No temp change after overclock
No temp change after overclock
I just completed the benchmark and got a very similar score to yours (2601). almost the same fps. I'm using a R290x card, which is quite close to the GTX980. The stock frequency is 8350.
My 8350 ran around 50% load across four cores during the whole test, while the other four stayed idle — that makes sense because they weren't full cores. When the GPU was at maximum usage, it ran for the entire test, but that's not my main concern.
What I'm trying to say is that the benchmark doesn’t seem to be heavily utilizing the CPU. That’s why your temperature didn’t change much (or even decreased) as your CPU finished its tasks and entered a lower power state for longer periods.
I’d be surprised if your GTX980 could load the CPU faster than the AMD R290x, which it does in this case.
You might want to try running it at 95% and then check the temperatures before pushing the CPU further.
In all cases of overclocking, whether adjusting core clock speed, voltage, or both, it's essential to conduct a stress test to ensure stability. For CPU overclocking, increasing the multiplier and then running a stress test with tools like Prime 95 Small FFT will push the processor beyond typical usage. If it remains stable under these conditions, it should perform reliably in normal situations. Stress testing also helps identify extreme temperature scenarios.
A comparable method applies to GPUs: after any adjustment to core clock, memory clock, or both, a video stress test such as Unigine should be executed. Stability here suggests compatibility with gaming.
Instability manifests as erratic behavior—CPU issues might include BSODs, crashes, or rounding errors in Prime 95; GPU problems could involve driver crashes, game crashes, artifacts, rebooting, or BSODs.
Thanks for all the guidance and information! I've picked up a few useful insights.
No issue. Just a reminder to monitor temperatures closely during Prime95 runs until they stabilize. Stop it if things get too high. For air cooling, aim for a plateau within a few minutes—after that, temperatures should remain consistent.
Now, for a quick performance check, run Cinebench on the CPU. It includes a GPU section, but this isn't the focus when overclocking the CPU.
Let us understand your approach. Just keep in mind with overclocking, take it gradually, don’t rush. Always verify stability after each adjustment. If you encounter a thermal limit, pause and reduce the overclock slightly. The best way to overcome a thermal barrier is by enhancing cooling performance. Even with sufficient thermal capacity, I recommend not exceeding 1.5V for Vcore during continuous overclocking. Voltage is the main issue, while temperature is just a secondary consequence of voltage.