How much performance gain is possible using the built-in cooler?
How much performance gain is possible using the built-in cooler?
So here's my build
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/ItsJohnny/saved/tkBNnQ
I was wondering, how much could I overclock the CPU with just the stock cooler? I'm on a really tight budget and I really really don't want to add more money at the moment (possibly later). Thank you
It depends, as there are many variables that can affect the clock speeds you can achieve with the stock cooler. However, because the G3258 is a dual core and runs on the fairly efficient Haswell architecture and only has a TDP of 53W, I'd reckon you can push it to somewhere around 3.5, as you're not using a Z97 board and your PSU doesn't have a very high efficiency rating. Again, many factors do come into play, eg. environment temperature, case airflow, the overclockability of the actual chip you own (whether you've won the silicon lottery) etc. so do take note of that.
Hope this helps and good luck,
Ryan
Stock coolers are tailored to specific wattage categories. A 53w CPU should use a cooler meant for 60w, while a 105w CPU requires a cooler for 120w, and so on. These few units accommodate various CPUs; the 80w cooler fits both a 74w and a 77w CPU.
However, the TDP listed isn't the maximum. It represents the typical high-wattage usage during normal heavy loads, which is why applications like p95, IBT, and Aida64 can push temperatures significantly higher. This is why overclocking should avoid stock coolers—standard coolers are built for lower peak loads, and exceeding their limits can cause temperatures to spike rapidly.
Generally, overclocking stock coolers isn't recommended. A modest 100-200MHz increase is unlikely to cause issues, but moving the CPU from 3.2GHz to 4.0 GHz or higher can quickly trigger thermal shutdown.
Using the stock or lower-end third-party cooler will cause you to reach the temperature limit quickly, well before hitting the voltage limit. Numerous stress tests, like OCCT, will stop running if temperatures rise above 85°C.
OC is a pastime, not a must-have. Therefore, any hobby will require some expense at some point. A mobile device suited for the OC you desire, along with components like a CPU, RAM, GPU, cooler, and water cooling, all come at a higher price than their non-OC versions. The real question isn't whether you can extract an OC from what you already own, but rather what steps are needed to achieve this OC properly.