Can I boost my processor speed using these components? It is an FX8350.
Can I boost my processor speed using these components? It is an FX8350.
I want to push my CPU speed to around 4.5GHz or even 4.7GHz, but I'm not sure if that works with this exact setup. I have two fans blowing air in from the front of the case and two pulling it out from the top, plus a dedicated fan for the water block. Is overclocking possible with these parts, or do I need to upgrade? If I have to buy new stuff, what should I get?
No, it's just cheap motherboards, including this one that is often used as a basic low-end option. These are known to slow down the computer when you use them at full speed with powerful CPUs like 125W ones. The power supply unit is also not very good and isn't designed for going beyond normal speeds. You might try to overclock it, but if you do that, I wouldn't trust how long your motherboard will last because of its weak settings. Also, it's better not to spend extra money on parts meant for overclocking. Spending $200 to $250 on a used 990FX board and a stronger power supply doesn't add much value for just a little bit more speed on an old platform from 2012. It would be smarter to save that money somewhere else first.
I don't think it is worth pushing that computer's speed limits. Your motherboard has a really bad VRM design and no heat-sink support. If you also use an air cooling fan that can't blow enough air on the board, your processor might get slow or hot from all this extra power. You are better off saving your money to buy a new cooler instead of upgrading just for one tiny speed boost. A 120mm fan will probably be too small to cool it properly anyway.
No, it's just a cheap board with low-end chips like the AM3+. These boards often get hot and slow down when you use them with powerful CPUs. The power supply is also weak and not good for trying to speed things up. You could try overclocking, but I don't recommend doing that because the motherboard might fail soon due to lack of cooling. Also, you shouldn't spend a lot of money on parts designed just to overclock since they won't last long. Spending $200 or more on a used 990FX board and a better power supply isn't worth it for a small speed boost from an old platform. That money is better spent on other stuff that will work longer.
The GPU seems okay for now, but the RAM on the 970 is a problem if you want a budget pick. You can still play games at 1080p, though it's somewhere between an RX 570 and a more powerful one like an RX 580 or 1650 Super. It works okay for most stuff, but some games are really bad on it because they use too much memory. The CPU is not good at all. For gaming in the past, using an AM3+ chip wasn't even recommended back in 2015. Those cheap CPUs didn't perform well, and actually the cheapest ones like i3s or low-end Ryzens were usually better than the most powerful overclocked AM3+ chips. The best use for that old AMD FX-8350 was making a budget computer for work, not for playing games. Even if you try to push these CPUs higher in speed (overclock them), it doesn't help much because they still get beaten by those cheap i3s and low-end Ryzens when it comes to gaming.
Damn, I was such a fool back then, lol. Guess I'll save up now and find out the right thing to do this time. Thanks!
The FX chips do have about 67% of the processing power (IPC) from a modern i3, which helps show how low they really are. They are actually closer to performance than older high-end CPUs like those on an LGA platform from ten years ago. The H55 cooler is pretty good and works well with around 140 watts of heat. AMD has been way more honest about their chip's real power level over the last twenty years compared to Intel, who often hides their numbers. You usually don't have a problem running at 4.5GHz on stock settings. But here is the catch: that speed works only if you buy a cheap motherboard with an H55 chip designed for low-power chips (95w). To get stable speeds on the stronger 125w chips, you need to spend more money and use better boards like the 970 or FXA. You could try pushing them hard, but I'd suggest buying a few cheap bracket clips instead of spending too much. Just clip these onto your existing exhaust fan screws so they hang from it, then attach another small fan above the area where the power electronics are sitting. This extra fan might just be enough to hit 4.5GHz safely. Don't try to go any faster because there isn't really more cooling power left to use now.
It's not worth trying. Back in the day, I used a Ryzen 7 8320G running at 4.3GHz on that board. To cool it properly, you needed a great air cooler like a Razer Noodle and had to set up your RAM voltages right. With an AIO cooler, it would just slow down the processor way too much. You'd also have to turn off power states in Windows. Honestly, I don't think it would help performance much at all. Even if it worked fine, 4.6GHz is a lot of overclocking for most CPUs, especially not even the best ones from AMD's FX line. Just leave it running at stock speed; you can still play games pretty well on an FX chip because they weren't actually terrible for gaming back when people made those comparisons.
Those guys are right, it really isn't worth the effort to upgrade that motherboard. But if you decide to try what Karadjgne suggests, it will look like this: https://imgur.com/a/jjU3ynL View: https://imgur.com/a/jjU3ynL Those pictures show a 8350 running on a gigaByte 970 Sli mobo. Unfortunately, fx users are left wandering Craigslist, eBay, garage sales, and flea markets looking for used parts so keep in mind It's Buyer Beware.