Overclocking worth it?
Overclocking worth it?
I invested many hours tuning the CPU and GPU, achieving around a 16% boost in synthetic tests (3dMark, cinnebench, etc.). In real-world use—such as playing modern warfare or driving project cars—it translates to roughly 2 to 3 frames per second. Is that truly worthwhile? On stock settings, I don’t see any noticeable change, and my system runs smoothly with minimal noise; the fans barely turn, and CPU/GPU temperatures stay well below 60 under load.
The improvements aren’t massive, yet you must consider other aspects to understand the situation. You mention a 2-3 FPS boost but also point out the 4K display. If you were previously at 45fps before overclocking and now see a 3 FPS rise, that’s about a 7% gain.
Using a 2080 Super at 1440p while playing Modern Warefare I, I achieved roughly a 7-10 FPS increase from 120-125 into the low to mid 130s, which is around an 8% improvement. There was no noticeable change in the sound of the GPU fan, and while the CPU and case fans are silent, the machine remains under the desk.
Since my graphics card is limited in these games, I realize overclocking the CPU won’t help now. In the future, as games get more demanding, maybe it will be worth considering. Overclocking my old 4670k definitely helped keep things stable.
Maybe you're doing it incorrectly. It might be helpful to share your details with the audience and explain your approach to overclocking. Many people try this the wrong way and then claim it didn't pay off. Also, system specs can change over time, so this thread and any future solutions may not apply to you. It's better to include your specs in the main part of the post like this:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
OCing is now mainly a pastime, just aiming to extract every last bit from the hardware, etc.
I’d agree with you, modern hardware doesn’t gain much from OCing compared to earlier times, though it can still be useful in some cases (like certain non "x" series Ryzen models).
Personally, I’d prefer lower fan speeds and a quieter system over a small gain in performance.
Ryzen 5 3600x paired with ASUS ROG X570, 16GB Corsair RGB Pro 3200, EVGA RTX 2080 Hybrid, EVGA 360mm AIO/CLC, 1TB Seagate M.2, 2TB WD Blue HDD, 500GB Crucial SSD, Lian Li PC011 dynamic case, and Acer Predator 4k Gsync monitor. Running Windows 10 64 bit. Core voltage was 1.395, SoC at 1.2, achieving 4.275 MHz per core during voltage and frequency adjustments. Spent hours experimenting to find the most stable configuration.
Ryzen offers significant thermal flexibility during overclocking, making it largely ineffective as a hindrance. Most processors have minimal room for improvement beyond their base speeds. There could be strict binning rules in place.
I explain that based on the frequency increase per temperature rise, I experienced a total performance improvement of around 25% in Cinebench after moving from 3.5 to 4.5 on a 4770k. The FPS in Monster Hunter World jumped significantly from 42 to about 55, and the GPU was also overclocked to +125mhz on the core. It seems like a good deal.
It's completely - a waste of time and money.
Occasionally you might encounter damaged hardware in the bonus, especially if you're not cautious.
The improvements aren’t massive, yet you must consider additional aspects to understand the situation better. You mention a 2-3 FPS boost but also point out that I’m running in 4K resolution. If I was previously achieving 45fps before overclocking and now see a 3 FPS rise, that represents about a 7% gain.
Using a 2080 Super at 1440p while playing Modern Warfare I, I observed roughly a 7-10 FPS increase from 120-125 into the low to mid 130s, which is around an 8% improvement. There was no noticeable change in the sound of the GPU fan, and while I can’t hear my CPU or case fans, they’re still present under the desk.
Since my graphics card is limited in these games, I realize overclocking the CPU won’t make much difference right now. In the future, as games become more demanding, overclocking the CPU might be beneficial. Overclocking my old 4670k certainly helped it remain functional for another year or so. It’s tough to justify the cost of Intel’s overclocking fees when the gains are minimal, especially looking back—maybe I should have chosen an i7 4770 instead of a 4670k. At the time, i7s were usually too powerful for gaming. Now with AMD, a budget motherboard like the B450 Tomahawk Max can easily handle a 3700X with PBO or overclocking, and the only extra expense would be a mid-range cooler.
I’m not claiming overclocking is always worth it, but it also depends on other factors.