Voltage settings and clock adjustments for the FX-8120 overclocking?
Voltage settings and clock adjustments for the FX-8120 overclocking?
Hello everyone!
I purchased the FX-8120 about four years ago when I was just starting PC building, but I didn’t optimize my half-hearted overclock until recently.
I’ve been experimenting with various clock configurations and trying different optimization tips.
I finally achieved a steady 4.0Ghz at 1.35V – which is quite high for me.
But when I ran Prime95, I started seeing major throttling after the 10-minute mark on a Blend test. At that stage in Prime95, each core passed its test, but then it would drop to around 1.4Ghz and 0.900V every ten seconds or so. The throttle percentage stayed the same regardless of my overclock settings.
I tried lowering voltage and clock speeds step by step, but nothing worked.
I turned off power-saving features one by one, but that didn’t help either.
I adjusted the Loadline Calibration intervals, though I still had no success.
A helpful tip for my motherboard was to disable APM, which I attempted without success.
Here’s my current configuration:
Gigabyte 970A-D3P with BIOS v. F5
FX-8120 (now running at 3.7GHz and 1.33V)
Coolermaster Evo 212
EVGA GTX 1060 SC
650W CX650M
I hope this gives you a clearer picture. I’ve checked almost every article online, but none of the fixes worked.
Also, here’s a snapshot of my latest HWMonitor readings from the most recent test. My temps seem normal too.
Perhaps this throttling is just part of the cooling process? Or maybe my motherboard isn’t powerful enough for such overclocking? Maybe I’m pushing myself beyond what Prime95 should allow during a blend test?
I really appreciate any advice from the community!
Thanks,
Cameron
Hi Cameron,
I wouldn't worry too much about it. You're exactly right, the throttling is a normal thing. If the CPU didn't throttle itself would have to shut itself down so rather than that it just drops the voltage (which induces your heat) until it cools off a little.
If you watch your temperatures you can see this kick in at a certain temperature.
My CPU also does the same.
Thanks
Hi Cameron,
I don't need to worry too much about it. You're spot on—the throttling is just normal behavior. If the CPU didn't limit itself, it would have to shut down completely instead of just reducing voltage, which generates heat until it cools down a bit.
By keeping an eye on your temperatures, you'll notice this happens at a certain point.
My CPU behaves the same way.
Thanks for the clarification! I agree, once the TMPIN1 temperature reaches around 58 degrees, the throttling begins. I think that's likely the Northbridge on the motherboard. Appreciate you helping me relax!
To be sure, this kind of throttling only occurs in CPU-heavy applications like Prime95, so I'm relieved now!
Throttling is NOT a normal thing. There is a setting called HPC in bios i believe that will prevent your cpu from throttling. Although it will make your pc run hotter. I suggest finding an overclock that does not throttle your pc. Also find out the max temperatures for your cpu core and socket. I think the 58c reading is from the socket. Throttling at 58c is a little bit conservative imo.
I'm experiencing the same issue on my FX8350 above 1.4V. The VRMs on my GA 990X Gaming Sli overheat and it starts throttling. The heatsync becomes extremely hot, reaching around 90°C. I tried placing a fan directly on them and after about a minute of stress testing at 4.6Ghz and 1.45V, the temperature dropped to around 10 minutes. It seems this is the problem.
Throttling isn't typical. There seems to be a setting named HPC in bios that might stop your CPU from throttling, though it could make your PC run warmer. I recommend looking for an overclock that won't cause throttling and check the maximum temperatures for your CPU core and socket. The 58C reading likely comes from the socket, and throttling at 58C is a bit cautious. I also checked and think you're on the right track.
The 61c rating applies to the core of the processor or the package reading of 48c in your situation. You aim to maintain a temperature under 61c maximum and below 55c during extended use. Your motherboard lists a max socket temperature of 72c, which might vary for your setup. I think your socket temperature is around 58c, which is acceptable. The issue could be that your VRMs are overheating, leading to throttling. It seems your motherboard may not be ideal for high overclocks given its 970 chipset.
I'm experiencing the same issue on my FX8350 above 1.4V. The VRMs on my GA 990X Gaming Sli overheat and it starts throttling. The heatsync becomes extremely hot, reaching around 90°C. I placed a fan directly on them and after about a minute of stress testing before the throttle at 4.6Ghz and 1.45V, it stabilized for up to 10 minutes. I want to confirm if this is the cause. My heatsink isn't unusually hot to the touch, let alone 90°C.
jp95 :
Throttling is NOT a normal thing. There is a setting called HPC in bios i believe that will prevent your cpu from throttling. Although it will make your pc run hotter. I suggest finding an overclock that does not throttle your pc. Also find out the max temperatures for your cpu core and socket. I think the 58c reading is from the socket. Throttling at 58c is a little bit conservative imo.
I've tried just about every setting under the sun in BIOS. I'll try HPC mode right now to double-check though.
The 61c rating applies to the processor core or the package reading of 48c in your situation. You aim to maintain a temperature under 61c maximum and below 55c during extended use. Your motherboard lists a maximum socket temperature of 72c, which might vary for you. I think your socket temperature is around 58c, which is acceptable. The issue could be that your VRMs are overheating, leading to throttling. It seems your motherboard may not be ideal for high overclocks given its 970 chipset. Thank you for the details!