Looking for a tiny cool overclock option?
Looking for a tiny cool overclock option?
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 LE R2.0 AM3+ AMD 970 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX
Cpu Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
PSU: Deepcool DQ650ST 650W ATX12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified
Updated components included the graphics card shown in the image.
For BIOS adjustments, aiming for maximum clock speeds with temperatures staying below 40°C at idle and under 55°C during load, please let me know. Your feedback is welcome.
The problem lies in the fact that this motherboard uses a 4+2 power phase, but the VRMs are not heatsinked. To meet the power needs of the Fx 8-core processor, you need an 8+2 power phase. The 8 cores have a 125w TDP, which can rise to 190w under load and up to 250w when overclocked. This increased demand means the heatsink must efficiently remove extra heat, something the "LE" does not provide.
Benjiwenji shared his thoughts on the Asus M5A97 "LE" and advised against overclocking the 8320. He also asked if there are other motherboards recommended for overclocking.
The Gigabyte GA970A-UD3P and MSI 970 Gaming both offer 8 power phases for OC purposes with 8 cores. The 990 boards are available but cost more.
Benjiwenji:
The Gigabyte GA970A-UD3P and MSI 970 Gaming both offer 8 power phases for OC support of 8 cores. You can also use the 990 boards, though they cost more. I was curious about the risks of overclocking this board. Recently, I changed the BIOS settings randomly and managed to reach 4.4GHZ without overheating—games stayed under 55°C and idle temps around 40°C. The temperatures are just above the mainboard and show up on CPU monitoring. This is the issue I’m facing. Will this board cause problems with heat?
The problem lies in the fact that this motherboard uses a 4+2 power phase, but the VRMs are not heatsinked. To meet the power needs of the Fx 8-core processor, you'll need an 8+2 power phase. The 8 cores have a 125w TDP, which can rise to 190w under load and up to 250w when overclocked. This increased demand means the heatsink must efficiently remove extra heat, something the "LE" does not provide.