Best CPU for LGA775 for an Intel Q35 Express chipset?

Hi, I just got for free a Dell OptiPlex 755, which has an Intel Q35 Express chipset and a Intel 2 Core E6750 (PLGA775). I want to replace the HDD with an SSD ($20), put a nVIDIA GeForce GT 710 ($20) so I have a proper GPU and an HDMI output and finally I'd like to upgrade noticeably the CPU.

I'm looking for something I can buy for $20 and that noticeably improves the PC capabilities. I think that what really impacts the normal day to day task is a better single thread performance, since heavy multi-core tasks are not that common.

I've read that you can't just plug in any LGA775 CPU, that you have to look what your MoBo can support. I don't know where to look to check what my MoBo can or can't support.

Technical guide page 10
https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/opti_755_techspecs.pdf

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E6850 gives11-12% performance boost with similar 65w tdp

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SIW2 said:

Technical guide page 10
https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/opti_755_techspecs.pdf

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E6850 gives11-12% performance boost with similar 65w tdp

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3.0 GHz (E6850) vs. 2.66 GHz? (E6750), 12.5% based on raw clock speed. I suppose that it could be worth it if you can get the CPU cheaply or for free.

The Q35 chipset is supposed to support the E8600 CPU as well (3.3 GHz, 6Mb L2 cache rather than the 4Mb cache on the E6850), but there may be a risk that the Dell BIOS won't support the E8600, if Dell never sold that configuration.

But, that processor page was created the year the PC was released. What if newer CPU's are compatible?
I guessed I should find something like: the CPU supported by this MoBo must have LGA775, have this, and that.

Looks like the E8600 is the fastest and it's only $10 online.

That is why I linked the spec. It tells you what cpus you can use. Page 10.

I also linked the 3 cpus that are theoretically an upgrade on your current one.

It helps if you read the posts.

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Take some Core2 Quad (Q9550 for example), no sense at all to buy dualcore.

Edit: The link is ok, probably has blocked access from tenforums ip addresses.

The OP is most interested in single core performance.
The links giving comparison between his current cpu and the three possible upgrades are already in my previous post.

There is no indication that it will support the Q9950. Specs list E6850 or Q6600 or Q6700 as possible upgrades.

Links comapring them already posted.

I READ that page 10 and I can only see a list of CPU's, not a list of the requirements of the CPU. That's why I asked where are the reqs.

Here's a comparison:
PassMark - CPU Comparison Intel Core2 Duo E6750 vs Intel Core2 Duo E8600 vs Intel Core2 Quad Q9650

As you can see, E8600 get 1370 in single thread, while the Q9650 only 1260. I think this is what makes most impact in a day to day basis, the tasks that use the 4 cores at maximum are very few and don't really do them.

I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that the E8600 will be faster (slightly) than the Q9650 at opening programs, loading apps, loading the system and all that kind of stuff. The quad core makes a big impact when encoding videos or compressing files.
For example, turning on a computer (SSD of course), opening chrome, Photoshop, watching YouTube videos and turning off the computer, will be faster with the dual core. Agree?

Personally I replaced E8400 by Q9550 (which is a bit slower but quadcore) and both the operating system and applications run much better. But i do not care...