You want to perform a CPU upgrade, but you're afraid that you will screw something up. There is always help for hire, but who wants to spend money on something that can be done by you in just 15 minutes.

First, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is what process's your computer information. If you have a slow CPU, then you will have a slow computer. Upgrading your CPU is a great, cheap way to get a couple more years of life out of your PC.

Before we begin, you should know that upgrading your CPU is somewhat a challenging task, and you should take the most care when doing it. If you don't, you could ruin the motherboard and/or your new CPU.

Buying the Correct CPU

The reason is because new faster technology is developed all the time, and the socket types and sizes are steadily changing. That is why you should try to read your motherboard or computer's manual before buying your new CPU, and find out the exact type of CPU you can buy. It should say in either one of those manuals what slot type it is. You could also do a search on the net for your motherboard type and CPU specifications for it.

Another way of finding out your CPU socket type is to remove your CPU's heat sink, then remove the CPU by lifting the locking lever, and on the right side it should have that information engraved on the plastic molding that surrounds your CPU. For more information on removing your old CPU, read the " How to Install your new CPU " section below.

Socket Types

Please Note: All socket types might not be listed below, since they are constantly being updated as new technology emerges.

Current AMD Socket Types (As of 2/19/2009) - Source: Wikipedia

AMD Desktop CPU Socket Types

• Super Socket 7 - AMD K6-2, AMD K6-III; Rise mP6.
• Slot A - AMD Athlon
• Socket A (also known as "Socket 462", 462-contact PGA) - AMD socket supporting Athlon, Duron, Athlon XP, Athlon XP-M, Athlon MP, Sempron, and Geode processors.
• Socket 754 (754-contact PGA) - AMD single-processor socket featuring single-channel DDR-SDRAM. Supports AMD Athlon 64, Sempron, Turion 64 processors.
• Socket 939 (939-contact PGA) - AMD single-processor socket featuring dual-channel DDR-SDRAM. Supports Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX to 1 GHz[4], Athlon 64 X2 to 4800+, Opteron 100-series processors . Superseded by Socket AM2 about 2 years after launch.
• Socket 940 (940-contact PGA) - AMD single and multi-processor socket featuring registered (ECC) DDR-SDRAM. Intended for Opteron servers, but also used for "SledgeHammer" series Athlon 64 FX processors .
• Socket AM2 (940-contact PGA) - AMD single-processor socket featuring DDR2-SDRAM. Replaces Socket 754 and Socket 939[4] (some confused Socket AM2 with "Socket 940" for server processors). Supports Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX, Opteron, Sempron and Phenom processors.
• Socket AM2+ (940-contact PGA) - AMD socket for single processor systems. Features support for DDR2 and HyperTransport 3 with separated power lanes. (Replaces Socket AM2 , electrically compatible with Socket AM2). Supports Athlon 64, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 FX, Opteron, and Phenom processors.
• Socket AM3 (938-contact PGA) - AMD socket for single processor systems. Features support for DDR3 and HyperTransport 3 with separated power lanes. Replaces Socket AM2+ with support for DDR3-SDRAM.

AMD Mobile CPU Socket Types

• Socket 563 - AMD low-power mobile Athlon XP-M (563-contact µ-PGA, mostly mobile parts).
• Socket 754
• Socket S1 - AMD socket for mobile platforms featuring DDR2-SDRAM. Replaces Socket 754 for mobile processors (638-contact PGA).
• Socket FS1 - future Fusion processors for notebook market with CPU and GPU functionality (codenamed Swift), supporting DDR3 SDRAM, to be released in 2009.

AMD Server CPU Socket Types

• Socket 940 - AMD single and multi-processor socket featuring DDR-SDRAM. Supports AMD Opteron[4] (2xx and 8xx Series), Athlon 64 FX processors (940-contact PGA).
• Socket A
• Socket F (also known as "Socket 1207") - AMD multi-processor socket featuring DDR2-SDRAM. Supports AMD Opteron[4](2xxx and 8xxx Series) and Athlon 64 FX processors. Replaces
  
• Socket 940 (LGA 1207-contact), and partially compatible with Socket F+.
• Socket F+ - Future AMD multi-processor socket featuring higher speed HyperTransport interconnect of up to 2.6 GHz. Replacing Socket F but socket F processors remained supported for backward compatibility.
• Future processor which is in development under the Fusion project codename, will employ Socket FS1 and two other sockets.
• Socket G34 - successor to socket F+, originally planned as Socket G3 paired with Socket G3 Memory Extender for servers to expand memory.

Intel Desktop CPU Socket Types

• Slot 1 - Intel Celeron, Pentium II, Pentium III
• Socket 370 - Intel Pentium III, Celeron; Cyrix III; VIA C3
• Socket 423 - Intel Pentium 4[5] and Celeron processors (Willamette core)* Socket N (Northwood, Prescott, and Willamette cores)
• Socket 478 - Intel Pentium 4, Celeron, Celeron D, Pentium 4 Extreme Edition[5], Pentium M
• Socket B (LGA 1366 [6]) - a new socket for Intel CPUs incorporating the integrated memory controller and Intel QuickPath Interconnect. (Bloomfield)
• Socket T (also known as Socket 775 or LGA 775) - Intel Pentium 4, Pentium D, Celeron D, Pentium Extreme Edition, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Extreme, Celeron[5], Xeon 3000 series, Core 2 Quad (Northwood, Prescott, Conroe, Kentsfield, Cedar Mill , Wolfdale and Yorkfield cores)

Intel Mobile CPU Socket Types

• Socket 441 - Intel Atom
• Socket 479 - Intel Pentium M and Celeron M (Banias and Dothan cores)
• Socket 495 - Also known as PPGA-B495, used for Mobile P3 Coppermine and Celerons [7]
• Socket M - Intel Core Solo, Intel Core Duo and Intel Core 2 Duo (A little part of Merom Cores and all Yohan Cores)
• Micro-FCBGA - Intel Mobile Celeron, Core 2 Duo (mobile), Core Duo, Core Solo, Celeron M, Pentium III (mobile), Mobile Celeron
• Socket P - Intel-based; replaces Socket 479 and Socket M. Released May 9th, 2007. (Merom and Penryn Cores)
• Socket 956 - Intel Core 2 Duo (Penryn core)

Intel Server CPU Socket Types

• Socket 8 - Intel Pentium Pro
• Slot 2 - Intel Pentium II Xeon, Pentium III Xeon
• Socket 603 - Intel Xeon (Northwood and Willamette cores)
• Socket 604 - Intel Xeon
• PAC418 - Intel Itanium
• PAC611 - Intel Itanium 2, HP PA-RISC 8800 and 8900
• Socket J (also known as Socket 771 or LGA 771) - Intel Xeon (Woodcrest core)
• Socket N - Intel Dual-Core Xeon LV

Types of Upgrades

Chip for chip CPU upgrade - A chip for chip upgrade is where you remove the old CPU and replace it with a new one. Usually you will completely replace the old CPU, but sometimes you will have to slip an OverDrive chip into a special socket, also located on the motherboard. Most of the new motherboards do not have an OverDrive socket though. This is the only CPU I have upgraded and is the most common type of upgrade.

Piggyback CPU upgrade - This upgrade is where you stack the new CPU on top of the old one. Very easy to do but not common with most computers that were made in the past 5 years.

Daughtercard upgrade - This type of upgrade involves a new chip on a separate card. The card has little pins on the bottom of it just like a CPU and it slides right into a ZIF socket.

CPU Speed Recommendations

Remember the days when computer processors were measured in MHz? With the introduction of the blazing fast GHz processor, those days are gone. Don't get me wrong, people still use MHz processors, but the price of a GHz processor is pretty low. So why not get one.

The only computer users that I recommend buy a MHz processor is someone who uses their computer strictly for business/financial and other small tasks. All other types of users should check out my speed recommendations below that they should get, and no higher. If you follow those recommendations, you will only pay for speed that you need and save money on your CPU upgrade purchase.

Common home use - 1 to 1.5 GHz

Heavy work needs - 2 GHz

Computer gamers - 2.5 to 3.5 GHz

How to Install your new CPU

If you need to learn how to install a CPU, then you have come to the right website. I have upgraded my CPU about 20 times, and friends and family members countless times. I have made just about all the mistakes too, from bending one of the pins to applying the heatsink wrong. These mistakes will destroy your CPU and must be avoided. I can help you avoid them and you will install your new CPU properly with my help.

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