Precision 370 Motherboard Upgrade

Question

Greetings All, I've posted here before with no results, and I would REALLY like some assistance with upgrading my Precision 370's CPU. Unfortunately its chipset (Intel 925 Express) only supports the 600-series CPUs, and I would like to install a Dell motherboard with a chipset that supports the 900-series 'D' processors (dual core). Can anyone provide me with a Dell part number for the motherboard that supports the Intel 900-series dual core Pentiums? Just give me the part number and I'll take care of whether or not it 'fits.' :) Cheers, Jack

ejn63 · Answer

There isn't one; the chassis for the systems that support the later CPUs is completely different from the one you have, so the boards won't fit. Message Edited by ejn63 on 02-21-2007 06:16 PM

Jackattak · Answer

Thank you much. I actually did some research on the subject in the meantime and found the board I needed to swap with in order to get a higher chipset that supports the class of CPU I desire. During that research I confirmed what you just informed me of, and that's too bad. The farthest I will be able to go is the 3.8GHz HT P4, which is a pity because I'd love a true dual core. Looks like I'll just have to buy a whole new Precision. Cheers and thanks for the reply! Jack

sbgardne · Answer

I have a slightly older Precision 370 with a 500-series p4 (Prescott 520) and the 925x chipset. Hoping to upgrade, my research has arrived at the same conclusion regarding the processor: I'm limited to the 600-series p4. In my case the upgrade from a p4 520 to a 640 (e.g.) will get me 64-bit capable.  Another difference between the 500 and 600 series processors is an increase in L2 cache from 1MB to 2MB. The 600 series also includes SpeedStep, which will throttle the processor down unless it's needed. Not crazy about that, but a slowed processor will generally run cooler.   I've ordered memory, a couple of SATA drives (I'm going to RAID them via the BIOS) and will assess the performance of the box for awhile before I make a decision on the processor. Right now, a new boxed Intel Prescott 640 or 650 with a cooling fan runs about $100. If I upgrade, I'm guessing that I should continue to use the current Dell cooling tower rather than the generic fan that comes with the CPU box.   Thanks for feedback.

Jackattak · Answer

Well I just upgraded to a P4 670 (3.8GHz) this weekend, as that was the best possible CPU I could upgrade to without swapping the motherboard. Coming from a 3.2GHz 600-series, I have noticed quite an improvement. I never have used the SpeedStep technology nor the 64-bit capability of the 600-series, so I wasn't too concerned with those newer technologies to the 600's. I am also using Dell's fan/heatsink/shroud combo without upgrading any of those parts, and I haven't noticed any temperature issues as of yet. I will be upgrading to the maximum RAM available, 4GBs (currently have 2GBs), next month. It's a shame that a $3,000+ Precision Workstation purchased 3 years ago (2004) will be completely obsolete in two more years, and will have a hard time keeping up until then. I wish that Dell would offer the more tech-savvy customers some advanced upgrading features instead of forcing us to buy all-new equipment every 5 years. Hopefully Dell is listening. I find it much more efficient to upgrade my institution's hardware than to upgrade the entire workstations.

Locked Topics – Desktops General

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