components throttling during overclocking
components throttling during overclocking
I recently upgraded my computer and wanted to install the ASUS R9 390X strix card, but I'm facing significant throttling issues whenever I push it beyond a mild overclock during stress tests. Temperatures remain low, so it doesn’t seem like a thermal problem. I’ve conducted extensive research (searching online) and tried nearly every solution I could think of. I suspect the power supply unit might be the root cause. I recall reading about PSU tiers and quality when I was overclocking my CPU—there were times I struggled to maintain stability with offset and turbo enabled, causing crashes above 4.0 GHz. Eventually, I settled for a fixed voltage at 4.2 GHz without turbo. Every PSU I’ve tested indicates that a 600W unit should suffice, even the one I found claims it adds unnecessary overhead for overclocking. Back then, I didn’t worry much about the purchase, but now I’m considering a more robust PSU (around 750W) just to be safe. Should I be exceeding the PSU’s capacity with overclocking, or am I not receiving stable power enough to trigger these issues? Also, does the CPU overclocking problem have any noticeable impact?
I’m planning to upgrade to a higher-quality PSU just for safety, aiming for around 750W and ensuring it supports future upgrades. I want to push my current CPU further and optimize the GPU performance.
My build includes the following components:
- Windows 10 64-bit
- Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus - Mid Tower
- Cooler Master HAF 932 Advanced - High Air Flow Full Tower
- ASUS P8Z77-V LX
- Intel Core i5-3570K Ivy Bridge Quad-Core [strike]3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo)
- Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO - CPU Cooler
- Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound
- ASUS GTX660 TI
- ASUS Radeon R9 390X STRIX-R9390X-DC3OC-8GD5-GAMING
- 1 x G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
- Added: 1 x G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
- ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS Black SATA 24X DVD Burner
- Samsung Electronics 840 Pro Series 2.5-Inch 128 SATA_6_0_gb SSD
- CORSAIR CX series CX600M 600W ATX12V v2.3 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready, 80 PLUS BRONZE certified
- Additional fans
- Cooler Master SickleFlow 120mm Blue LED Computer Case Fan
- Cooler Master 140mm R4 Blue LED Computer Case Fan
- Accessories:
- Logitech G930 Wireless Headset
- Razer Orbweaver Gaming Keypad
- RAZER Naga USB MMO Gaming Mouse (Right-Handed Edition)
- Affordable Dell keyboard (only smart card reader is functional; Orbweaver works well for gaming, except when typing)
- 3 AOC 2269W 1920x1080 60 Hz monitors
- 2 TB book storage on USB
- Frequently connected USB drive for charging my phone
- Also plugged in a cellphone for convenience
I’m finalizing this list quickly, thanks. Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I would consider a different PSU, as with your parts you'd need a solid 6-650PSU and the CX would only provide around 550 on the 12-volt rail, in addition to the weak capacitors.
I would consider a different PSU, as with your parts you'd need a solid 6-650PSU and the CX would only provide around 550 on the 12-volt rail, in addition to the weak capacitors.