Educate ME!!!

[Delavan]

Hi I build my own systems, but I never did a "CPU SWAP".

Is is worth it to re-use my GA-965P-DS3 rev 3.3, flash it to "unofficial CPU support BIOS" newer version (for Kentfields and Yorkfields), of should I get an ASUS P5Q pro (free shipping with entire order from NCIX)....

I would like to get a nice cheap Quad (with OC headroom) or a cheap C2D that could give me a lot more performance than my actual E6420@3.2Ghz. (is it worht it or I'll have to spent 400$ on a CPU/HSF combo to get a significant upgrade?)
I use my comp for gaming mostly, running a GTX260 Core 216 (see sig).

Also, I'm considering an AMD system with 720BE OCed (of course) as an alternate upgrade path...dunno what's better to do...

I'm afraid to get a nice mobo, but with old BIOS that doesn't yet support the CPU I could possibly buy. Of course I could go fail-safe and order exactly the same stuff others get...like a copy-cat.

If I go AMD, I'd like to get this mobo:
http://www.ncix.com/products/product....php?sku=35762

It supports the 720BE with the latest BIOS...WHAT happens if it ships with an oldie BIOS (and nobody around here got an old AMD for me to use to flash???

Am I forced to get a mobo that supports the CPU right out of the box then???

Educate me!!!

[SugarJ]

There's no way I'd spend the money on a new CPU and hope that a "unofficial" bios upgrade would work. I believe there's some electrical requirements that the 965 just doesn't have.

Take a look at this combo from NCIX.

NCIX.com - Buy AMD March Madness Phenom II X3 710 Triple Core Processor & MSI DKA790GX Motherboard - X3-710-790GX In Canada.

$260 for a 790gx board and 710BE seems like a good deal to me.

[upcoast604]

The 710 isn't a BE, it's locked, basically the cpu is worth $148ish so the mobo comes in at $112 if u break it down.

[Delavan]

Yes the 710 is not a BE. I wonder if I would see an improvement. Of course, I could OC a bit, but the only multi-threaded apps I use are the games that support multithreading/multicores.

[Babrbarossa]

The 710 would be an improvement, but there are also bundle deals on 720s at NCIX