LGA 775 Socket...


EDIT: This actually came from CPU-Z (it says 730i chipset as opposed to gateway site that says 720?)

1. What is the max processor I can put on this board...?
2. Can I upgrade to better RAM?
3. And most important, where would I have found this information myself?

Thanks!

 

[Anomaly1964]

Anyone?

 

[BoomerD]

One of the big problems with upgrading those computers is the weak power supply. They're usually equipped with a PSU that's already undersized...or just barely enough for the stock build.

I looked at one on Amazon last week...PhenomII X6 processor, Nice video card, (don't remember what one) and it had a whopping 300 watt PSU.

You should be able to get info on your PSU from Gateway if you can't find it on the unit itself.

Gateway should have documents on how much memory and what kind your motherboard will support. Start there.
As for the processor, I don't know. I sort of skipped a generation or two on processors. (last research I did was the P4...socket 478) :$

 

[ChippyUK]

Here's the spec sheet:
http://support.gateway.com/s/PC/LX/LX6810/LX6810sp3.shtml

I don't think you can upgrade much to be honest. You've got a socket 775, so the fastest CPU available on that socket is:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650, S775, Yorkfield Core, 3 GHz, 1333MHz, 12MB Cache, 9x Ratio, 95W. You may consider overclocking if there is such an option in the BIOS.

Memorywise, I don't think you can do much here. You've got 8GB which is more than most have and the timings will only make a small percentage difference in speed so I suggest you save your cash.

It'd help if you advised what is running particularly slow on your system or what you need it running so fast for? (Games, Media, CAD, etc).

I'd suggest an OS upgrade if you're running Vista, or an SSD if you want to improve load time. GFX card would give you a nice boost in games, but as said above, you may need to upgrade your PSU first and ensure you have the spare power connections to feed it.

 

[Anomaly1964]

Sorry, I forgot to state that I upgraded to a 700watt power supply and a 9800GT Video card...

And here is the thing, I can play all my games JUST fine, you just get on a site like this and you get upgrade fever..LMAO!

 

[Anomaly1964]

I would still like to know if someone can show me WHERE I can find info like this on my own...thanks again!

 

[MustangSVT]

as the poster said above, the fastest would be any of C2Q chips. I would recommend o/c instead of buying anything but I assume with gateway, any o/c features are disabled on the board.

Why do you want to upgrade? for games?

I would only suggested SSD upgrade for your current setup.
Otherwise, take the plunge and get a new mobo + chip . Say something like i5 760

 

[veri745]

I would still like to know if someone can show me WHERE I can find info like this on my own...thanks again!

Most of this information should be available on the support site of whoever made your system / motherboard.

In your case:
http://support.gateway.com/s//PC/LX/LX6810/LX6810nv.shtml

 

[Anomaly1964]

Most of this information should be available on the support site of whoever made your system / motherboard.

In your case:
http://support.gateway.com/s//PC/LX/LX6810/LX6810nv.shtml

Thanks for the link but I didn't see anything about processors...grrrrr.

 

[BoomerD]

If you bought this brand new, your documents should tell what motherboard this was built with. (my ancient G6-400 docs identified every component in the build)
Once you get that, you should be able to google it for more info...OR, just call Gateway. They're used to be pretty good with such questions.

 

[Anomaly1964]

If you bought this brand new, your documents should tell what motherboard this was built with. (my ancient G6-400 docs identified every component in the build)
Once you get that, you should be able to google it for more info...OR, just call Gateway. They're used to be pretty good with such questions.

It's a Gateway FMCP7AM motherboard, can it basically take ANY LGA775 Processor?

http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2quad/specifications.htm

 

[billbillw]

If you hang around these sites, it will be inevitable that you build your own system with an aftermarket motherboard. I tried once (back in 2002?) to go back to a pre-built system (a Dell). After not much more than a year, I stripped the Dell of its CPU, memory, HDD, optical drive, and I put those parts back into a custom build. Since then, I've never even thought about going back.

As has already been stated, your choices are limited to the handful of Core 2 Quad processors out there. I just sold my Q9550 which was a 2.83GHz 12MB L2 cache version of your chip. I think it was perhaps the 2nd fastest in the series? Problem is, for the price of a Q9550, you could get a Phenom II x6 1055T and a motherboard (if you are close to a Microcenter).

 

[Anomaly1964]

If you hang around these sites, it will be inevitable that you build your own system with an aftermarket motherboard. I tried once (back in 2002?) to go back to a pre-built system (a Dell). After not much more than a year, I stripped the Dell of its CPU, memory, HDD, optical drive, and I put those parts back into a custom build. Since then, I've never even thought about going back.

As has already been stated, your choices are limited to the handful of Core 2 Quad processors out there. I just sold my Q9550 which was a 2.83GHz 12MB L2 cache version of your chip. I think it was perhaps the 2nd fastest in the series? Problem is, for the price of a Q9550, you could get a Phenom II x6 1055T and a motherboard (if you are close to a Microcenter).

I had a self built AMD system before this one...

I need to catch back up on building...

 

[billbillw]

I had a self built AMD system before this one...

I need to catch back up on building...

Luckily, not much has changed, except everything seems easier these days. I remember taking days to get a system built, get the OS loaded, and work out the kinks. Now I can do it in about 2-3 hours.

 

[Anomaly1964]

Luckily, not much has changed, except everything seems easier these days. I remember taking days to get a system built, get the OS loaded, and work out the kinks. Now I can do it in about 2-3 hours.

When I bought this one I got LAZY and really for the money, it's a good rig; upgrade the power supply and video card, not sure I could have built if for as cheap as I bought it...

 

[billbillw]

When I bought this one I got LAZY and really for the money, it's a good rig; upgrade the power supply and video card, not sure I could have built if for as cheap as I bought it...

Yeah, that is what lured me back that one time. It was cheaper to buy that refurb Dell than it was to build a comparable one. Never again.