FX-6300 Overclocking Issue?
FX-6300 Overclocking Issue?
Hi All,
I've been using the FX-6300 since late 2012, and my setup has evolved from a GTX 660 to a GTX 970. I really enjoy this chip—it was affordable and, when paired with the 970, I achieved 50-60 FPS at 1080p ultra in most games. Still, I've struggled to push my overclock beyond 4.2GHz. I'm using a 212 Evo cooler and everything seems fine. My motherboard is the Gigabyte 78lmt-usb3. I understand this isn't ideal for an overclocker, but something feels off. It runs smoothly at 4.2GHz with stock voltages in AMD Overdrive. However, once I hit 4.3GHz and apply the changes, the screen goes black and I have to reset it every time. I've tried gradually increasing the CPU VID up to 1.4, but it doesn't help. What's going on? I thought this cooler would let me reach 4.6-4.8GHz easily!
The Gigabyte 78lmt-usb3 motherboard, as you are aware, offers a very limited BIOS in terms of features and overclocking capabilities.
A part of the challenge lies in the chipset it employs.
Additionally, it’s not an especially costly board.
If you were to purchase something like the Asus MA599X Evo R2.0, you would easily achieve around 4.8Ghz for your FX 6300 CPU and beyond, provided you also had a reliable aftermarket air cooler or chose an AIO water cooling system.
The main factors influencing overclocking are the power phases on the motherboard and their stability, which determine how well you can push an FX-based CPU.
With an FX 4300 CPU, I have the older model here.
And a Corsair H60 water cooling loop is something I can acquire...
The Gigabyte 78lmt-usb3 motherboard is known for its limited BIOS capabilities, especially regarding features and overclocking potential.
The main issue lies in the chipset it employs.
Additionally, since this board isn’t particularly costly, performance largely depends on the chipset and its stability, which directly influences the ability to overclock an FX-based CPU.
For instance, with an FX 4300 CPU, I have a fairly outdated model here.
Using a Corsair H60 water cooling loop, I can achieve stable speeds up to 5Ghz at a core voltage of 1.54V.
In idle mode, it maintains around 39-40°C, and under heavy load, it reaches approximately 58°C. Most often, the FX 6300 generates more heat during intense usage.
The MA599X allows adjustments to voltages for the CPU core, chipset, and RAM modules installed.
It also offers a range of features.
On eBay, you can usually find similar models for around £50 or a bit more, depending on condition.
If you’re considering an upgrade, it’s worth checking out other Gigabyte boards with a 990FX chipset as well.
I have a nice m5a99fx pro 2.0 that I recently replaced if you're curious, and I've upgraded your FX 6300 to a smooth 4.5 ghz clock speed.
Thanks for all the information, Shaun and everyone else. It doesn't seem like a good idea to upgrade my motherboard by 300 MHz just to get a slight improvement, since it might only add up to 1-2 frames. I still find it odd—this is the first processor I've overclocked, and I thought instability would appear before hitting the maximum speed.