1) Is that i7 compatible with that motherboard? I know it fits socket but I read some cpu's might still not be compatible.
i7-2600 is a standard Intel 2nd gen cpu and is supported by optiplex 990 regardless of motherboard DP/N.
2) Do I need to update BIOS and where can I find that update?
no, you do not need to update bios. given age of pc better not taking risk of flashing bios unless there is strong good reason.
3) If question 1 and 2 are ok to go. Do I install new cpu first then new Windows 10 or vice versa?
you should first boot pc with current i3 and make sure it posts well. This will confirm all other hardware are in working condition. Then you can swap i3 for i7. Power on to verify pc still posts well. Only then you can install Windows 10. This is analogous to building a house. First making sure foundation is solid before architecting upper high level structures.
4) Anything else you could think of I should know?
you do not need more than 16Gb for gaming. 32 gb ram is more than enough. A sata ssd will help booting faster. Optiplex 990 top cpu is i7-2600. No need to consider -k cpu because Dell bios doesn’t let you overclock. When you consider gpu upgrade for gaming, also consider upgrading stock psu.
I am going max out RAM 32mb. What kind of RAM do you recommend?
Getting new power supply. What do you recommend?
What kind of GPU for that new CPU and RAM do you recommend?
Get 4x 4GB DDR3-10600 1333 MHz. Any matched sticks from big name brand (Samsung, crucial, Hynix etc.) are okay. No need to go fancy here.
DCS world requires gpu: GeForce GTX780 / ATI R9 290 DirectX11 or better.
get a GTX 970 blower type (it is about same price as 780) which is slightly faster and newer than 780, and lot more power efficient. You do not want to install a high TDP gpu such as 780 or R9 290 in optiplex which is not designed to handle big heat load in case. It has no front in take fan, only a back fan. For even newer gpu, get a GTX 1060. For GTX 970 get a 500W psu with two 6 pin, for GTX 1060, get a 400W psu with one 6 pin.
redxps630
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Posted December 27th, 2020 21:00
Re:
1) Is that i7 compatible with that motherboard? I know it fits socket but I read some cpu's might still not be compatible.
i7-2600 is a standard Intel 2nd gen cpu and is supported by optiplex 990 regardless of motherboard DP/N.
2) Do I need to update BIOS and where can I find that update?
no, you do not need to update bios. given age of pc better not taking risk of flashing bios unless there is strong good reason.
3) If question 1 and 2 are ok to go. Do I install new cpu first then new Windows 10 or vice versa?
you should first boot pc with current i3 and make sure it posts well. This will confirm all other hardware are in working condition. Then you can swap i3 for i7. Power on to verify pc still posts well. Only then you can install Windows 10. This is analogous to building a house. First making sure foundation is solid before architecting upper high level structures.
4) Anything else you could think of I should know?
you do not need more than 16Gb for gaming. 32 gb ram is more than enough. A sata ssd will help booting faster. Optiplex 990 top cpu is i7-2600. No need to consider -k cpu because Dell bios doesn’t let you overclock. When you consider gpu upgrade for gaming, also consider upgrading stock psu.