The processor is perhaps one of the most important components in a computer, because it’s critical for the overall performance of your system. Upgrading the CPU will certainly enhance the performance of your system, but before you start anything, you should pay attention to some important things. First, you have to decide do you really need an upgrade. To answer this question, you have to check your CPU usage caused by the tasks that you regularly perform on your computer. This information can be found in the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del and selecting the Performance tab. As you can see there is a field called “CPU Usage History” which contains a graph indicating the current CPU usage measured in percentage. Take a look at that graph and continue to use your computer as usual. Then after a certain period of time check again the “CPU Usage History” graph. You can determine whether your computing tasks are CPU intensive if most of the graph  is at or near 100%. In such case a CPU upgrade will most likely improve the speed of your system.

task manager

Another important thing to do when upgrading your processor is to discover what CPUs are compatible with your motherboard. In order to know what is the fastest CPU you can install, you will need to know what is the maximum FSB (Front Side Bus) clock rate and the CPU socket supported by your motherboard. Remember that you can only replace your CPU with another CPU that uses the same socket. Otherwise it would be better to think about buying a whole new motherboard, which sometimes requires the replacement of some other components, like memory or videocard (if your new motherboard has different slots). This happens most often when you switch to a new platform (e.g. if your new motherboard uses DDR3 memory you will not be able to install your old DDR2, because these two types require different memory slots. A good way to find information about your motherboard is to check the user manual or visit the manufacturer”s website. Here you can find information about how to find the exact model and revision or your motherboard.

Once you have determined, that an upgrade is necessary, the next step is to decide whether or not it’s cost effective to do so. In order to find out what options are available for your system you need to determine what type of CPU you have. For this purpose you can use programs such as CPU-Z, which can give you detailed information about the processor installed on your system. According to some experts, your upgrade would be worthwhile if you switch to a CPU that’s at least 40-50 % faster than your current processor.

Now that you know what processor you need, there are some factors you should be aware of before purchasing  your new processor. Note that CPUs usually come in retail or OEM (original equipment manufacturer) packages. The difference between them is that Retail package includes CPU with detailed installation instructions and cooling module (heatsink / fan), unlike the OEM package that includes only the CPU itself.

There is one more component, that is essential for the normal operation of any computer system. It is the Thermal grease (also called thermal compound or thermal paste). It improves the efficiency of a cooling  module by conducting heat generated by the CPU to the heatsink. Most CPUs usually come with a thermal grease already pre-applied by the manufacturer (see the bottom of your heatsink). However, if no thermal grease came with your CPU, you will need to buy a tube from any computer store.

Now you can start upgrading your CPU. Procedure is relatively simple and I think it would take you no more than 20-30 minutes, but there are some safety rules to be followed. As an example here is a short guide describing how to install Intel processor using LGA775. socket.