So I have here an extra Lenovo ThinkCentre m90z AIO with 8gb RAM and 1TB HD, but it comes with an Intel G2030 @3.00Ghz.

My questions are:
Does this Motherboard support an i5 processor (I have a spare one)?
Can I use this machine solely with the purpose to make music (with the G2030 processor) with the most recent software?

I don't build my own PC for several years, and I'm kinda lost now with the possible configuration, so, any proper help is more than welcome.

Thank you

 

i cant help but push thread a bit

interesting....

 

I searched for "Lenovo ThinkCentre m90z" and the first link was to Lenovo Support page here: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/desktops-and-all-in-ones/thinkcentre/m-series-aio/c/M-Series-AIO


Processor

• Intel® Pentium G6950 2.80G 1066MHz Dual core\3MB cache \73W LGA 1156 (Gfx core speed 533MHz )
• Intel® Core i3-530 2.93G 1333MHz 4T\Dual core\4MB cache\73W LGA 1156 (Gfx core speed 733MHz )
• Intel® Core i3-540 3.06G 1333MHz 4T\Dual core\4MB cache\73W LGA 1156 (Gfx core speed 733MHz )
• Intel® Core i5-650 3.20G 1333MHz 4T\Dual core\4MB cache\73W\Turbo LGA 1156 (Gfx core speed 733MHz)
• Intel® Core i5-660 3.33G 1333MHz 4T\Dual core\4MB cache\73W\Turbo LGA 1156 (Gfx core speed 733MHz)
• Intel® Core i5-670 3.46G 1333MHz 4T\Dual core\4MB cache\73W\Turbo LGA 1156 (Gfx core speed 733MHz)
• Processor in LGA 1156 socket

So it looks like a bit older system, cca 2012-13. Weird they don't mention G2030. Also these processors are for LGA 1156, not 1155 as G2030. We have to determine what motherboard you have, exactly, to be able to upgrade the CPU. It's most probably a motherboard with LGA 1155 socket. You can use a program like Speccy [ https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy ] to determine the exact model of the motherboard and CPU. Once you do that, it would be possible to install a stronger CPU.

However, these computers seem to have dodgy power supplies... so it might not work, or catch fire even. Look here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/recall They do seem to talk about their 2012 models with LGA 1156 CPUs. You seem to have a bit newer model.

What i5 CPU do you have? There's like a couple of hundred different models for about a dozen of sockets, you know.

 

Here is a list that will make it easier for you. Some of those have success chances in the 90s!
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Pentium_Dual-Core/G2030.html

 

Last edited: Jan 5, 2019

I just want to use this machine for educational proposes, as I have 3 more to play (2 with i5, one with i7).
I'm starting to teach production in a center for troubled teenagers, and this one doesn't bother me if suddenly "disappears" from the place.
This computer was here at home just for my wife watch Netflix and cooking receipts in the kitchen.

 

Last edited: Jan 5, 2019

go for the old 3770k if the mobo accept it... i have one with 32 Gb DDR3 and it sill rocks. oc it to about 4.5 and you can run it 24/7 with a decent air cooler
You can buy a used one for pretty cheap

 

I don't think so... I was reading on Tom's Hardware that with luck, I can use one i5, but probably only the old i3 processors will work on that MB

 

But you have to find out which socket is on the motherboard, and which i5 CPU is what you have. You can't just put any i5 CPU in any motherboard that supports i5 CPU, because they are not all compatible with every Intel chipset motherboard. You might even be able to put an i7 CPU in that motherboard. It's more likely that you have an i5 that's not compatible with that motherboard, since Intel loves to force people into buying new motherboards every time the new generation of CPUs comes out. That's because they have to sell their chipsets, too.... milking money as much as they can. I never liked Intel much because of these hard core capitalist practices...

 

Last edited: Jan 6, 2019