Consider whether upgrading the clock speed would improve performance for your specific needs.
Consider whether upgrading the clock speed would improve performance for your specific needs.
Hey everyone,
I shared some thoughts about this computer before, when I was thinking about whether to keep it or replace it. I’ve kept it and upgraded it since then.
I’m feeling a bit bored, so I decided to give it another look. It’s an HP Pavilion P7-1421 desktop, which I got for free and managed to fix and customize. It comes with an AMD Trinity A8 5500 processor, 16GB DDR3 RAM at 1866MHz, a GTX 750 Ti graphics card, 2GB GDDR5 memory, and a 4TB SATA HDD.
I’m curious if overclocking this CPU would be beneficial. It’s running at 3.2GHz with turbo boosted to about 3.7GHz. Under typical usage—like streaming YouTube videos or playing emulators—I usually see temperatures between 67-71°C according to DRP13. If I were to overclock it, I’d probably need a more effective cooling solution.
Could I just purchase a cooling system on Amazon and be sure it would fit? I’m considering going all-in with a water cooling setup. I’m comfortable with that kind of project and often modify my PC myself. I usually leave the case open for testing purposes, swapping drives or RAM as needed.
However, I’m unsure if the cooler would actually fit my CPU. I don’t know how it connects to the board or if it’s a universal design. I’ve had experience with heatsinks that didn’t fit properly—sometimes screws didn’t align or the mounting wasn’t secure. I wouldn’t want to risk damaging the motherboard by forcing a mismatched component.
Just wondering if this would be worth it and whether I could notice a performance boost. I’m mainly curious because I’m bored and want to learn more about overclocking by doing it myself.
If overclocking isn’t the right path, should I focus on upgrading the RAM or the graphics card instead? My BIOS doesn’t support overclocking, but there’s software that can help. I was thinking about finding a different BIOS for my system, just to be sure this project makes sense before I invest time and money.
I’m trying to stay curious, but I don’t want to risk wasting effort on something that might not deliver.
Hello,
1) The BIOS needs overclocking support; otherwise the software won't function properly. The software acts as an alternative method to instruct the BIOS about adjustments.
2) If you were able to overclock, the potential gain would match the percentage of overclock applied. For instance, a 10% increase could raise your FPS from 50 to around 55, though the actual result might be slightly less.
You might still have some control by manually adjusting the CPU multipliers. Although unlikely, doing so could set values like "40" (corresponding to 100MHz) for all four cores, which would push the frequency to 4GHz. However, this could cause overheating at the moment. Currently, you likely reach about 3.4 or 3.5GHz under heavy load (Turbo slows down with more cores).
3) Cooling options?
Even a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO should perform adequately. I’d consider a Cryorig H7 cooler, roughly $40 USD, and set up the fan profile via software.
Water cooling seems unnecessary given your overclock limitations. Since you can't overclock, it’s likely the hardware isn’t designed for stable power delivery to the CPU.
*If you replace the stock cooler, a Cryorig H7 would reduce fan noise noticeably. You might find fan control tools like SPEEDFAN useful later, though they can be complicated.*
Compatibility points to:
a) motherboard socket (FM2 recommended)
b) case support (CPU height generally acceptable up to ~155mm)
c) no DDR3 memory conflicts
The H7 should work without issues. Look for the best deals on Newegg or Amazon.
I should mention that your GPU isn't the top choice either, which means many games are likely limited by it. It really depends on the specific game.
Beyond a minor CPU speed boost (if feasible), a better CPU cooler mainly for noise would shift the focus to the GPU.
A solid upgrade would be a GTX1060, though even a 3GB version costs around $200USD, making it possibly difficult to justify.
Your setup is actually decent for certain titles. By steering clear of the tough ones and adjusting settings appropriately, you can still enjoy a great experience.
Thanks for the response. I've been trying to find another BIOS option but haven't succeeded. There was one link, but the site wasn't accessible.
I own a board: MSI MS-7778.
It seems overclocking isn't feasible with this model.
I came across software like clockgen and setfbs which might help unlock locked boards—though it's not as precise as I'd like.
Earlier today I saw something about the ASUS GTX 1060 6GB model for 309 on Amazon. That might be what you're referring to.
I appreciate the ASUS GTX 1060 6GB ROG Strix OC Edition.
I still like my computer, it works perfectly as it should. It's just sad there isn't an easy way to change settings through the manufacturer without risking warranty cancellation. Lol
I should mention your GPU isn't the top choice either, which means many games are likely limited by it. It really depends on the title. Besides a minor CPU speed boost (if you can), a better CPU cooler mainly for noise, puts the focus on the GPU. A solid upgrade would be a GTX1060, though even a 3GB version costs around $200, making it hard to justify. Your setup is decent for some games. If you skip the tough ones and adjust settings appropriately, you can still enjoy well. Hey bud, I’ve only ever worked with PCs before. I haven’t built any from scratch myself. Of course, I might have if I needed to replace parts. But take a look at this board, do you think it’s worth trying? I found one on eBay for about 45 dollars. It claims you can overclock the RAM, so I’m assuming you’ll set custom BIOS options for everything. Here’s the link: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...CatId=7703