How far can I take my CPU?
How far can I take my CPU?
Sabertooth 990FX R2.0
FX 8320 (3500MHz)
Seidon 240M liquid cooling
G.Skill 4x4GB Ripjaws X @ 1600MHz
Looking to boost the 3500 without going too far, I'm just starting out with CPU overclocking. I've seen others push the same chip to 4.2, but I didn't want to tweak anything until I got more seasoned advice based on my setup. At that voltage of 3500, my CPU ran at 1.308v, bus at 200, and PCIe at 100, with a 17.5 ratio. I experimented a bit with the turbo settings in the BIOS, and the speed came down to 3827MHz, voltage increased to 1.320v, bus at 216 and PCIe at 100. However, my RAM speed fell to 1137MHz instead of the expected 1600.
There is no certainty. Each piece of hardware varies, even when grouped by model. Your power supply, motherboard, and RAM also change significantly with overclocking. Joe User could have different setups—like CPU A, PSU B, RAM C, and MB D—yielding different speeds, such as 4.5ghz versus 3.8ghz. This inconsistency shows that his overclocking skills affect the results even on identical systems.
Reaching the highest levels of overclocking requires manual BIOS adjustments, not preset percentages or graphical tools.
only through manual BIOS adjustments can you achieve maximum overclocking, not via preset percentages or GUI tools.
I understand you're interested in testing your limits, but I'm here to help you explore safely.
Based on the specifications, what range would be feasible for safe increases?
There is no certainty. Each piece of hardware varies, even when grouped by model. Your power supply, motherboard, and RAM also change significantly with overclocking. Joe User could have CPU A, PSU B, RAM C, and MB D achieving 4.5ghz, while the same setup might only reach 3.8ghz. Given their similar overclocking skills across different systems, this inconsistency stands out.
adjust the cpu voltage to 1.5 and the clock to 4.5GHz. If it doesn't stabilize, reduce the clocks; if stable, increase them, but if temperatures exceed 75, decrease the voltage. It's just something you're experimenting with. Some achieve up to 5GHz, others around 4.5. After 2-3 years of use, you might not reach the same performance as a newer chip.
adjust the cpu voltage to 1.5 and the clock speed to 4.5GHz. If stability isn't achieved, reduce the clocks; if stable, increase them, but if temperatures exceed 75, lower the voltage. This process requires careful experimentation. Some users manage up to 5GHz, others reach around 4.5GHz. After two to three years of use, you may not achieve higher speeds with a newer chip. Directly setting the Vcore to 1.5V isn't advisable—it often causes unnecessary over-voltageing. A gradual approach is better: start with manual Vcore from auto settings, observe stability, then test stability checks like Prime 95 or OCCT for 20 minutes. If successful, increment the multiplier and retest. Continue this until you encounter an error during testing; then adjust the Vcore by one step upward and re-run the tests. Proceed slowly. Eventually, you'll reach a point where significant voltage increases are needed to hit the next 100MHz overclock, ideally staying below 1.55V (the recommended limit for FX processors). Thermal limits for these chips are around 70°C, but keeping them under 62°C is advised for longevity. Following this method allows you to achieve the highest possible overclock with minimal voltage increase.
This is one of the best overclocking guides available:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1348623/amd-b...otherboard
And this is a nice video that shows overclocking using both multiplier and fsb:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MckeAmnDeTk