FX 6300 @4.2 Ghz Low Voltage
FX 6300 @4.2 Ghz Low Voltage
I'm testing my FX 6300 at 4.2 ghz with 1.2625v (bios). Isn't that quite low for 4.2 ghz? I've noticed others running at 4.2 with 1.36v or more. Do I have the 'golden chip'? Should I increase the voltage further? My CPU cooler is a CNPS10x Optima, motherboard ASRock 970 Extreme 3 R2.0, and PSU XFX xt 500w 80+ bronze. I'm wondering if I can achieve stability with a lower voltage yet hasn't tried. The temperature in Prime95 is usually around 60°C. In games it stays below 50°C (I'm setting the CPU fan to 80%).
If you manage to run prime95 for several hours, you should be okay. The voltage varies between chips, which suggests you performed well in the silicone lottery. If I were you, I’d try running it at 1.36v and see how far you can go—push it as hard as possible if you want maximum performance. There’s no risk of damaging the CPU; the main concern is voltage, and 1.36v is a safe level.
Wisecracker suggests using AMD OverDrive (AOD) — specifically the CPU Status tab — to monitor your voltage and thermal margin. You can also confirm that your cores aren't throttling there. It's better to stick with cpuz and bios for simplicity, making it easier to troubleshoot if issues arise.
I would go all the way to @4.5 but it will throw out in prime 95 when it hits 63C. In games the temperatures are usually below 50C. I don’t want to mess anything up because my mobile isn’t the best. Regarding my PSU, is the XFX xt 500w 80+ bronze sufficient for @4.4? Also, I have a 750 Ti which doesn’t drain much power.