CPU recommendations?

Hey there! So, I’ve got this weird issue. My processor used to score a solid 5.9, but out of nowhere, the rating just tanked to a 3.6. On top of that, it’s constantly pegged at 100% usage, and my temps have jumped from a steady 60 degrees up to 75. I guess I’m looking for some help to get things back to normal... it’s an Intel Core i3-2100 2.2gh.

Make sure your cooler is actually making solid contact with the CPU—sometimes those mounting brackets can be a real pain. And honestly, when was the last time you swapped out the thermal paste? 60 degrees is sitting at idle? Or is that what you're seeing under load?

The starting temperature is set at 60 degrees, so it’s supposed to regulate up to 70, but I don't really get why it's started stuttering on me like this.

It’s gonna stay a total mystery unless you actually take a look at what Benjamin King2 suggested. It could be anything, really. Maybe the cooler isn't seated right, or the CPU is overheating and throttling itself just to stay alive? That would tank your performance and leave the processor struggling through basic tasks, blah, blah, blah...

Do yourself a favor: pop the case open (or grab someone who knows their way around hardware), pull off that cooler, blow out the dust, check the seating, clean everything up, apply some fresh thermal paste, and snap that cooler back on tight... then run your benchmarks again. There isn't any other way to fix this, at least not with an instant fix here on Reddit.

Thanks so much for the help, I'll definitely go ahead with that. I did want to ask one more thing though. I was browsing some threads on Reddit and saw people overclocking that processor up to 3.3 GHz. My newer games are lagging pretty badly because of this chip, so I was thinking about pushing it to 2.6 GHz myself. I guess I just don't know if that's actually a smart move or if it might cause some issues down the line.

You’re really going to need a solid motherboard that actually supports overclocking—plus, don't even think about using that basic stock cooler that came in the box. You'll definitely want to pick up a decent aftermarket heatsink instead.

Since his motherboard supports an FSB overclock up to 1600MHz while the processor currently runs at 800, he could theoretically push it all the way to a maximum of 4.4 GHz.

So, I’ve got this ASUS P5KPL-AM motherboard... can someone just tell me straight up how much I can actually overclock this thing?

If you’re still running a stock cooler, just give up on overclocking right now—seriously, don't even bother. You should be seeing idle temps sitting somewhere around 95°F, not a scorching 140°F.