High-end OC system from 2013
High-end OC system from 2013
Hello everyone, I'm trying to boost my system's performance but I have no prior experience. I really appreciate any advice you can offer. My setup includes: CPU i7 4960x, motherboard Asus Rampage IV Extreme, RAM DDR3 HyperX Beast 2400MHz (4x8Gb), GPU MSI RTX 2060 Super Armor OC with cooler, and DeepCool AK620. I've checked some online forums with my hardware and adjusted the settings: BCLK, CPU voltage, core voltages, thermal controls, etc. The system runs smoothly now and feels better than before, but sometimes games freeze during scene changes or dialogue in titles like Batman (TellTale Games) or Fortnite, even at lower settings. I'm eager to push RAM overclocking further, especially with higher frequencies or tighter timings, but I'm unsure how to achieve stability without crashes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Let's concentrate on CPU overclocking right now. We'll handle RAM and GPU adjustments later; for now, turn off XMP for RAM and bring the GPU back to its default settings. Remember to save your current OC values before making changes.
For the X79/99 model, it appears to benefit from lower Vcore requirements. If you set the BCLK strap to 125, you can push the Vcore up to what your cooling supports. Start with a base of 1.35V and LLC off. You should be able to increase this slightly as you go, but keep an eye on stability.
Try initial settings around 4.37GHz with a 35x boost, then move to 4.5GHz with a 36x boost, and so on. Watch for any instability. It's useful to determine your maximum stable BCLK with a 125 strap first—start at 128, increase by 1 until you see drops, then adjust down in small steps (like 0.05V).
If you need higher clocks or voltages, consider pushing up to 4.6GHz at 127.8V with LLC off. But be cautious: efficiency matters. If you're concerned about power consumption, try 1.3V, 1.35V, 1.4V, and 1.5V before going higher. Plot the performance curve to spot where gains slow down.
For higher voltages (above 1.45V), you might need 1.4V or 1.5V, but keep in mind cooling limits. If efficiency isn't critical, you can test 1.3V, 1.35V, 1.4V, and 1.5V. Use Prime95 or AIDA64 to stress-test the chip and see how it behaves.
Once you're satisfied with the CPU settings, you can move on to RAM overclocking. For now, keep an eye on stability and avoid extreme values unless necessary.
Regarding GPU settings, experiment in the background to spot any artifacts or crashes. Find the highest stable GPU and VRAM settings without issues, then lower by 10-20MHz for better reliability. This is safe as long as you're careful.
For installation, consider using a different Windows partition if you need to switch OS. You can create a new partition via DiskPart or Disk Manager, install the OS there, and later reinstall it on your main drive. This way, you keep your original hardware intact.
Thanks, I'll give it a shot. The main issue is that when I set stable OC at 4.5, I used a voltage range of 1.30 to 1.35, and it felt quite warm—around 85 to 95 degrees during the stress test. In idle, it was between 50 to 55 degrees.
For vintage power, you should use an old-school cooler or a high-end AIO. When I used the X58, I started with a TRUE, then switched to D14, then H100. The Le Grand Macho RT and True Spirit 140 Power easily surpassed my old D14. The last two coolers I mentioned were rated for 320w and 360w, and my X5690 was the only CPU that needed warmers. The AK620 works well with modern chips but not as much with older ones. You might consider iPPC fans, though they won’t boost performance much beyond 2-3c at 3000rpm. Edit: I still own most of my coolers except the D14, and newer models perform better with modern CPUs. My H100 is dry, so it won’t run again. I ended up using a POS in the end.
The specific stress test you're referring to is Prime95. It tends to generate high temperatures, but normal usage shouldn't push you into those extreme ranges. The recommended voltage stays below 1.35V for stability up to the maximum clock speed, and you should be safe unless you hit higher frequencies. If you're limited to lower voltages, consider trying 1.25V to see how far you can go before performance drops. For CPUs that struggle at high clocks, focus on boosting RAM and base clock speeds instead of lowering voltage—this often yields better results. Regarding cooling, newer systems usually outperform older ones significantly; the difference is noticeable with modern air coolers versus the basic designs you mentioned. If you're using a budget cooler, you might be able to squeeze out decent performance by optimizing RAM and clock settings, but expect limited gains unless you upgrade hardware.
The coldplate and the construction of the heatpipes caught my attention. Initially, I believed the D14 was just hype after trying it out. To be honest, I had two 120x38 Panaflos units in the TRUE model. Since then, I’ve been critical of Noctua. The X58 chipset performed better than D15 with D15 fans. My previous coolers worked well with older Intel 32nm chips but struggled with newer 7nm AMD ones. A 12nm AMD setup handled it fine. LGMRT managed to run 3600XT at 4500MHz with a Linpack load and no fan on the cooler. The thermal behavior was quite complex—values like 1.35v on my X5690 were 200x21, and p95 loads stayed low for over an hour. 1.4v for 4400, 1.45v at 4500, 1.5v around 4600, 1.55v up to 4700, and 1.6v at 4800. Only noticed 5GHz in the BIOS, honestly.
It's mainly about chance which parts work best for these older chips. I think this Xigmatek model with its heatpipe design could handle it, but I’ll need to get some mounting hardware. I’m curious about the temperatures you were seeing at 1.6v and what kind of cooler you used. It would be fun to assemble a solid X58 build with a 4.8ghz+ processor from an i7 or xeon, plus over 3000 DDR3 RAM in all three channels. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good gigaboard options left, though a modified blade board could work if I need to upgrade the PCIe slot or add other modifications.
Great performance near 90 after a strong R20 push. Keeping the window open reduces air pressure by about 30 psi.
I'm wondering about the energy usage at that voltage you're interested in. There seems to be a lot of competition for used GPUs and Xeons with similar stock options. I might be tempted to visit sellers and pick them up myself, but it looks like most are just dumping chips until I find something better. I have an i7 975, and there are two available for $17 that I could probably negotiate if I buy both. However, I'm not sure these are well maintained and will likely run at around 1.7V with VTT above 3000, which isn't great for high clock speeds. I'm hoping for a chip that can handle more than 3100 A and higher memory speeds. Another option I found is the Xeon W3520, which someone is selling for $5 each—again, likely negotiable since no one is buying Nehalem quads. I'm curious about whether they offer good RAM speeds, especially with my i7s (930 and 950) that seem to cap around 4200 at full load. Testing showed the 950 reached about 4100, while the 930 could hit ~4200, but I only have two samples. I wish I could check their maximum RAM speeds before deciding, since I'm unsure if they might be capable of higher frequencies.