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[n0n44m]

Since you're obviously such an 'expert' perhaps you could explain how cod blops, and BC2 could have possibly struggled to run maxxed out on a GTX 480? It's easy to cherry pick CPU bound games but most sane people won't want to spend 400-500$ to watch their fraps number go from 120 to 130. Clearly buying another GTX 580 instead would make far more sense than upgrading to Sandy Bridge. I could list all the games that are GPU bound instead but I don't want to force everyone to scroll past a 3 page wall of text.

we game at 1080p not 720p

and in the world we live in a GTX580 quite expensive

and since multiple people here report that 1080p maxed 60fps is no problem with a single GTX480/570 + Sandy Bridge, but was not achievable with a ~3.5ghz previous generation quadcore, buying a second GTX580 at the current price level when you only have a 1080p monitor and a 3.4 ghz Phenom II is madness

 

[-viper-]

That sounds perfect. Does it connect via USB or Bluetooth?

Both, so it's perfect.

But I don't like shooting with R2/L2 so I've stuck with the 360 controller. Otherwise, I'd be using the PS3 one. The analog sticks feel far better and I just generally prefer the PS3 pad.

 

[Javaman]

Is it worth spending the extra $25 for 1 gig of memory over the 768meg 460? I'm looking at upgrading my 9800gt on a Athlon X4 630. ($169 vs $144)

 

[The Nature Roy]

I just got my new PC here with a EVGA GTX 460 SC OC I am getting no signal via mini-HDMI to HDMI into either my Samsung LED or my Samsung plasma.

DVI to VGA works just fine on both, however.

Any clue on what the issue might be?

Figured it out -- the mini-HDMI input on the card is finicky. It's sort of set back in the card so it's hard to get the connection secure. Read quite a few others came across this problem with an embarrassingly simple solution. At least I didn't have to shave any rubber of the cable like some others did.

 

[mclaren777]

Both, so it's perfect.

But I don't like shooting with R2/L2 so I've stuck with the 360 controller. Otherwise, I'd be using the PS3 one. The analog sticks feel far better and I just generally prefer the PS3 pad.

Map shooting to L1/R1 to fix the problem?

 

[MisterNoisy]

Figured it out -- the mini-HDMI input on the card is finicky. It's sort of set back in the card so it's hard to get the connection secure. Read quite a few others came across this problem with an embarrassingly simple solution. At least I didn't have to shave any rubber of the cable like some others did.

You can also use the DVI port on your card with a DVI-to-HDMI adapter (or at least I can on my GTX460) and it still carries audio - something I didn't expect.

 

[-viper-]

Map shooting to L1/R1 to fix the problem?

you can't, as far as i know?

When I last had the drivers it just let you select 'emulate 360 controller' and the game would autorecognise it as a 360 pad and use the default mapping.

 

[Shambles]

we game at 1080p not 720p

and in the world we live in a GTX580 quite expensive

and since multiple people here report that 1080p maxed 60fps is no problem with a single GTX480/570 + Sandy Bridge, but was not achievable with a ~3.5ghz previous generation quadcore, buying a second GTX580 at the current price level when you only have a 1080p monitor and a 3.4 ghz Phenom II is madness

We game at higher than even 1080P here too which is why i lean the way i lean. If he was running a 720P display he would be more CPU bound which would make the CPU more important not less. If he only wanted to play SC2 and GTA4 than yes it would make sense. But if he wanted to play the majority of games that are GPU bound, which is far more likely the case, another GTX 580 would do a lot more for his Crysis, Metro 2033, Just Cause 2, CoP, AvP, etc... and all future titles that are pushing DX11.

Personally I think upgrading either would be a waste and saving that 400-500$ for an upgrade 12 months down the road would yield far more useful benefits. Either that or it would be better used improving the entire computing experience with things such as an additional monitor, or SSD. If we all had unlimited money it would make sense to upgrade our components every 3 months when something better comes out for most people money spent on components means money not able to be used elsewhere in our lives. He's free to do what he wants but there's no need to create snarky posts when you disagree with someone else. I'd like to think we're a little more mature than that.

 

[1-D_FTW]

Anyone able to help me out with this? I have looked around with conflicting results.

ASUS P7P55D-E LGA1156 P55 DDR3 2PCI-E16 3PCI-E1 2PCI CrossFireX USB3.0 SATA 6GB Motherboard

Here is my motherboard if that helps. My GTX 460 is currently connected to the black one.

Did you try flashing it?

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3530#utility

I think you have the same OC 1GB version as I do. You can download the Windows utility and then just change the option box to "BIOS" for the F3 bios download.

I did it. Real easy to do. Takes 5 seconds. I would make sure you created a backup of your original first (in case you want to go back). I went from F1 to F3. Only thing I've noticed so far is I'm no longer stuck at 70 percent fan as max. It can now go to 100 percent. Not sure there's any harm in trying.

Is it worth spending the extra $25 for 1 gig of memory over the 768meg 460? I'm looking at upgrading my 9800gt on a Athlon X4 630. ($169 vs $144)

A game like GTA 4 will allow you to enable more graphical settings if you have 1GB. Not sure a ton of games use it, but there are some. I'd say it's worth it. Especially since you'll probably make at least half of that 25 back if you eventually sell it on ebay.

 

[bee]

Since you're obviously such an 'expert' perhaps you could explain how cod blops, and BC2 could have possibly struggled to run maxxed out on a GTX 480? It's easy to cherry pick CPU bound games but most sane people won't want to spend 400-500$ to watch their fraps number go from 120 to 130. Clearly buying another GTX 580 instead would make far more sense than upgrading to Sandy Bridge. I could list all the games that are GPU bound instead but I don't want to force everyone to scroll past a 3 page wall of text.

black ops is an appallingly coded game that went from 20-40fps in 2D to almost constant 60 in 3D with only a cpu upgrade. bad company 2 as i said i run in 3D so yeah a gtx 480 was getting held back a lot by my old cpu, went from low 30's to high 40's average and mid 50's on vietnam. sure some of those games are notorious for being cpu bound but as i said i did a very similar upgrade to the guy who wants advice and the games that didn't receive a decent performance increase are definitiely the minority.

 

[MWS Natural]

I have a BIOSTAR TA790GX XE AM2+/AM3 Micro ATX Motherboard with an PHenom II 720BE x3 in it. Can I make a worthwhile upgrade to the processor?

 

[n0n44m]

We game at higher than even 1080P here too which is why i lean the way i lean. If he was running a 720P display he would be more CPU bound which would make the CPU more important not less. If he only wanted to play SC2 and GTA4 than yes it would make sense. But if he wanted to play the majority of games that are GPU bound, which is far more likely the case, another GTX 580 would do a lot more for his Crysis, Metro 2033, Just Cause 2, CoP, AvP, etc... and all future titles that are pushing DX11.

the 720p was a response to your "most sane people won't want to spend 400-500$ to watch their fraps number go from 120 to 130" , because I sure don't get 120fps at 1080p ... I get 70 to 100 depending on the game (TDU2, Mafia 2, JC2, BC2) and between 50 and 60 for an absolute graphical titan like Crysis

but with my previous CPU that was more like 40 to 70 fps for Mafia2, JC2 and BC2 ... that is quite a noticeable difference in perceived "smoothness" , especially because those drops took place when the action got dialed up (cars exploding, houses being demolished) whereas now it never drops below 60 even during the most intense moments of gameplay. No extra amount of GPU power could solve this

I have this app on my Logitech G510 keyboard display in which I can check some stuff including cpu and gpu utilization, the only thing that would max out GPU usage on my previous CPU were things like 3dmark and Heaven benchmark, and a few scenes in Crysis. BC2, Mafia2 and Just Cause2 spent most of their time between 65% and 80% utilization (with Vsync turned off!!) .. now they are at ~99% all the time. An SLI setup would run into the same limitations here. Hell even Crysis feels much better without the frequent drops to 40 fps...

Crysis and other graphically heavy games would definitely benchmark higher on their max settings with a second GTX580, but when these cpu bottlenecks show up they won't get a single fps more than a single card setup.

Sandy Bridge definitely made a great impact across all the games I played. Only ones that didn't feel different were Mass Effect 2 and Dirt 2, the first because it never dropped below 60 fps and the second because it was the only game that already ran at nearly 100% GPU usage continuously

bottom line is that Phenom II/Core2Quad cpu's noticeably bottleneck a GTX580, and that there will definitely be a difference when upgrading to a Sandy Bridge cpu, either higher FPS or less FPS drops below 60. It won't help those 20fps gpu torturing games like Metro2033, but it will make for smoother gameplay in a whole lot of other games

Personally I think upgrading either would be a waste and saving that 400-500$ for an upgrade 12 months down the road would yield far more useful benefits.

To spend $500 on a 2nd GTX580 now would indeed be a waste, as the CPU will be the main bottleneck in any game that isn't Crysis, and even in Crysis it becomes a noticeable (40ish fps) bottleneck at times (after all it isn't nearly as multi-threaded as say Bad Company 2 ...)

Getting an i5 2500K and a cheap but solid Asrock motherboard would definitely make a great upgrade for a good price, allowing him to fully enjoy the potential of his GTX580 right now. (Adding a second 580 down the road when their prices are lower always remains a possibility)

--
so all I can say is that your

You wouldn't even notice the difference.

is completely opposite from my experience.

 

[mclaren777]

you can't, as far as i know?

When I last had the drivers it just let you select 'emulate 360 controller' and the game would autorecognise it as a 360 pad and use the default mapping.

Hmm. That's discouraging to hear because I much prefer L1/R1.

 

[Naked Snake]

Does the brand of RAM matter? Is A-DATA any good?

 

[Hazaro]

Does the brand of RAM matter? Is A-DATA any good?

Mmmmm not really. A-DATA is fine.
Personally I'd buy G.Skill due to Lifetime Warranty (good service when I used it) and their support of eSports. Kingston Hyper X as well, but those run a bit more $ usually.

 

[Naked Snake]

Is it possible to OC the i5-2500 in any way? Or is it completely locked?

 

[Curufinwe]

Is it worth spending the extra $25 for 1 gig of memory over the 768meg 460? I'm looking at upgrading my 9800gt on a Athlon X4 630. ($169 vs $144)

Which particular cards are you looking at? I just bought this 768 MB GTX 460 for $145 from Amazon because I only game at 1440 x 900 and the 1GB versions I liked the look of were around $40 more.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VJK4IU/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Hazaro]

Is it possible to OC the i5-2500 in any way? Or is it completely locked?

FSB which can net you instability and maybe a 5% OC.

By default it can clock itself to 3.6 so it's still a beastly chip. But it's no 4.4

 

[Grimm Fandango]

So I enabled OC Tuner (Asus utility on the P8P67 which basically auto OCs) on my 2500k with stock cooler. After about 8 minutes of Prime95, temps were around 80C which started to concern me. Should I turn off the utility and just let the CPU be what it was from stock?

 

[LiquidMetal14]

FSB which can net you instability and maybe a 5% OC.

By default it can clock itself to 3.6 so it's still a beastly chip. But it's no 4.4

I just want to get to 4ghz. I am using this T-overclocker program that came with my Biostar MB. It doesn't do anything that I can see a change with. I installed the fan and heatsink correctly and now I just want to see some kind of overclock.

 

[Dr.Acula]

It is a Gigabyte I will do that ... I just moved my graphics card to the 2nd PCI slot though and don't seem to having issues. Is the 2nd PCI slot slower in anyway in general?

And where did you find that like do you have a site link? I am just wondering.

It was actually Gigabyte tech support.

 

[The_Inquisitor]

What would be the max frequency I could push my i5-750 to with a custom cooler? I'm running it at 2.9G with a stock cooler right now.

I didn't see any cooler recommendations yet. I may have missed it. If so I apologize. I plan to buy the cooler within the next 3 months.

 

[Naked Snake]

FSB which can net you instability and maybe a 5% OC.

By default it can clock itself to 3.6 so it's still a beastly chip. But it's no 4.4

I see, not worth it for me then.

 

[ameratsu]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this (sorry if it isn't), but here it goes

I have a Logitech M500, a laser mouse that isn't specifically for gaming. Will I see any sort of benefit going to a 'gaming' type mouse over what I have now? I mostly play FPS (l4d2 mostly) on my PC. I am already good at l4d2, I am sometimes accused of 'hacking', so will I really see any tangible benefit over what I have now?

 

[SapientWolf]

What would be the max frequency I could push my i5-750 to with a custom cooler? I'm running it at 2.9G with a stock cooler right now.

I didn't see any cooler recommendations yet. I may have missed it. If so I apologize. I plan to buy the cooler within the next 3 months.

5GHz.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

OK CPU IS OVERCLOCKED PLEASE HELP WITH VALIDATING THIS

I set each of the 4 cores higher in the bios. Set the multiplier up to 39. 39x100.9fsb gets me 3933.33-34-ish mhz. I'm at 1.32v. CPU temps are showing at 37 on idle instead of 27. Am I good here? I'm gonna run prime 95 and see what happens.

 

[TheExodu5]

OK CPU IS OVERCLOCKED PLEASE HELP WITH VALIDATING THIS

I set each of the 4 cores higher in the bios. Set the multiplier up to 39. 39x100.9fsb gets me 3933.33-34-ish mhz. I'm at 1.32v. CPU temps are showing at 37 on idle instead of 27. Am I good here? I'm gonna run prime 95 and see what happens.

If this is a 2500K/2600K, I'd say you can try pushing the clock a lot higher than that at that voltage. Run Prime95, and then either bring the clock speeds up, or lower the voltage until you reach the breaking point.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

2500k, raised the multiplier 1 more and see no change in voltage. Let me run prime 95 for a minute. Temps are still at 37-38c.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Temps are capping at 57c. Voltage went down a little when I hit the x40 multiplier. At about 1.28v.

Should I try going up x1 at a time? And am I to assume 57-58c is pretty good for an overclock? Or should I really push harder?

Raising the fsb in the T overclocker utility causes system crashes so I really only want to mess with the multiplier. Will windows not recognize the overclocked frequency? In the "my computer" properties it still shows the stock speed.

Temp up to 60c now with prime 95 running.

 

[TheExodu5]

Temps are capping at 57c. Voltage went down a little when I hit the x40 multiplier. At about 1.28v.

Should I try going up x1 at a time? And am I to assume 57-58c is pretty good for an overclock? Or should I really push harder?

Raising the fsb in the T overclocker utility causes system crashes so I really only want to mess with the multiplier. Will windows not recognize the overclocked frequency? In the "my computer" properties it still shows the stock speed.

Temp up to 60c now with prime 95 running.

I'd try 4.4GHz. Pretty conservative at 1.32V. If it doesn't post (boot), no big deal. Just restart and adjust the clocks. You're not going to damage the CPU unless you really push the voltages.

You'll probably start hitting a wall somewhere in between 4.4GHz and 4.8GHz, depending on your luck. There will be a point where minimal gains will require large voltage boosts. That's when you dial back, unless you want to push it as high as it can go.

Also, the voltage you set in the motherboard is likely not the actual voltage you'll be getting, as there is usually a bit of voltage droop. Use CPU-Z to check your actual voltage under load.

 

[Stop It]

Temps are capping at 57c. Voltage went down a little when I hit the x40 multiplier. At about 1.28v.

Should I try going up x1 at a time? And am I to assume 57-58c is pretty good for an overclock? Or should I really push harder?

Raising the fsb in the T overclocker utility causes system crashes so I really only want to mess with the multiplier. Will windows not recognize the overclocked frequency? In the "my computer" properties it still shows the stock speed.

Temp up to 60c now with prime 95 running.

Avoid BCLK (FSB) overclocking. Not only is it not really safe for the Sandy Bridge architecture, it really isn't needed. The beauty of an unlocked multiplier is that you set the multi and away you go, there is (generally) only one point of failiure, the CPU.

Basically, raise the CPU multi until one of the 3 things happen

1: CPU temps become unacceptable. My personal limit is 70degrees at IBT or Prime load, if my CPU reaches that, I will always dial down an overclock.

2: CPU Voltage: This isn't set in stone yet for the SB series and if you want to be 100% safe for now, avoid loading (Prime/IBT) Vcore voltage of anything above 1.3v. Personally my CPU uses 1.34v at 4.6Ghz, but I'm mad.

3: Instability. Sandy Bridge has a lovely, common and very scary way of telling you that you have pushed too hard, BSOD code 0x124. If you see that after upping the multi, you have 2 options, upthe Vcore or dial the multi back.

Good luck with your new chip, I hope you enjoy the overclocking adventure, I know I have. Hopefully, I have got a nice and stable system with my i5 2500k clocked at a frankly epic 4.6Ghz.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Ok

CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 4 Cores - 4 Threads
CPU PSN : Intel Core i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz
CPU EXT : MMX, SSE (1, 2, 3, 3S, 4.1, 4.2), EM64T, VT-x, AES, AVX
CPUID : 6.A.7 / Extended : 6.2A
CPU Cache : L1 : 4 x 32 / 4 x 32 KB - L2 : 4 x 256 KB
CPU Cache : L3 : 6144 KB
Core : Sandy Bridge (32 nm) / Stepping : D2
Freq : 4438.39 MHz (100.87 * 44)

Temp is 42c max. Running prime 95 now.....

 

[Quake1028]

So, for those that have been following my beeping saga, I got my new video card today. Just installed it and it's as quiet as a nun's orgasm . Now to do some cable cleanup and finally enjoy this sucker fully.

 

[Stop It]

Ok

CPU Arch : 1 CPU - 4 Cores - 4 Threads
CPU PSN : Intel Core i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz
CPU EXT : MMX, SSE (1, 2, 3, 3S, 4.1, 4.2), EM64T, VT-x, AES, AVX
CPUID : 6.A.7 / Extended : 6.2A
CPU Cache : L1 : 4 x 32 / 4 x 32 KB - L2 : 4 x 256 KB
CPU Cache : L3 : 6144 KB
Core : Sandy Bridge (32 nm) / Stepping : D2
Freq : 4438.39 MHz (100.87 * 44)

Temp is 42c max. Running prime 95 now.....

Right, you stealth edited (nothing wrong with a CPU-Z pic btw) but the Vcore was about 1.32v. Was that idle or loading Vcore (It changes under load). If that is under load then that is OK, but not great for 4.4Ghz, if it goes down to say 1.28-1.3v under load then you're doing well.

So, for those that have been following my beeping saga, I got my new video card today. Just installed it and it's as quiet as a nun's orgasm . Now to do some cable cleanup and finally enjoy this sucker fully.

Good to hear (taboomtish), enjoy your new, quiet card.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Full load temps are stable at 60. Voltage does go down to 1.28 when under load, you're right exodus5

Right, you stealth edited (nothing wrong with a CPU-Z pic btw) but the Vcore was about 1.32v. Was that idle or loading Vcore (It changes under load). If that is under load then that is OK, but not great for 4.4Ghz, if it goes down to say 1.28-1.3v under load then you're doing well.

Woo hoo! I don't think I want to push farther, maybe the fsb since I lowered that. But under load I'm at 1.284v

Posting the CPUID is ok no?

 

[Quake1028]

Oh and I've conservatively got this bad boy overclocked at 4.3 right now. So happy.

 

[Drkirby]

Started to get really interested in the fact that they have working silicon but they also state they don't expect consumer production until 2015/2016 which makes the performance not that impressive as I would assume we'd be at that level of technology in 5 years anyways. Still, good to hear that progress marches on.

I don't think so, Memory has always had a major bottle neck, and tends to increase at a slower rate then CPU speed goes up (Which is why CPUs use registers and don't just read directly from RAM today), in the past 10 years hasn't the speed of RAM only gone up 8x? (From DDR-200 to DDR3-1600)

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Appreciate all the input guys, gonna raise the core clock or fsb a little (via bios) then I think I will be happy.

 

[knitoe]

My settings for 24/7 4.5GHz@ 1.27V using the most conservative options.

AI Overclock Tuner - Manual
BCLK/PEG Frequency - 100
Turbo Ratio - By All Cores
By All Cores (Can Adjust In OS) - 45
Internal PPL Overvoltage - Disable
Memory Frequency - 1600MHz
EPU Power Saving Mode - Enable
EPU Setting - Auto
Load-Line Calibration - Regular
VRM Frequency - Manual 300
Phase Control - Standard
Duty Control - T. Probe
CPU Voltage - Offset mode (Allows the voltage to change base on speed/load)
Offset mode Voltage - +0.040 (1.016V idle to 1.27V load)
DRAM Voltage - 1.5
CPU PLL Voltage - 1.550V (many people use 1.71V)
.........
Everything else - Auto

 

[Stop It]

Full load temps are stable at 60. Voltage does go down to 1.28 when under load, you're right exodus5


Woo hoo! I don't think I want to push farther, maybe the fsb since I lowered that. But under load I'm at 1.284

Posting the CPUID is ok no?

Right, in that case, it's time for some stability testing.

Firstly, get IntelBurnTest - http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Benchmarks/IntelBurnTest.shtml And run a 10 pass run at High settings. If that BSOD's during the run you need more Vcore, simples.

You have Prime 95, so once you have done the above, and when you have time, run Prime and use the Blend setting. This seems to be the most effective at finding issues for more long term stability, but requires to be used for at least 4 hours (8+ if you really want to be 100% confident) to ensure a decent test.

Anyway, once you do that, you're golden. One final step would be, if you can, is to switch your Vcore to Offset mode. Basically once you have a Vcore that is stable under load, set the CPU Voltage offset to a value that matches that Vcore under IBT/Prime load. Once you do that, it'll mean you can use the Speedstep/downclocking features of SB, enabling some nice power savings for when your CPU doesn't need to be at 4.4Ghz.

My CPU idles at 1600Mhz, 1v, and during "normal" use like browsing GAF, bounces around the voltages a bit, but generally stays at 1600Mhz, keeping the CPU cooler, using less power and does wonders for CPU life.

My settings for 24/7 4.5GHz@ 1.27V using the most conservative options.

AI Overclock Tuner - Manual
BCLK/PEG Frequency - 100
Turbo Ratio - By All Cores
By All Cores (Can Adjust In OS) - 45
Internal PPL Overvoltage - Disable
Memory Frequency - 1600MHz
EPU Power Saving Mode - Enable
EPU Setting - Auto
Load-Line Calibration - Regular
VRM Frequency - Manual 300
Phase Control - Standard
Duty Control - T. Probe
CPU Voltage - Offset mode (Allows the voltage to change base on speed/load)
Offset mode Voltage - +0.040 (1.016V idle to 1.27V load)
DRAM Voltage - 1.5
CPU PLL Voltage - 1.550V (many people use 1.71V)
.........
Everything else - Auto

Woah, that's a low PLL. I may just try that, as my auto value nets me 1.832v, so if 1.55v works with no issue, it'll do its part to keep my temps down. Thanks for that info knitoe.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

I am gonna run prime 95 for about 2 hours then I will let you know what happens. I'm gonna go pick up a new dog so it will be a perfect time to test it.

1.332 is my voltage at idle. I hope this is ok for a 24/7 OC. Goes down as I just started prime95 as usual. Should I be setting limitations to idle and max voltages via the bios? If the 1.332 is ok then I will leave it at that.

I will PM you for that advice later Stop It. I want to make sure I don't have to run like this all the time, especially while idle or doing next to nothing.

 

[knitoe]

I am gonna run prime 95 for about 2 hours then I will let you know what happens. I'm gonna go pick up a new dog so it will be a perfect time to test it.

1.332 is my voltage at idle. I hope this is ok for a 24/7 OC. Goes down as I just started prime95 as usual. Should I be setting limitations to idle and max voltages via the bios? If the 1.332 is ok then I will leave it at that.

If you set voltage manually, it won't drop unless it's under load. Better to use set auto and use OFFSET. That way voltage can drop ~1.00V - X setting. And, your temp of <50C running prime95 is excellent. Mine are <65C 4.5GHz@1.27V.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

If you set voltage manually, it won't drop unless it's under load. Better to use set auto and use OFFSET. That way voltage can drop ~1.00V - X setting. And, your temp of <50C running prime95 is excellent. Mine are <65C 4.5GHz@1.27V.

4.4 @1.284v and I'm capping at about 62C right now. Gonna let it run for a couple hours while I'm gone. I will report back and I do want to take your guys advice because it doesn't make sense to run this like this for a 24/7 OC

 

[knitoe]

4.4 @1.284v and I'm capping at about 62C right now. Gonna let it run for a couple hours while I'm gone. I will report back and I do want to take your guys advice because it doesn't make sense to run this like this for a 24/7 OC

If you keep it <1.30V and <70C, should be no problem running it 24/7, but you are not going to because few programs will fully stress test the CPU like Prime95 and you are not going to run it 24/7. For example, while playing Rift @ max settings for a few hours, my CPU temp <50C even though it's running at 4.5GHz.

 

[mclaren777]

I honestly don't understand why everyone is obsessed with OCing their CPUs.

Unless you're using emulators, what's the point?

 

[1-D_FTW]

I honestly don't understand why everyone is obsessed with OCing their CPUs.

Unless you're using emulators, what's the point?

There are still plenty of games that really only use one core. At that point, it's all about clock speed.

Although, to be honest, I wouldn't know if there are games that truly benefit from going from 3.8 to 4.4. I'm jealous though.

 

[Grimm Fandango]

I honestly don't understand why everyone is obsessed with OCing their CPUs.

Unless you're using emulators, what's the point?

I dunno but all of a sudden I want to nab the Hyper 212 and see how far my 2500k can go.

I'm actually emulating FFXII right now but it's not stressing my rig.

 

[InertiaXr]

My settings for 24/7 4.5GHz@ 1.27V using the most conservative options.

AI Overclock Tuner - Manual
BCLK/PEG Frequency - 100
Turbo Ratio - By All Cores
By All Cores (Can Adjust In OS) - 45
Internal PPL Overvoltage - Disable
Memory Frequency - 1600MHz
EPU Power Saving Mode - Enable
EPU Setting - Auto
Load-Line Calibration - Regular
VRM Frequency - Manual 300
Phase Control - Standard
Duty Control - T. Probe
CPU Voltage - Offset mode (Allows the voltage to change base on speed/load)
Offset mode Voltage - +0.040 (1.016V idle to 1.27V load)
DRAM Voltage - 1.5
CPU PLL Voltage - 1.550V (many people use 1.71V)
.........
Everything else - Auto

Could anybody be kind enough to explain some of these things to me? I have a 2500k and have it OCed to 4.4ghz and it sits around 1.19-1.2V under load, but stays around 1.3 while idling. I'm guessing I have my offset mode voltage working in the reverse way that it should, having way too much voltage when idling and dropping it when under load? I've had no issues so far using IBT or Prime95 so I haven't messed with it but I want to drop especially idle voltage if it will help my CPU's life.

 

[Stop It]

I honestly don't understand why everyone is obsessed with OCing their CPUs.

Unless you're using emulators, what's the point?

Because you can. Seriously, on a personal level I am doing this because I have a rig that I have paid around £500 on in the last 3 months and I want to get the most out of my money. Oh, and at some point I will get PCSX2 running properly as I want to play the PS2 FFs and DQ8 on my PC (I own a PS2 and the games, but I cannot be bothered with connecting the system up any more).

Also, it's part of the fun of owning a PC, especially if you have one of these new k series CPUs. The retail boxes even say "Unlocked & Unleashed" and I'll be damned if I don't at least have a go at pushing my CPU until the transistors squeal.

Yes, it's silly, but then, I enjoy the process of overclocking and tweaking (Although I could do without seeing BSOD code 0x124, heh), so I guess that my reasons aren't exactly valid to the "normal" user, but then, most people here are not "normal" PC users.

Could anybody be kind enough to explain some of these things to me? I have a 2500k and have it OCed to 4.4ghz and it sits around 1.19-1.2V under load, but stays around 1.3 while idling. I'm guessing I have my offset mode voltage working in the reverse way that it should, having way too much voltage when idling and dropping it when under load? I've had no issues so far using IBT or Prime95 so I haven't messed with it but I want to drop especially idle voltage if it will help my CPU's life.

What you're seeing is Vdroop, where the CPU voltage drops under load. A higher idle Vcore means that you're not using offset, or you haven't got speedstep/CPU power saving modes enabled. Go into your UEFI/BIOS and check the Vcore settings.

 

[comrade]

Because you can. Seriously, on a personal level I am doing this because I have a rig that I have paid around £500 on in the last 3 months and I want to get the most out of my money. Oh, and at some point I will get PCSX2 running properly as I want to play the PS2 FFs and DQ8 on my PC (I own a PS2 and the games, but I cannot be bothered with connecting the system up any more).

Also, it's part of the fun of owning a PC, especially if you have one of these new k series CPUs. The retail boxes even say "Unlocked & Unleashed" and I'll be damned if I don't at least have a go at pushing my CPU until the transistors squeal.

Yes, it's silly, but then, I enjoy the process of overclocking and tweaking (Although I could do without seeing BSOD code 0x124, heh), so I guess that my reasons aren't exactly valid to the "normal" user, but then, most people here are not "normal" PC users.


What you're seeing is Vdroop, where the CPU voltage drops under load. A higher idle Vcore means that you're not using offset, or you haven't got speedstep/CPU power saving modes enabled. Go into your UEFI/BIOS and check the Vcore settings.

This. Same reason I own a sports car and put more go fast parts on it when the speed limit is only 65 MPH. Because I can.