Are you about to die?
Are you about to die?
Power supply: Game max GP-500 500w
Mobo: A55BM-K
RAM: 2x8gb g-skill @1866mhz (docp profile; stock is 1600mhz)
New APU: A10-6800K
Old APU: A8-6600K
(Yes, I know it's all budget and quite outdated, but I don't ask—this setup feels like a third-world build. I also enjoy compatibility with Hogwarts Legacy or similar, and running old software in the same machine works fine, even with Windows 1.0 or 98 without graphical issues. It supports bare metal, for instance.)
Back then, my older CPU ran at 3.9ghz stock speed, with a turbo boost of 4.2. The multiplier was unlocked, so I set it to 4.2 and it worked perfectly. No other adjustments were made; I assumed turbo was a built-in feature.
The new CPU, however, has stock speeds at 4.1 and 4.4ghz. At 4.3 or 4.2, it causes BSODs, suggesting it can't reach its full potential. Prime95 shows rounding errors immediately.
Am I about to face a crash, or should I tweak more settings? These are the options listed in the DIGI+ VRM section:
CPU Load line calibration - auto
Cpu/NB load line calibration - auto
Cpu current capability - 100%
Cpu/NB current capability - 100%
CPU power base control - Standard
Cpu voltage frequency - 300
CPU power duty control - Thermal Probe
Should I consider features like PowerNow? Temperatures stay below 65°C.
The gap between nearly all mid to high-end A series CPUs is quite narrow. If the A8 performed better, I’d consider bringing it back.
Also worth noting is the cooling performance. I don’t remember my A8 having a particularly effective cooler. The main problem I noticed after switching to a better one was high CPU usage across most games.
Firmware is current, and there are no leaks from any caps either. The PSU is one year old, intended as temporary, but I’ll have to wait longer before purchasing another one. Temperatures stay below 65°C; however, the maximum capability for this CPU is around 75, which seems high given the cooling performance. Prime95 errors appear even at about 45°C, which happens right from idle.
I should note that the CPU functions correctly if overclocked by just one step in the APU Multiplier. This differs from the old A8, where I could achieve three steps.
I feel like I need to tweak another setting, but I’m not sure what. Based on what I’ve read, I might have to raise the voltage slightly, which could affect temperature. There’s no clear voltage adjustment option—it’s probably something else.
Turbo speed stability is influenced by the count of cores being overclocked. The greater the number of cores operating at full capacity, the lower the achievable maximum overclock speed will be, unless Vcore is increased.
According to CPU-World, the A10-6800K is rated at 4.1GHz across all four cores.
AMD suggests aiming for 4.2GHz on three of the four cores with a slightly higher Vcore of 1.15V.
Similarly, you can expect 2 cores to reach 4.3GHz using a Vcore of 1.25V, and 4 cores at 4.3GHz with a Vcore of 1.35V.
There is also a possibility of achieving 4.4GHz on one core with a Vcore of 1.35V.
https://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Bulldozer/AMD-A10-Series A10-6800K.html
Note: These voltages are dynamic, and the BIOS will lower Vcore to around 0.900V or less when the CPU workload decreases.
When working with processors like FM2, I often manually adjust Vcore in small increments above 4.0GHz, typically stopping around 1.250V and never going beyond 1.300V for safety.
For all-core overclocks exceeding 4.0GHz, begin with a Vcore of 1.150V, then 1.200V. Proceed cautiously before reaching 1.35V. Exceeding this could damage the CPU quickly. Keep an eye on temperatures and avoid prolonged stress tests like Prime95.
If you're aiming for record speeds, consider trying 1.45 to 1.55V, but using Liquid Nitrogen cooling is advisable at such high voltages.
For more guidance on FM2 overclocking, see:
https://overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_main...d_review/2