Is my CPU dying soon?
Is my CPU dying soon?
Right now I operate my CPU at 1.63750V and 4.99 GHz. (refer to my notes) Temperatures remain within acceptable limits, with the hottest core reaching 70°C after about ten Standard IBT AVX cycles.
I have tested various voltages over the past year: 1.45000V for more than a year at 4.7 GHz, then 1.53125V at 4.8 GHz and 1.59375V at 4.9 GHz, each lasting six months.
Will the CPU fail or can it manage these voltages given its high-quality design? (considering ASIC standards)
How much time does the CPU have left—three months, six months, or more?
It doesn't depend on the CPU model, but 1.67v will harm any CPU. I'm amazed it still functions. It might take between 5 minutes and a month.
Overclocking reduces the lifespan of components – that’s a certainty.
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The remaining life of the CPU is uncertain; it could be 3 months or 6 months.
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Uncertain to determine.
Let me know when it fails, then I’ll address your question.
The secret to boosting performance lies in achieving the optimal mix of voltage and CPU speed. You gave up too much on voltage, resulting in just a 200MHz boost that barely matters in real use, while also reducing the CPU's lifespan noticeably. It’s nearly impossible to quantify, but my advice is to revert to 1.45V @ 4.7GHz and keep it there.
In fact, I was quite upset about how much voltage my CPU requires for stock clocks. It was a staggering 1.41875V just for 4.3 GHz Turbo.
Then I pushed it up to 1.475V at 4.6 GHz on my Freezer 13 air cooler. Interestingly, the temperatures stayed under 60°C.
Am I seeing something wrong with my CPU voltage readings?
I don’t think the CPU is really drawing 1.63750V on my liquid cooler and still managing to stay below 70. And that voltage for 4.99 GHz?
I suspect the actual value is lower, but I have no way to confirm it. CPU-Z, motherboard BIOS, AOD, HWmonitor all show 1.632V...
I operate my CPU at 1.63750V and 4.99 GHz.
It still functions, which is quite unexpected.
Will it fail eventually?
Probably, you'll need to reduce the clock speed because of growing instability or by raising the voltage further—this will almost certainly cause damage.
How much time does the CPU have left? Three months or six months?
As everyone mentioned before me, no one could give a precise answer since it depends on things like the silicon quality, luck, and even a lucky streak.
If we take a chance, I’d bet more confidence for tomorrow than for next year.
...Continuing to run Prime95...temperature at 70°C, two hours have gone by.
Voltage now fluctuates between 1.632V and 1.644V in HWmonitor.
No signs of burning silicon, boiling water, or errors so far...still!
Just an old FX 4350...planning to upgrade to Zen or i5 depending on which offers better value for money.
I’ll offer myself up as the test subject.
Let’s find out just how long it can last, hehehe!
Crashed, mostly due to my actions.
Increasing voltage only adds instability. Heat leads to more leakage, and higher voltage generates more heat, creating a loop of instability.
Voltage reduced to 1.62V, droop to 1.608V. CPU-Z also displays 1.608V.
After 15 IBT standard out of 25, max temperature reached was 64°C.
Observations: Lowering voltage could help if temperatures rise too high!
Sorry if this seems a bit extreme, but after three months at 1.62V and 5.0 GHz I noticed sudden instability. I then tried a 4.9 GHz overclock, but it crashed immediately. The FX 4350 had been stable before (it’s my go-to model). I increased the voltage again, but each time I restarted I encountered a BSOD. Eventually, I reinstalled Windows from 8.1 to 10, and the BSODs disappeared, though occasional 00 errors still occurred. I’m certain the 00 codes indicate a CPU failure. I returned it to factory settings and voltage, settling at 4.2 GHz @1.4V. It’s now unstable even at stock specs.
It seems my CPU likely suffered from electromigration damage. I’m currently running it at 4.3 GHz (turbo) with 1.475V.
I want to warn you—high voltages, even when temperatures are manageable, can harm your CPU. On this FX 4350, I’ve never exceeded 60°C continuously, but the damage is gradual. Don’t repeat my mistake!
I’m planning an upgrade to AM4+Ryzen 1800X and hoping to reach 4.2 GHz.