FX4300 Overclock
FX4300 Overclock
Hello, I'm just starting out on the forum and wanted some tips on overclocking my computer. The previous owner mentioned they had done it, but I reset the machine when I got it, so I didn’t try it myself.
CPU: FX4300 QUAD @ 3.8GHZ
CPU: RX460 2GB
MOBO: A960D+
I’ve searched extensively, but the closest matches I found are for this motherboard and an FX6300. Is it possible that clocking the CPU is specific to the motherboard or the CPU itself?
My computer has been running a bit sluggish lately, and I think the hard drive might be the issue. After resetting it, everything worked fine again. The disk always loads slowly and spikes at full capacity. I did a defrag, even though the files were only 1% fragmented, but it took all night. Since then things have improved significantly—faster and quieter. I’m planning to switch to an SSD for better performance and was thinking about overclocking the CPU for a bit more speed. Do anyone have any guides or suggestions for suitable clock speeds for my setup?
I currently have 16GB of DDR3 RAM, so I’m hesitant to upgrade to Ryzen since I’d also need new RAM. Also, someone mentioned the FX6300 isn’t much of an upgrade and that the 8350 only works with the V3 version of my motherboard.
Thanks for any advice you can offer. I appreciate it in advance.
Overclocking works similarly for the same families or processors. So 43xx, 63xx, and 83xx would all fit. However, there are small differences—some chips draw 95W, others 125W. The cooling requirements will really determine what you can achieve.
It’s best to check your compatible CPU list directly on Biostar. Make sure you select the correct board for an accurate selection.
At this stage, the only practical upgrades would be models like the 8350, 8320, 8300, or 8370. These are generally affordable. I strongly recommend considering used first-generation Ryzen CPUs if possible.
The platform is in its later stages, but it can still handle a certain level of performance. Many games won’t run smoothly on an FX series chip.
Overclocking works similarly for the same families or processors. So 43xx, 63xx, and 83xx would all fit. Still, there are small differences—some chips draw 95W, others 125W. Your cooling solution will really determine what you can achieve.
It’s best to check your compatible CPU list directly on Biostar. Make sure you select the correct board for an accurate selection.
At this stage, the only sensible upgrade would be models like the 8350, 8320, 8300, or 8370. These are generally affordable. I strongly recommend considering used first-generation Ryzen CPUs if possible.
The platform is in its later stages, yet it can still handle a certain performance level. Many games won’t run smoothly on an FX series chip.
I mainly play league of legends and rust. Once I resolved my hdd problem (at least temporarily), I installed rust and increased the graphics settings. The peak cpu usage I observed was between 80-85%, with memory usage rarely exceeding 50%. Given the age of the system, it performs well despite not being overclocked. The person who built it did a good job overall. I plan to gather more details such as psu specifications and case information so you can assist in choosing an upgraded cooler. Temperatures are usually quite low, though.
I checked my compatibility list recently. The 6300 should work without issues. The 8350 has around 16% compatibility, but that was for gen1 mobos. Gen 3 or v3 should be fine with the 8350. I’ll look into a used Ryzen option and see what I can find.
Tower case is an avp storm p28 with 500w power. Mobo mentions version 6.2, and the specs indicate two sat connections. Does that affect the ability to use a sata 3 ssd? Will it operate at sat 2 speeds only? Mobo states 125w capacity, suggesting it could support an upgrade to 8350. I’m considering going for an overclock and possibly upgrading the GPU to something like a 570.
Yes, you can connect SATA III devices into SATA II ports, but it will be limited to about 200MB/s instead of the full 550MB/s for SATA III. Make sure your CPU cooler supports at least 125W; otherwise performance will suffer. If unsure, consider a cooler rated for 95W, such as the 8370. For overclocking, you'll need a good heatsink—opting for a budget Ryzen 1600 with its stock cooler would be more effective.
Thanks for the useful details. The main reason I'm considering an SSD is because my HDD is reaching its end of life. It's been up over 1000 days. That's why I thought about switching to an SSD for quicker boot times and faster app loading. I'm open to an AM4 setup but it's not really within my budget now that I've upgraded to DDR4 RAM. I'd probably go with a M.2 and maybe a GPU. I also expect I might need a more powerful PSU, like 600W or 750W if I'm planning a 1050GPU. I've decided against a top-of-the-line FX series since they start around £100-£150 for an 8350, while Ryzen 5 models begin at about £200. I prefer to get it right the first time, so I'll likely save up for a Ryzen 5 5600X.
For now, I'm thinking about a better CPU cooler—either a Wraith Prism or a Corsair liquid cooler paired with an SSD.
Just thought I'd give everyone a little update. I've ordered a kingston 480 ssd and a mounting bracket, some arctic mx-4 thermal compound and a corsair h100x rgb 240mm aio cooler. I'm not sure if the cooler will fit in my case but the front comes off and there is a lot of room in the front as it has no intake fan in there. If not I have my eyes on an msi mag vampiric 011c ryzen edition case, as I will eventually be going ryzen 5 in the future anyway.
On another note, I ran an intel burn test on my cpu and max temps were 69 degrees. I pulled off the cpu fan and it was a disgrace, after cleaning the fan and the thermal block max temps were at 37 degrees, talk about a massive difference, and that's without taking off the heatsink and putting some fresh paste on it. I decided to try my first overclock and tried 4.4 Ghz, the first time my pc crashed during the intel burn test, this was at the standard 1.2625v. I tried the next voltage up and it failed the burn test at 1/10, then the next one and so on, I managed to get to 3/10 with 1.3v but when I went to 1.3125 my pc wouldn't boot, I'm assuming it's this cheapo biostar a960d+ mobo that is the problem. I tried 4.3 Ghz with 1.3v and it's perfect and passed the stability test Max temps were 44 degrees. I am currently bidding on an Msi 970 Gaming Mobo (7693-040R). I will update you guys if I win the bid and manage to get it installed. Correct me if I'm wrong but am I right in assuming the mobo is the problem here with trying to go over 1.3v, with temps like 44 degrees that's obviously not the issue.
PS: I also overclocked my RX 460 2G, went from 1224-1290 on core clock and maxed memory at 2000 from 1750, it only picked up 0.7 average fps on Heaven Benchmark but every little helps, hopefully it makes more of a difference in some of the games I play. Would the mobo also be limiting me with this or is 1290 just all this old gpu can throw out? I have yet to unlock core voltage so that is untouched, but I have maxed power % increase at +12. Thanks for reading. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. SlashProm.