The Official OC (OverClocking) Thread!

i ran prime95 only for a few hours because i had to do stuff, but overall it seemed to pass the stuff. ill try IntelBurnTest when i get back, but i think ill keep my vcore because 3.0ghz is well over enough for what i do. i never have gotten to full load unless i used prime95.

 

I start out with Intelburn test but then I also run prime95 with short ffts. Then I do a graphics stability test with 3DMark and if that won't kill it then I'll slam it with a 9 to 10 hour encode that use 98% of processors resources. At this point the only thing left that I can do is dip in oil, take a cutting torch to it, or wire an extension cord directly to the processor and plug it in.:>D

 

I tried that and it's NOT so bad. IF you have a good cooler it'll withstand much more than you think. hehehehe.

...gm

add: NOT really people.. just messing with Sophy.

@Sophy,
Didn't run the torture test for 9-10 hours but I've done some serious encoding and it seems to do great. What test do you use for your gfx card?

 

I generally run my graphics cards at stock unless I have an especially graphics intensive game then I overclock a bit. My graphics use is mostly for High Definition playback. Though....

I do test my system with 3Dmark 05 and I suppose that stresses the vid card too. My current graphics card is the ATI 3870 and does what I need it too.

 

Thanks for the reply Sophy. I normally run my video cards at stock as well. I don't do crazy gaming like the gfx card BOYS.

.....gm

 

Well I always OC my GFX card a bit. I mean come on, no respectable gamer runs ANYTHING stock. Now only if I could OC my harddrives...

 

I'm a gamer, and rarely overclock my graphics card. For the sake of 5% extra performance it's pointless being in a situation where you may or may not have a crash or graphical corruption.

 

Completely agree with that Sammy. If you get a good enough gfx card why OC the dang thing?

....gm

 

The 4870X2 is perhaps unsurprisingly, a mediocre overclocker anyway...

 

well sam, when you have a 4870x2 nothing really needs the OC.

for me to maintain 60FPS instead of 50, online in cod4, i need to OC my GPU. I think this GPU is one i have had the longest out of all of mine (4 months so far).

 

lol 4 months. My X1900XT was in mainstream use for 19 months and is still being used now, my X800 Pro AGP lasted me 22 months and my MX440 and Rage pro lasted me probably longer than that... I thought I was bad!

 

well i had my 7600GS (which came with the PC) for 6 months and my 7800GT for 2 months, but i pushed the memory to far and it started to currupt artifact and then finally 64 bit drivers for nvisia was causing bsods. lol

 

Quite a few people I know have had that story, which is one of the main reasons I never bothered looking too much into graphics overclocks, it stops me trying stupid things that end in tears...

 

I've had reasonable success with card overclocking but that has always depended on the card used at the time. If I had a card in the AMD 400o series which already runs hot I would do it, and I especially wouldn't do it with the recent Nvidia card versions because of their recent GPU failures and apparent solder flaws. In fact a recent study indicates that an ATI card will have an average life span over a Nvidia card 10 to 100 times that of a Nvidia card. Now if we're discussing the current issue of ATI cards I would say that it is probably wise to put overclocking them on hold.:>D

 

Other than a DOA Sapphire 3870, I've not had one break that's been the card's fault and not my own (or to pass the baton, Arctic Cooling's) - the only things that seem to go wrong with them are the fans.

 

NEVER. stick them under water and clock.

soph, im thinking of going Q9650 as farcry 2 (a game (you oldies )) will support quads and same clock will be 30% faster. atm they use out of a Qx9650 stock about 60% of the CPU....

im so torn, as doing this would add another £200 to my already tight budget.

i could go into my over draft....

should i go for it.

Q9650
Asus Maximus II Formula
2x2GB Geil black dragon PC8500
4870X2
320GB F1 samsung

(CPU and GPU under water)

 

That is a hefty build for a uni student. Unless you're getting subsidy from someone I'd be wary of that. Your student loan will be cut in half by your up-front accommodation fee (you pay for the term, at the beginning of the term), so that usually leaves you with around £750 to play with if you got one of the richer loans. You'll be into your overdraft before you've even started with no other support until after christmas. You still have to eat, etc.

 

I seem to recall having the similar self-debate and you know how I responded. Should I really be the person to ask. LOL

 

True true, but you're not 18 years old and living entirely off a government loan...
You have no idea how ridiculously much I want a Q9650, but right now, I just can't afford anywhere near one, and I need to get some more storage before any other computer parts arrive.

 

sammorris

[qute]True true, but you're not 18 years old and living entirely off a government loan...[/quote]

I believe that this line addresses that.

Sammorris:

I can't imagine anyone not wanting one, it really is the premier processor of its kind.

I remember what getting by on student wages were like and I understand.