What method is used to increase the clock speed of a locked CPU on an original equipment manufacturer board?
What method is used to increase the clock speed of a locked CPU on an original equipment manufacturer board?
I’m trying to boost my CPU speed because it’s limiting my GPU performance.
I’m a beginner hardware builder who assembled a mixed gaming rig using discarded components and a Dell OptiPlex 3020. The current setup includes:
Intel Core i7 4770
AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB
8GB 1600Mhz Kingston DDR3 (Dual Channel)
2 Seagate 500GB HDDs
650W 80+ Wide Active PSU + 255W 80+ Gold Active PSU
I spent a total of £50, and I only needed to purchase the GPU.
The CPU remains stuck, and the motherboard uses an H81 chipset—overclocking seems out of reach.
I’ve read that others have successfully overclocked similar Dell OEM boards using tools like SetFSB and specific PPLs.
I’ve tried every available PPL in the menu, but none worked.
I’m hoping someone can assist me in getting my i7 4770 to run faster and more efficiently.
I know the multiplier method could help with the H81 chipset, but my OEM board might not support it.
Power-wise, the 650W PSU only powers the GPU, and the 255W unit supplies everything else, including the CPU. I can easily reroute some CPU power from the 650 to boost performance, and the thermal issues seem manageable at first.
I’ve already pushed the GPU to +203Mhz, which is still a bottleneck for the 300W+ R9 290.
My CPU might also be in a high binned category, showing only 6% above average even before overclocking.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
An
Hi All,
I’m trying to boost my CPU speed because it’s limiting my GPU performance.
I’m a beginner hardware builder who assembled a mixed gaming rig using discarded components and a Dell OptiPlex 3020. The current setup includes:
Intel Core i7 4770
AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB
8GB 1600Mhz Kingston DDR3 (Dual Channel)
2 Seagate 500GB HDDs
650W 80+ Wide Active PSU + 255W 80+ Gold Active PSU
I spent a total of £50, and I only needed to purchase the GPU.
The CPU remains stuck, and the motherboard uses an H81 chipset—overclocking seems out of reach.
I’ve read that others have successfully overclocked similar Dell OEM boards using tools like SetFSB and specific PPLs.
I’ve tried every available PPL in the menu, but none worked.
I’m hoping someone can assist me in getting my i7 4770 to run faster and more efficiently.
I know the multiplier method could help with the H81 chipset, but my OEM board might not support it.
Power-wise, the 650W PSU only powers the GPU, and the 255W unit supplies everything else, including the CPU. I can easily reroute some CPU power from the 650 to boost performance, and the thermal issues seem manageable at first.
I’ve already pushed the GPU to +203Mhz, which is still a bottleneck for the 300W+ R9 290.
My CPU might also be in a high binned category, showing only 6% above average even before overclocking.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
An
Purchasing any hardware that is old or used is essentially a risky endeavor. Occasionally individuals are forced to do so, as they might save a system that continues functioning well at a significantly lower cost than buying a brand-new setup. However, in the majority of situations, the funds allocated to anything outdated would have been better invested in acquiring a completely new motherboard, CPU, and memory—essentially a platform upgrade. This is because, in most cases, we aren't dealing with new-old-stock items (and even those are likely affected by capacitor aging and metal issues), but rather fully utilized components that have already reached the end of their practical lifespan.
I own an i3 3240 with R9 380, that's where the bottleneck comes in.
Actually, pairing your i7 with a 1080ti would be ideal.
You won't gain much from trying to 'overclock' a fixed CPU.
Your setup has great potential, at least that's what I think.
I notice you have a full CPU/GPU cooling loop, I like the way it's set up, I believe your CPU waterblock is a bit outdated but you should be fine with it xD.
Your build is really special
Your CPU isn't limiting your R9 290 performance.
I own an i3 3240 with R9 380, that's where the bottleneck comes in.
Actually, pairing your i7 with a 1080ti would be ideal.
You won't gain much from trying to 'overclock' a fixed CPU.
Your setup has great potential, at least that's what I think.
I notice you have a full CPU/GPU cooling loop, I like the way it's set up, I believe your CPU waterblock is a bit outdated but you should be fine with it xD.
Your build is really special
You won't be able to overclock easily. Even if you manage to find a method, I strongly advise against it—overclocking an i7 on the VRM of an OEM board isn't recommended. It's not built for that purpose.
squirelymayo
03-03-2016, 01:50 AM #5Investing in water cooling for a locked CPU in a locked board is extremely inefficient, and using inexpensive cooling solutions can lead to liquid damage in your PC.
You won't be able to overclock easily. Even if you manage to find a method, I strongly advise against it—overclocking an i7 on the VRM of an OEM board isn't recommended. It's not built for that purpose.
(
https://www.cpuagent.com
)
Rise of the Tomb Raider 1080p Ultra R9 290 (stock)
With i9 10900K
With i7 4770
I can also swap the GPU cooler you saw in the image into a CPU cooler using this
CPU cooler top plate with the same copper baseplate and screws and mounting. So (until I get a waterblock for 10p) I have the option to either water-cool the CPU or the GPU. Since the CPU is the main limiting factor and it isn't overclocked yet, it would make more sense to cool the CPU with water. Plus, I have a de-lidding tool (see image) that I've tested before and plan to use on my i7 4770 if I manage to get an overclock there.
Of course, cooling a locked CPU is exactly what a cheap and flashy newbie would do, but why would you think I asked for help just to get it overclocked? Because I have to decide between the two options. And what's the point of using water on the GPU if I won't notice any FPS improvement because of the bottleneck?
Also, those water-cooling parts aren't cheap, though I might have found them for a reasonable price (a 480 thick EK copper rad + 140 x3 EK copper rad + Phanteks fittings + two d5 Thermaltake pumps you saw all for £30). I'll be using the 140 X 3 Cool Stream SE rad from EK, with great Phanteks fittings and a Thermaltake D5 Pump and reservoir on the initial loop – maybe switch to the second rad and pump later in a second loop. All components (including the fittings) are copper-based, so there won't even be galvanic corrosion. I'll also use metallic thermal paste. Although I should admit my water-cooling setup might have some hidden tricks, just like my cable management. 😏
Regarding VRM cooling, I’ll ensure proper airflow over those motherboard VRMs and keep a close eye on them. Anyway, I won’t need to pump as much power to reach the performance I want.
I may be a beginner, but I’m not completely relaxed. Still, I do need some assistance with overclocking that i7 using this OEM board. Do you have any more details about my setup? Just let me know.
the5harkman
03-03-2016, 05:11 AM #6So when it comes to bottlenecking, it isn't a major issue, but I'm definitely losing more than 10% of my FPS (on the overclocked R9 290) during heavy CPU-intensive and modern games. Below are some benchmarks I found on a website:
(
https://www.cpuagent.com
)
Rise of the Tomb Raider 1080p Ultra R9 290 (stock)
With i9 10900K
With i7 4770
I can also swap the GPU cooler you saw in the image into a CPU cooler using this
CPU cooler top plate with the same copper baseplate and screws and mounting. So (until I get a waterblock for 10p) I have the option to either water-cool the CPU or the GPU. Since the CPU is the main limiting factor and it isn't overclocked yet, it would make more sense to cool the CPU with water. Plus, I have a de-lidding tool (see image) that I've tested before and plan to use on my i7 4770 if I manage to get an overclock there.
Of course, cooling a locked CPU is exactly what a cheap and flashy newbie would do, but why would you think I asked for help just to get it overclocked? Because I have to decide between the two options. And what's the point of using water on the GPU if I won't notice any FPS improvement because of the bottleneck?
Also, those water-cooling parts aren't cheap, though I might have found them for a reasonable price (a 480 thick EK copper rad + 140 x3 EK copper rad + Phanteks fittings + two d5 Thermaltake pumps you saw all for £30). I'll be using the 140 X 3 Cool Stream SE rad from EK, with great Phanteks fittings and a Thermaltake D5 Pump and reservoir on the initial loop – maybe switch to the second rad and pump later in a second loop. All components (including the fittings) are copper-based, so there won't even be galvanic corrosion. I'll also use metallic thermal paste. Although I should admit my water-cooling setup might have some hidden tricks, just like my cable management. 😏
Regarding VRM cooling, I’ll ensure proper airflow over those motherboard VRMs and keep a close eye on them. Anyway, I won’t need to pump as much power to reach the performance I want.
I may be a beginner, but I’m not completely relaxed. Still, I do need some assistance with overclocking that i7 using this OEM board. Do you have any more details about my setup? Just let me know.
(68 FPS Avrg)
i9 10900K
(73 FPS Avrg)
CPU cooler
The PC
(reference my earlier note)
psychiiik_king
03-03-2016, 08:21 AM #8i7 4770
(68 FPS Avrg)
i9 10900K
(73 FPS Avrg)
CPU cooler
The PC
(reference my earlier note)
Han_Der_Mats
03-03-2016, 01:08 PM #9So your loosing 5fps. Sounds like virtually no bottleneck going on to me. That's negligible