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I need it for gaming n as cheap as it goes..

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rproffitt

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Short, practical summary tied to the thread: the Core 2 Duo E8400 is an LGA775 (Wolfdale) CPU — 3.00 GHz, 1333 MHz FSB and 6 MB L2 — so any LGA775 board with native 1333 FSB support (P45/P35, X38/X48 and the Intel G-series chipsets) is the right place to start. The CPU is not a modern part, so compatibility is controlled by socket, chipset and the board BIOS rather than by the CPU itself. (techpowerup.com)

If you want cheap and solid for gaming, target well-regarded P45 boards from the era. Examples that commonly pop up used and explicitly list E8xxx CPU support are the Asus P5Q family (P5Q / P5Q Pro / P5Q Pro Turbo) and Gigabyte GA‑EP45‑UD3P — both are P45 boards with full PCIe x16 for a discrete GPU and decent VRMs for modest overclocking via FSB if you choose to push the chip. Check the manufacturer CPU-support page for the exact board revision and required BIOS. (asus.com)

Practical buying tips (expand on ’s cost-sorting idea): buy a tested board+CPU bundle when possible, confirm the board’s memory type (many P45 boards are DDR2; some vendors made DDR3 variants), and ask the seller to show a POST screen or a short test video. Inspect photos for bulging/leaking capacitors and for bent/missing socket pins — those are the common failure points on older motherboards. If you must buy used separately, favor sellers who accept returns or who will test the board with your CPU before finalizing the sale. (asus.com)

Quick checklist to paste into your search/Excel:

  • Socket = LGA775; FSB = 1333MHz support.
  • Chipset = P45/P35/X38/X48/G31–G35 families.
  • Confirm exact board revision + BIOS that lists E8400 support.
  • Inspect capacitors and CPU-socket pins; request a POST test.
    Following that workflow will find the cheapest reliable option for gaming with an E8400 without chasing incompatible parts.
Member Avatar for rproffitt

You need to work harder on your posts. Don't try to use short text message codes, we can read it all here.
shows a list. Can you find any of those today?

As you find them, put them on your Excel sheet and when you find them all sort by total cost. What good is a board if you have to hunt down a missing part?

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