Overclocking (Main Thread)

northernhawk29 said:Would I be better off just grabbing an Intel Core i5-2500K, which is maybe 5% slower due to the lack of L3 cache, cheaper, runs at 95W, and then just giving up on overclocking?$33

Also, one more thing. Someone told me AMD processors only support up to 1333MHz memory, but I picked up some 1600MHz modules and my motherboard supports 1600. If I set it to 1600, does that count as overclocking or what...

Since the Intel Core i5-2500K is 95W, there might be a little wiggle room for some OC.🙂

Yeah, AMD chips based on the Intel Nehalem architecture can really only take advantage of DDR3 1333MHz, but it shouldn't be an issue if you have 1600MHz sticks installed...

Sorry to be a nuisance here—if I have 1600MHz sticks, I know what they are, but once everything is assembled and I hit the power button, will the memory actually run at 1333MHz or 1600MHz? Is it even possible to just set it to 1600, or am I forced to overclock by cranking up the FSB—which, let’s face it, feels like ancient history since I haven't touched an overclock in ages and my memory of it is a bit hazy?
The RAM in question is this Kingston 4GB DDR3 HyperX Blue 1600MHz 1.7v 9-9-9-27http://www.protis.hr/products/detail...c9d3b14g/47533—and if it ends up stuck at 1333MHz, would I be able to drop the voltage down to, say, 1.5v, or perhaps tighten up the latencies?

Would be better off grabbing a different motherboard, or did you already pull the trigger on the one you linked?

Look, if the board supports 1600 MHz RAM, it means those sticks will run at that speed right out of the box—no tinkering required. But if you go out and buy, say, 2133 MHz RAM when the board only officially supports 1600 (meaning 2133 would be an overclock), then yeah, you’ll have to manually overclock it just to hit that 2133 MHz mark. Of course, that all depends on the chipset—it's not a one-size-fits-all situation. Depending on what chipset you're dealing with, you've got two ways it can play out: synchronous or asynchronous. With synchronous, the memory clock is tied directly to the processor clock—so when you overclock one, you're boosting both. In asynchronous mode, the memory clock stays independent. You can usually tell which one you're working with by checking the BIOS to see if you actually have the option to adjust the memory clock independently or not.

Also, just a heads-up—for memory bandwidth, the clock speed is just as vital as latency. The thing is, faster memory tends to come with higher latency, so you often end up with a very negligible performance gap between, for example, 1333 MHz CAS7 and 1600 MHz CAS9 because the actual memory bandwidth ends up being nearly identical anyway.

I’ve already picked up that ASRock board and the Kingston RAM; I'll be dropping in the Intel Core i5-2500K next week to get everything assembled.
Regarding the motherboard—I was hunting for something on a budget that offered just a bit more stability, and after digging through some forums, people were raving about this specific board for the price point. Sure, I could have splurged on something higher-end, but that would require more capital than I care to part with—unless I missed something, I don't think I could have found a better deal for $143?
http://www.overclock.net/amd-motherb...-m3a770de.html — "So tell me.. What makes more AM3 users spend a bunch more money on their motherboard when such a good, extremely cheap board is out there?"
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/295...t/index12.html — "ASRock has once again produced a very impressive board."

So, since the memory and the board both support 1600MHz, I assume the stock settings will just work once I finish the build? Simple enough, I suppose.

Thanks for the input, everyone.🙂

And one more thing—does it actually matter which thermal paste I use? I’m feeling a bit lazy about hunting down $20 Arctic MX-4. Would something like Zalman $3.00 or maybe that high-performance COOLERMASTER HTK-002 $5.00 suffice? Honestly, it seems like common sense to swap out the old gunk under the heatsink on the motherboard... I haven't even pulled my ASUS board out of the box yet, but—back in 2005 when I picked up that old socketed motherboard, the stuff under the chipset was more like some sort of sludge than actual thermal paste.

Yeah, the RAM will work just fine—no issues there. As for thermal paste, the Arctic MX-4 is easily the best option Arctic offers at Links, though honestly, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 stuff is also solid—it just tends to dry out a bit fast if you're running temperatures north of 70 degrees, but since your CPU shouldn't be anywhere near that range, you could probably grab that one too if you wanted.

Is it actually worth unlocking an Intel Core i3-2100 to turn it into an Intel Core i5-2500K?

Performance Specs for the Intel Core i5-2500K:
CPU Codename - Deneb
CPU Cores - 4
CPU Speed - 3GHz
TDP (Power) - 95W
Lithography - 45nm
Socket - AM2+ / AM3
L1 Cache - 64Kb/core
L2 Cache - 2048Kb
L3 Cache - 0Mb

Keep in mind, this doesn't include a warranty or a cooler, so we're looking at $133. A brand new one at Best Buy would run me $183, though I have no guarantee that the unit I receive will even allow for unlocking—isn't that always the gamble? I was originally eyeing a new Intel Core i5-2500K, which essentially shares the same DNA but clocks in 200MHz faster at a price tag of $233. But if I take this Intel Core i5-2500K and push the overclock just a little bit, wouldn't it basically perform identically to the faster model? Is that how the math works out?

And then there is this rather foolish question—if a processor can be unlocked on one specific motherboard, does that mean it can be unlocked on any other board that supports the feature? Or am I oversimplifying things?

northernhawk29 said:Is it worth unlocking an Intel Core i3-2100 to turn it into an Intel Core i5-2500K?

Performance Specs for Intel Core i5-2500K:
CPU Codename - Deneb
CPU Cores - 4
CPU Speed - 3GHz
TDP (Power) - 95W
Lithography - 45nm
Socket - AM2+ / AM3
L1 Cache - 64Kb/core
L2 Cache - 2048Kb
L3 Cache - 0Mb

This wouldn't include a warranty or a cooler, costing about $133 (a brand new one at Best Buy is $183, but I'm not sure if I'll actually get an unlockable chip). I was thinking about just getting a new Intel Core i5-2500K, which is basically the same thing but 200MHz faster and costs $233. But maybe this Intel Core i5-2500K could be overclocked a bit to match the speed of the other one?

Also, a quick, probably dumb question: if a processor can be unlocked on one motherboard, does that mean it can be unlocked on any board that supports unlocking?

Yeah, you can unlock it on any board featuring SB 600, SB710/750, SB850/950, or UCC support.😉

For $133, it's probably worth it if the unlocking actually works. Just make sure you can prove it with some stress tests and CPU-Z.🙂

After that, you can grab a Xigmatek Loki or a Cooler Master Hyper TX3 for $50 and try a little overclocking...

But honestly, if the cores are damaged, the CPU won't be stable and will just crash. Even if you manage to unlock it, there's no guarantee it'll work perfectly—that's why stress testing is pretty much mandatory.

He guarantees it'll run unlocked and stay stable—though, frankly, I haven't bothered asking about stress tests yet. I suppose I will eventually. As for cooling, I'm currently stuck using an old Arctic Freezer 64 Pro from the Socket 939 days http://www.frostytech.com/articleima...er64P_pspc.jpg. It should hold up, I imagine, provided I keep the fan pinned between 900 and 1000 RPM just so it isn't constantly whining in my ear.

Everything’s been bought and assembled—though, predictably, the Intel Core i5-2500K ended up being the choice after all. I’ve pushed the clock to 3.5GHz just to round things out nicely enough. 😉 :
I assume I haven't bungled the setup: I disabled Cool and Quiet, bumped the FSB to 220, set the CPU/PCIe to async (left PCIe alone at 100), and didn't touch any voltages. From what I gather, overclocking without bumping the voltage barely puts any extra stress on the components, right?
Processor:
http://www.pohrani.com/f/1R/yv/1hZ1K3FG/clipboard01.jpg
Memory:
http://www.pohrani.com/f/41/Lo/1VoSpxqd/memorija.jpg
Does this look alright?

Now, I have a few lingering questions regarding the BIOS settings.

1. Spread spectrum—should I leave that on Auto?
2. CPU active control—disable?

3. I set the RAM to 667, so it's sitting at 1444MHz now. It probably wouldn't make a massive difference if I had set it to 800 to push the memory to 1750MHz, but the real question is... could it even handle that on stock voltages?
4. For latencies, I went with 9-9-9-27 and left the rest on Auto. Should my Command Rate be 1T or 2T? Currently, it's on 2T. I recall from the old Athlon 64 days that sticking to 1T was much more critical than the other timings.
5. Memory controller—unganged?
6. AIDA is reporting the RAM voltage at 1.5V, yet the sticker on the module and Kingston's own website both specify 1.7V. Is that acceptable? In the BIOS, it's currently set to Auto.
7. Is 50°C at idle too high for this processor? The Arctic Freezer 7 Pro is mounted on top, spinning at 1000rpm. Once summer hits and I actually put a load on it, I'm worried it might creep past 80°C.
8. Or perhaps the sensor is lying to me? Considering the 12V rail is reading 12.515V, which seems like a rather significant deviation given this is a brand new Seasonic 520W unit. Other voltages are: 3.328, 5.136, and +5V standby is 5.261.

Next week, I'm heading out to pick up another stick of RAM. Naturally, I want the exact same one so they can run in dual channel. Where should I slot it—the second or third slot from the top? Right now, the single stick is in the first. The motherboard manual lists them as A1, B1, A2, B2. http://www.ixbt.com/mainboard/asrock/m3a770de/board.jpg

And is there any other vital setting I’ve neglected to mention or change?

AIDA is also reporting my GPU clock at 300MHz, when the stock speed is supposed to be 500MHz. Is that just because I'm in 2D mode, and it'll jump to 500MHz once I hit 3D? It's an old 6600GT. I'll likely be picking up a 6850 next month.

I’m seriously losing my mind here. I've got an Intel Core i5-2500K + ASUS P67 + Corsair setup.

The only way I can hit 4.5GHz is by pushing past 1.35V, but then my temps under Prime95 spike up to the 80-85C range. If I try dropping the voltage even slightly to 1.345, I just get a BSOD. Increasing the current on the rail doesn't do anything either. Toggling Internal PLL Overvoltage on or off makes zero difference. I've already disabled all those Cnešto features and SpeedStep...

Any help?

Benjamin King2, please, could you show me what your settings look like for 4.5...

Set the Vcore to 1.31 V, and just leave everything else on Auto... and don't you dare touch Cnešto or SpeedStep—trust me, they won't have any impact on your overclocking anyway.

I'm not sure what your PLL settings look like right now, but here’s how I have mine dialed in:

Pardon the off-topic detour: Benjamin King2, what motherboard and CPU are you running?

I'm thinking the Sabretooth P67 with an Intel Core i5-2500K might be the way to go.

You're spot on. 🙂

I assumed it was due to the thermal radar 😁
but I wasn't entirely certain about the CPU.

If I wanted to try and overclock this CPU—assuming I swap out the cooler first, obviously—is just bumping up the clock speed in the BIOS enough, or am I looking at a whole list of other tweaks?

processor:http://ark.intel.com/products/37147/...s-Intel-QPI%29

motherboard:http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Int...t_1366/P6T_SE/

What processor are you running?

Patrick Garcia4 said:What processor are you running?

Intel Core i7-920, 8M Cache, 2.66 GHz

Since you don't have an unlocked multiplier, you'll need to bump up the FSB bit by bit. I’d suggest checking out a guide online and following it a few times before you dive into overclocking. 😉

Honestly, I don't really feel like getting into all the details right now. 😬