Can you enhance the performance of an i5-3470 using a Z68 chipset board?
Can you enhance the performance of an i5-3470 using a Z68 chipset board?
On non-K Sandy and Ivy bridge you could boost performance by a factor of four (400MHz) using any motherboard supporting multiplier changes. This applies to both Z77 and Z68 chips. Tom has shared a guide about this topic before.
Avoid altering the BCLK since, unlike Skylake, many components are tightly bound to it.
I'm not sure how to tackle this question. On one side you're suggesting you don't require a K CPU, yet you mention uncertainty. Probably it depends on what you mean by "overclock." The turbo boost frequency isn't considered an OC in my understanding. The 3xxx CPUs can be easily adjusted to 4.5-4.8, though you still need a K one for that. Increasing the bus speed to 105MHz so it turbos up from 3.6 to 3.8 isn't really an OC. I have no idea how he got that picture—maybe Photoshop?
Instead of focusing on overclocking, I think if you want better performance you should consider a full system upgrade, not just an OC'd chip. The 3470 is decent but it's clearly showing its age for a gaming rig.
I'm uncertain about how to tackle this issue. On one side you're suggesting you don't require a K CPU, yet you mention being unsure. It seems it might depend on what you mean by "overclock." The turbo boost frequency isn't considered an overclock in my understanding. The 3xxx CPUs can be easily adjusted to 4.5-4.8, though you'll still need a K one for that. Increasing the bus speed to 105MHz so it turbos up from 3.6 to 3.8 isn't really an overclock. I have no idea how that picture was made—photoshop?
Instead of focusing on overclocking, I think you should consider a CPU upgrade if you're aiming for better performance. The 3470 is decent but it's clearly showing signs of age for a gaming rig. A full system upgrade would be more appropriate than just an overclocked chip.
People often say they can't overclock non-K chips and avoid answering the real question, but in this case it did happen. If you're serious about performance, investing in a new PC is probably the best solution. If you haven't thought about it or have no idea, then don't reply.
On non-K Sandy and Ivy bridge you could boost performance by a factor of four (400MHz) using any motherboard supporting multiplier changes. This applies to both Z77 and Z68. Tom has shared a guide about this topic previously.
Avoid altering the BCLK since, unlike Skylake, many components are tightly bound to it.
Again, adjusting the turbo isn't really original. It's just making it work across all cores. Someone is really upset about what I shared, so I need to step back and stop giving advice. I wish they wouldn't risk anything trying to push something that isn't actually possible. (Because clearly everyone who insists on K chips is mistaken.) Don't worry, Ghost, I'm done. Have fun!
BFG-9000 :
On non-K Sandy and Ivy bridge you can boost performance by a factor of 4 (400MHz) using any motherboard supporting multiplier changes. This applies to both Z77 and Z68 models. Tom shared a guide a while back. Avoid altering the BCLK since it's tightly constrained compared to Skylake. Thanks for the help—I was just exploring the Z68s after seeing that discussion.
Again, trying to mess with the turbo isn't really original. It's just pushing the turbo across all cores. Someone is really upset about what I shared, so I need to step back and stop giving advice. I wish they wouldn't risk anything by forcing something that's not actually possible. (Because clearly everyone who insists on K chips is mistaken.) Don't worry, Ghost, I'm gone. Have a good time.
Only a handful of motherboard makers, such as ASUS, permitted all four cores to operate at the maximum single-threaded turbo clock. The BIOS configuration was set for Multicore Enhancement, which functions similarly to overclocking. Without this adjustment, the available unlock slots on the locked Sandy/Ivy i5 and i7 processors increased each turbo setting by 4 MHz. Simply reduce the frequency by 100MHz on every setting on the panel, which ranges from 3.2 to 3.6GHz, to achieve a turbo boost from 3.7 to 4.0.
BFG-9000 :
Only a handful of motherboard makers, such as ASUS, permitted all four cores to operate at their maximum single-threaded turbo frequency. The BIOS configuration was set to Multicore Enhancement, which is essentially overclocking. Without this feature, the available unlock space in the locked Sandy/Ivy i5 and i7 processors merely increased each turbo setting by 4 MHz. Simply reduce the frequency by 100MHz on every setting on the right panel—ranging from 3.2 to 3.6GHz stock—and you should achieve a boost from 3.7 to 4.0 GHz. With Multicore Enhancement, can I reach 4.0 GHz using all four cores on the ASUS P8Z68-V PRO?