The increased CPU multiplier offers better performance value.
The increased CPU multiplier offers better performance value.
assessing the upgrade, the main factor is whether the new CPUs offer real performance gains beyond the current 25x multiplier. your setup already runs solidly at 24x with decent memory speeds. if you switch to higher-end models, consider if stability and reliability matter more than raw speed. the xeon x5680 series is known for good thermal management and consistent performance, which could help with heat and power delivery. since you're already getting solid results, a jump might not significantly boost gaming or workload performance unless you notice bottlenecks. buying more x5680 at a lower price could be a practical choice if you want to maximize value without overcommitting.
This seems like a bit of a playful take? I saw 3600(x) at $50, while 3100/3300x/3500(x) drops even further, and a midranger B3/450 looks similar to gaming plus/tomahawk for under $50. Even the 3100 would easily beat an overclocked X5680. The value should stay between $30 and $50 depending on your region and board choice. Prefer a clock speed of 210-220 MHz, locking RAMs to 10x multiplier, and 2100-2200 MHz DDR3 is still slow unless you’re using cheap RAM. Unless you’re going for a waste of money, stick with solid boards. If you need top speeds, consider an Xeon W with unlocked RAM multi — around $2600 for a board that supports 1.5:1 uncore memory clock. For high performance, look into Xeon Ws with 3400-3600 MHz and 1:1 uncore support.
For CPU picks, go with a W3680 because of unlocked RAM multi and higher multiplier options. It’s expected to run well on boards that handle 3000+ MHz on the third channel. If you’re after top freq, a W370 is ideal, but you’ll need to source quality chips — especially if you want genuine overclocking.
If you’re aiming for high speeds, check out PCIe freq and voltage settings. Aim for 115V with higher PWM if possible. For cooling, ensure your board can handle the heat; even with a good cooler, pushing beyond 1.6V is doable if the heatsink is solid.
Regarding RAM, a W3680 is recommended due to unlocked multiplier benefits. You’ll need to find sellers who let you test CPUs directly — otherwise, it’s hard to verify performance.
As for voltages and temps, what are you running at? Also, what motherboard do you have? You mentioned PCIe speed and BIOS settings — those matter a lot.
Lastly, what RAM model are you using? And do you have any specific cooling in mind?
I believe the CPU memory controller was failing around 1970. It would boot and function, but two RAM sticks aren't showing up. It doesn’t seem to impact CPU speed. This is my first encounter with this issue. Why are these CPUs never discussed on the X58 platform? I’m planning to buy two right away. They cost about $1.56 each over the past few years, handle 90°C in labs and around 75°C in games. Currently I run six 8GB sticks and need more capacity. To reach that, I’d have to test twelve 4GB sticks—which feels risky. Unfortunately, the board only supports up to 10x memory modules. I’m unsure if I can get more with the X3680 series. I’ll keep an eye on future releases. The board uses an EVGA SR2, so the other concerns are the BIOS is problematic for these models.
It seems I missed the earlier warning about the motherboard chipset limitations. They don't support 3600 CPUs, let alone dual socket setups, which is why only the X58 model fits. After taking it apart and installing them, I noticed the thermal paste helped a bit. Performance stayed stable under load, but idle temps dropped noticeably—same results in Cinebench, though the build looks pretty damaged. Not great overall.