I just needed one good reason to buy it, and I got that reason this just last month. It was thanksgiving and there was a big sale at my favorite computer store, CompUSA. They were giving away laptops for just three hundred dollars and other great stuff to prices like these. This was just too much motivation for me to stop myself.   Please refer to the How to purchase a processor guide for full details on what questions to ask yourself before purchasing a processor.


INSTALLATION :
Since I already have a motherboard (the Asus A8V Deluxe), I was all set for this upgrade. I did not need anything else. As usual the installation was as a breeze because I have been doing this for sometime now; plus these are fairly simple to install if you follow the simple instructions in the quick install guide. The easy installation guide comes in handy if you are doing this for the first time or even the second time (you get used to it after that). Unless you are using a different heatsink and fan, you will have no problem if you follow the instructions in the setup guide. If you are going to use a different heatsink and fan (like me), than use the instruction that came with the fan and heatsink to install it properly.

If you choose to install the stock heatsink and fan, I would highly advise against overclocking this processor (plus it is already fast enough for my needs, but will oc it later when I get used to the new speed). One tip I would like to give you if you are planning to install it yourself; use Arctic Silver thermal grease when installing the heatsink. This will help keep your processor cooler or make it cooler faster.

When you boot-up for the first time with this processor, you may probably have to clear your CMOS settings to make sure you start out with a clean system, but if you are like me and are just replacing the processor, you may not have to. Then just install your operating system or if you already have an operating system install, just boot up. One thing to keep in mind when booting for the first time is to keep an eye on the processor and memory (RAM) temperatures (especially if you used a different heatsink and overclocked the cpu). Also make sure the memory sticks you have are compatible and can overclock without problems.