Executing all cores at 4.2GHz can affect CPU performance.
Executing all cores at 4.2GHz can affect CPU performance.
You discovered settings on your X570 motherboard that let you fine-tune CPU performance for your 3800X. After applying these options, the multiplier increased to 42, and the voltage remains around 1.29V. It’s unclear if this affects stability or performance, but it’s worth confirming with your specific model and BIOS documentation.
As far as I'm aware there's no direct inherent risk to running at higher than stock speeds. The issues come in through indirect means - to achieve those speeds you may need more voltage, and this can either harm the chip directly if you exceed roughly 1.35v (varies depending who you ask), or indirectly by simply making it too hot (but this can be solved by having a better cooler).
Assuming you can maintain that voltage, it should work. I think a limit of 1.3 would be reasonable, though individual opinions vary. For extra peace of mind, I’d say most people would agree 1.25 is safe for continuous use. A value of 4.2 seems unlikely to reach such high performance. I’m aware of a setup with 3600 running at 4.4 using 1.25v. Feel free to aim for the maximum rated boost and build from there. Edited April 1, 2020 by Ryan_Vickers minor correction
If it reached 4.6-4.7 it would really make me nervous, and handling that much current would be a concern too.
I maintain consistent performance at 4.4ghz and 1.35v for extended periods, reaching peak temps only in Cinebench R20 while staying under 85°C. The Hyper 212 setup feels very reliable.
That’s an excellent 3600 performance for all cores, congratulations! My 3900X let PBO handle it smoothly, mostly staying between 4.275-4.325GHz across all cores with around 1.28-1.32v. When boosting a couple cores to 4.5-4.625GHz it drops to about 1.39v but rarely exceeds that. I mainly concentrated on pushing my RAM up to 3800MHz (16-16-16-36) with a 1900fclk from its original 3600MHz, which was likely the biggest performance boost for me. The toughest challenge was keeping the 1900MHz fclk stable, requiring significant voltage tweaks. -Note: I didn’t mention I’m using Corsair H100i v2, so temperatures are well managed thanks to controlled fan speeds via my controller.
In earlier tests I achieved identical results using 3800x at 4.4GHz with 1.35v, but the stock cooler is entirely different—it features copper pipes and numerous heat spreaders. It closely resembles my Noctua U14 in a horizontal setup. I'm quite concerned about revisiting 4.4GHz across all cores.