Intel Processor (Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 / 2.13 GHz)

Member Name: fairdonion

Product:	Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 / 2.13 GHz
Date:	12/08/08 (71 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fast

Disadvantages: maynot be compatable with all motherboards for an upgrade.

With my husband deciding to build his own computer one of the first items to get after the Motherboard is the processor.

This is the brains behind the computer (so I am told).

Out came the magazines and a lot of surfing on here and on intel site and finally decided to go for the Intel Core 2 Duo E6420.

This is a 2.13 ghz per core.

It runs at 1066 mhz and has 2 mb of cache.

If you are thinking of upgrading to this processor then your Motherboard must accept 1066 mhz or above processors and it must be a socket 775 motherboard. So it might be adviseable to buy the processor first.

So what is in the box? You get the processor which is very small in size and you also get the fan and the heatsink which compared to the processor are rather large.

You will also get a sheet of instructions which state that the processor must be installed by a professional! Dont believe this as as long as you take elementary precautions such as using an earth strap which you can buy from any computer shop then there should not be a problem.

When it comes to fitting the processor, if using a new motherboard then the protective plate must be removed from the motherboard and from the processor otherwise it will not fit and all you will end up doing is bending the pins.

It is important to get the orientation of the processor right prior to fitting.

There is a little cut out in one corner which must be aligned with the appropriate cut out on the motherboard. Dont try and fit it at an angle because again the pins will bend. Just drop straight down and then pull the clamp down over it until it clicks into place.

Before fitting the heatsink and fan smear some thermal paste on top of the processor (just a thin film is required) align the heatsink and fan with the holes in the motherboard push the corner pins down until they lock into place. Job done.

This processor is eminently over clockable and depending on your case cooling it is easily capable of being over clocked to 3 ghz.

If you follow this then you will find this a great processor although it does cost a bit more at £139.99 than processors running at a higher clock speed.

It is well worth the money and I would definately recommend this as it will give you a really fast computer.

Summary: brilliant processor.

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