Processor upgrade for HP Pro 3010 SFF

[jdudleyjones]

Hi I need some help and advice, I have a HP Pro Small Form Factor (SFF) descktop PC which I primarily use for gaming and watching video's, over the past few months I've found myself upgrading cerain things on it such as the graphics card and RAM. It's a fantastic little machine I've come to realise and I want to get the best out of it as I can.

My question is this:

what is the best processor I can put in my machine to make it faster and as I use this system alot for gaming will it improve it at all and last question will I need to upgrade the BIOS as this is something I haver never done before.

One other thing will I need to upgrade the power supply to to get optimum power or is the one provided fine for this?

Kind regards all, Jay.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Jay:

Below is the link to the quickspecs for that model.

http://www.microsa.es/biblioteca/HP/QuickSpecs%20HP%20Pro%203010%20Business.pdf

The supported processors can be found on page 3.

Since there doesn't seem to be any X's next to the MT or SFF models when looking at the processor list, my assumption is that the listed processors are supported in both form factors with their current power supplies.

For example...when you look at the quickspecs for this business PC, there is a column of X's for the components supported in that specific form factor.  See pages 7 and 8 for what I am referring to.

http://www.levnapc.cz/ProductsFiles/HP-8000-Elite-prirucka-en.pdf

As to whether or not the BIOS has to be updated...probably not. 

There is only one BIOS file listed on the HP Pro 3010 driver page with no revision history.

[jdudleyjones]

Thanks, new question on page 3 they have them listed under bold titles example: Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processors
does that refer to my current processor or is all of the ones listed there compatible with my system, my processore is 
Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 Processor (2.93-GHz) which is listed under the Intel Core 2 Duo Processors category.
Does this mean I can only select from the Intel Core 2 Duo Processors: or can I upgrade to for instance the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 Processor (3.0-GHz, 12 MB L2 cache, 1333-MHz FSB)?

Regards Jay

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

According to the list, you can install any processor listed there.

If you wanted to install the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 Processor (3.0-GHz, 12 MB L2 cache, 1333-MHz FSB), according to the specs, that would be a supported processor.

You are not limited to the processors in the bolded group yours is listed in.

I will tell you that if you have a graphics card + the high wattage Q9650 processor in there, it will be taxing the power supply a bit, but it should hold up, depending on the maximum wattage draw of the graphics card.

I am running a Q9500 in a HP dc7900 SFF with an AMD Radeon HD 256 MB graphics card (which I think draws around 22 watts or so), and my PC has a 240W P/S, and it works fine.

I was initially concerned but am not any longer, as the PC has been running with that configuration for several months now (I added the graphics card).

There is quite a jump in the wattage used by the dual core E8600 and any of the quad core processors.

I have attached the specs on the E8600 and the Q9650 below...as you can see the Q runs 30 Watts higher than the E.

http://ark.intel.com/compare/35428,35605

[jdudleyjones]

Well I updated my graphics card to the MSI GeForce N210 Nvidia Graphics Card (1GB PCI-E 2.0 x16) according to the specks it requires 30.5 W, this whole thing confuses me to be honest 😕

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You should be alright then.

Your power supply is 10W higher than mine, so that compensates for the difference in video card power draw.

The problem is with mine for example, is the power supply is proprietary, and there are no better P/S offered by HP for my model.

I don't know if the P/S is proprietary for your model, so I cannot advise you regarding upgrading it.

However, with all that being written, I think you will be OK with the current P/S and the nvidia card and a Q9650.

You certainly would be OK with the E8600, but I don't see that as a very big jump from what you have now, and probably not worth the trouble.

Here's the side by side comparison of all three...Yours, E8600, Q9650.

http://ark.intel.com/compare/35428,35605,36503

The E8600 is faster and has double the cache as the E7500 which is good, but the Q has 4 times the cache, twice the cores, and is faster (GHz) than yours.

I don't really think the FSB speed increase is significant because the chipset your PC has only runs the memory at 1066 MHz, not 1333 HMz.

[jdudleyjones]

Thats great iI definitely think you've helped me alot here I now feel comfortable enough to get this upgraded thank you all for the help.

Kind regards Jay

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Jay.

Glad to have been of assistance.

Please post back and let us know how your processor upgrade went.

Best Regards,

Paul