Assist in boosting AMD FX-6300 performance on Asus M5A78L-M with USB3
Assist in boosting AMD FX-6300 performance on Asus M5A78L-M with USB3
danny hewitt:
i was thinking about upgrading to a new motherboard since this one doesn<|pad|>, and i have an r9 270x. anyone got any ideas?
matx wise there aren't any options
atx the gigabyte ud3p is a solid choice - it doesn't support sli but handles crossfire well, and you won't face any restrictions on overclocking the 6300. just the chip's own limits.
also check out msi gaming
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-mo...ga970aud3p
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-motherboard-970gaming
I actually purchased the motherboard and didn't even notice it was a matx, so I'm glad to choose an ATX board. If I could ask for another suggestion, would you help me find the right path to overclock my RAM and GPU? Here is my actual system: http://www.pc-specs.com/pc-custom-builds/1043431. Thanks again. Also, I thought I should mention that the PSU isn't what I actually have—I couldn't locate it on the list; it's just a generic PSU from my old system, around 6-8 years old. Does that matter for anything like bottlenecking?
MSI AfterBurner can help adjust your GPU settings. RAM should generally stay unchanged unless you need to align timings. Using a standard power supply in an OC-gaming setup may limit performance (or damage it). 4+1 mobos are fine. 8+2 offers more stable voltage output—8+2 is just twice the performance of 4+1. Increasing voltage usually raises heat, especially with a 4+1 configuration. You’ll need to adjust the over-volt and LLC settings. Most 4+1 boards typically add about +0.025v over-volt; Asus boards often exceed this, while Gigabyte performs better here. Try to keep voltages low and factor in the over-volt—1.375v equals roughly 1.4v with a +0.025v mobo over-volt. Use AMD OverDrive for stability, testing, voltage control, and monitoring. For multi-card setups, consider the Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3.
I received your pm/video mate, but I'll post here just in case someone with the same setup needs this advice. I'm aware you have good cooling, so we'll focus on a 4GHz clock, which is easily supported by any FX6300 in my experience.
Start with BIOS settings
Navigate to the advanced tab
Switch CPU overclocking to MANUAL
Adjust CPU ratio to x20.00 at 4000MHz
Disable AMD Turbo Core
That's the plan—leave the rest untouched; the BIOS lacks solid voltage control options, so I'll leave it as is and save any changes.
Switch to Windows
Install these three tools—consider them top picks for stress testing and monitoring:
- hwinfo
- Intel Burntest (far superior to Prime for pushing CPUs)
- amdmsrtweaker (includes two batch files to simplify enabling APM)
Install hwinfo as any program needs
Intel Burn Test & MSRTE should be unzipped to a location you can easily reach, like your desktop. They're standalone and don't require installation.
Run hwinfo
Select the sensor checkbox, dismiss the update dialog, and note that the beta version can be unstable.
This will display a list similar to other system information tools, focusing on core clocks #0-#5 and CPU/Motherboard temperatures under the IT8728F header.
Currently, core clocks are swinging between 1400MHz and 4000MHz—this is normal. The board's BIOS is quite basic and can't disable any advanced power management features.
Perform Intel Burn Test
Click the start button and keep settings unchanged. Wait a few seconds, then click the clock icon at the bottom of the hwinfo window. This resets the speed settings.
We're aiming for a steady 4000MHz across all tabs. However, intermittent throttling is likely due to the board's aggressive APM controls.
Here’s a workaround:
Use the Intel Burn Test stop button
Open APM Tweaker (should be unzipped to your desktop)
Double-click the off.bat file—you’ll see a quick black prompt that should disable APM.
Clock speeds will still fluctuate under light load, which is normal since we kept the BIOS cool and quiet.
Restart Intel Burn Test
Click the clock icon again at the bottom of hwinfo to reset clocks.
Now expect stable 4000MHz across all cores and tabs. Run the full 10-cycle Burn Test.
Monitor CPU and motherboard temperatures in hwinfo.
Acceptable temps are around 60°C or lower for CPU and mid-high 30s for the motherboard. Under normal use, your system won’t experience this level of stress.
After the Burn Test finishes, you should have a reliable 4GHz overclock on a budget CPU and board. Well done!
I wouldn’t attempt this with a stock cooler—you might push 3.8 (the chip’s normal turbo speed), but aftermarket cooling is usually necessary.
I have a concern: when CPU temps hit 40°C, throttling still occurs. Do you know how to resolve this?
Edit: I began testing at 3.5GHz. The CPU core stays below 40°C, but when the CPU (see image) reaches 52°C it throttles. This happens at both 4GHz and 3.5GHz.
I received your pm/video mate, but I'll post here just in case someone with the same setup needs this advice. I’m sure you have good cooling too, so we can focus on getting a 4ghz clock—something any FX6300 can handle in my experience.
Start by booting into BIOS, then navigate to the advanced settings. Set the jumper free configuration, switch CPU overclocking to MANUAL, adjust the CPU ratio to x20.00 at 4000mhz, and turn off AMD Turbo Core. That’s about it—leave the rest alone; the BIOS lacks solid voltage control, so I’d save changes before exiting.
Next, boot into Windows and install the recommended utilities: hwinfo, Intel Burntest & MSRTE, and AMDmdsrtweaker. These tools are highly recommended for stress testing and monitoring.
For the BIOS, install hwinfo as any program is required. Intel Burn Test and MSRTE should be unzipped to an accessible location on your desktop—they’re standalone and don’t need installation.
After setting up, run hwinfo, selecting only the sensor option, and close any update dialogs. The beta version may show minor issues, but it will display a clear list of core clocks (0-5) and CPU/motherboard temperatures under the IT8728F header.
Currently, core clocks are fluctuating between 1400mhz and 4000mhz—this is normal because the board’s BIOS doesn’t support advanced power management.
I ran Intel Burn Test and reset the APM tweaker via the command prompt (after stopping the test). The APM function was disabled, and the clocks stabilized at 4000mhz across all cores. This suggests intermittent throttling due to the board’s aggressive APM control.
Using the stop button on Intel Burn Test, I disabled APM and observed stable clock speeds. Re-running the test confirmed consistent 4000mhz performance.
Monitor CPU and motherboard temperatures in hwinfo throughout. Acceptable temps are around 60°C or lower on the CPU and mid-high 30s on the motherboard—your system should handle this stress safely during normal use.
After completing the burn test, your setup is stable at 4ghz overclocking on a budget CPU and board. Well done!
Hey matt, let me see if these results are the best I can be for continuing or if I should step back. I did everything with my original heatsink, which came with the CPU.
^ CPU temperatures are rising alarmingly high, with both CPU and GPU temperatures matching. For gaming, you might manage it since loads rarely exceed 75%, but an aftermarket cooler would be beneficial.
I am pulling back and adjusting my default settings, thank you Matt30.
What you'd manage to achieve seems to be turning off turbo and adjusting the clock speed to 18.5/19, which would keep voltage changes low and reduce temperatures noticeably. For temperature tracking, using SMD overdrive would be better, though monitoring seems a bit unreliable with the current setup.