This motherboard has served me well for quite some time. I recently upgraded my video card and got a 22" Samsung widescreen flatpanel monitor. Obviously I'm interested in some sweet games for my machine, but my CPU is poor for many of the newer games. I know I can upgrade it, but I don't know to what extent, and if it will be compatible with my motherboard. I'm also wondering if it will even be worth it since the computer market changes so quickly. Might it be better to get a new mobo and everything if I'm gonna go ahead and upgrade my CPU? Or if not, what would be the best choice (solid, reasonable for todays new game releases, at the best cost) in a CPU compatible with the NF7? I was thinking this $75 'AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Brisbane 2.3GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Dual-Core Processor' from newegg, but I don't know how to find out if it is compatible or not what with bus speeds and all of that business.
If I were you I would just upgrade to a cheap AMD, sit tight, and wait for the new Intel Nehalem CPUs coming out end of this year or next year.
K so what about now, same question pretty much, but now i'm lookin at this $200 CPU from tigerdirect "Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Processor BX80570E8400 - 3.0GHz, 6MB Cache, 1333MHz FSB, Wolfdale, Dual-Core, Retail, Socket 775, Processor with Fan". No idea if this would run on my mobo, or if I should. Any opinions?
The NF7 is an ancient motherboard, so it won't be compatible with either CPU. You will have to get a new motherboard to get a new CPU, as Socket A doesn't support dual cores or quad cores.
Agreed. At the current price the Q6600 is probably the CPU of choice for anything above a budget build. Given the number of components he's changing though, that may be out of his price range.
