Can a Corsair H100i V2 handle overclocking?
Can a Corsair H100i V2 handle overclocking?
Current setup includes an i5 4460, GTX 1070, MSI B85-G43, 16GB DDR3 RAM, Corsair CX600M PSU. I'm looking to upgrade to a better CPU for improved gaming and video editing performance. I found a new H100i V2 on Marktplaats for 90 euros with shipping. It's in foil packaging, suggesting it's new. I have no experience with overclocking, but I plan to try it later when I get the new CPU. The main question is whether the watercooler justifies the price for the performance gains. Some people mention that you can't overclock with a B85-G43, which is confusing since it's marketed as a gaming board. If someone suggests a suitable motherboard for overclocking, that would be great.
The gaming features in the model name are purely for marketing purposes and unrelated to overclocking capabilities. The B85 boards weren't intended for overclocking; the Z87 and Z97 were designed for that purpose. It's also advisable to consider a higher-quality PSU, as the CX600m may not last long in an overclocking setup due to durability concerns with low-quality components and insufficient temperature limits.
The gaming features in the model name of a motherboard are just marketing and unrelated to overclocking capabilities. The B85 boards weren't built for overclocking; the Z87 and Z97 were intended for that purpose. You should also consider upgrading your PSU, as the CX600m may not last long in an overclocking setup due to poor quality components and low temperature thresholds.
For a suitable price and performance, I recommend looking into options available in The Netherlands. Thank you for your inquiry.
You should check your used market for a new Z87 or Z97 board, as those models are outdated.
https://nl.pcpartpicker.com/products/com...23,sYyxFT/
Consider going for one of the Seasonics if you have the budget.
I'm uncertain about investing in such a large upgrade for older hardware. By the time you acquire a 4790K, a Z-series motherboard, and a water cooler for overclocking, you'll probably have spent a comparable amount as with brand-new, current-generation gear delivering similar performance without overclocking. Plus, you'd receive fresh warranties.
The existing 6-core i5s at default settings are quite competitive against overclocked i7s from the same era. Even with its stock cooler, an i5-8600 should perform similarly to that overclocked i7-4790K on a water cooler, while an 8600K would be even quicker—though you'd need a strong cooler for it. You'd still require new DDR4 RAM, but a less expensive motherboard without overclocking capabilities would suffice, keeping the overall cost similar.
Another choice is to opt for the 4790K but avoid overclocking. It already operates near the limits of its architecture even at stock settings, so you'd likely only gain about a 10% boost in CPU performance through overclocking. This improvement might not justify the additional hundreds of dollars needed for a better cooler and motherboard.
What gaming resolution and refresh rate are you using? If you're playing at 1440p or higher, the graphics card will probably be the main factor restricting performance rather than your CPU. With a 60Hz display, it updates the image only 60 times per second, which greatly reduces the advantage of overclocking in gaming.
Cryoburner is saying he isn’t convinced about making such a big upgrade for older hardware. By the time you buy a 4790K, a Z-series motherboard, and a water cooler for overclocking, you’ll probably have spent a similar amount as if you’d gone with brand-new gear that still delivers comparable performance without overclocking. Plus, you’d receive fresh warranties.
He notes that the current 6-core i5s are quite competitive against overclocked i7s from the same era. Even with its stock cooler, an i5-8600 should perform similarly to an overclocked i7-4790K on a water cooler, and an 8600K would be even quicker—though you’d need a strong cooler for that. He also mentions you’d need new DDR4 RAM, but could manage with a less expensive board without overclocking features, keeping the overall cost similar.
He suggests another choice: opt for the 4790K but avoid overclocking, since it already hits the limits of its architecture even at stock settings. You might only gain about a 10% boost in CPU performance by tweaking it, which may not justify the extra hundred dollars for a better cooler and board.
He asks about your gaming resolution and refresh rate. If you’re playing at 1440p or higher, the graphics card will likely be the main bottleneck, especially if your monitor only refreshes at 60Hz. That means overclocking won’t really help much in games.