• Hello and welcome to MSFC. We are a small and close knitted community who specialises in modding the game Star Trek Armada 2 and the Fleet Operations modification, however we have an open field for discussing a number of topics including movies, real life events and everything in-between.

    Being such a close community, we do have some restrictions, including all users required to be registered before being able to post as well as all members requiring to have participated in the community for sometime before being able to download our modding files to name the main ones. This is done for both the protection of our members and to encourage new members to get involved with the community. We also require all new registrations to first be authorised by an Administrator and to also have an active and confirmed email account.

    We have a policy of fairness and a non harassment environment, with the staff quick to act on the rare occasion of when this policy is breached. Feel free to register and join our community.

CPU Overclocking

Rifraf

I know just enough to be a danger to myself
Joined
25 Aug 2013
Messages
1,206
Age
51
Just checking to see if there are any computer modding enthusiasts here? I built my first gaming rig 5 years ago and for 95% of what I do/game it still great. I've been toying with overclocking my cpu and wondered if anyone here has ever done it. I've been reading guides and such from around the net and may give it a go. I have an Intel Core2 Duo E8400 3.0ghz and an Nvidia nForce 780i SLI mobo.

I've only used the stock cooler and have read that you can generally get up to 3.6ghz reliably, without much heat gain and without changing voltages and such. Fairly small OC with modest gain and little side effect. I was just wondering people's opinions, if they've ever done it, how it worked out and such. I realize every situation/cpu is different, but thought I'd check.
 

Majestic

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Seraphim Build Team
Joined
17 Apr 2006
Messages
18,274
Age
39
I used to run intel but found the AMD's vastly superior in cooling and overall lifetime. I used to have to replace an intel every 2-3 years (CPU used to die) as I use my PC a lot, it's on nearly everyday for 12-16 hours straight. This AMD is around 5 years old and still going strong, I think I can easily get another 3 years out of it.

As for overclocking, I've never done it myself and probably never will. From what I've heard it really cuts down the overall lifetime of your CPU, meaning it will die sooner and need to be replaced. I suppose if you upgrade every year or so it probably wouldn't matter much, but if you want to keep a PC around for like 5 years I wouldn't recommend it. I feel the gains don't justify the sacrifice.
 

CABAL

<< ■ II ▶ >>
Staff member
Administrator
Star Navigator
Rogue AI technocrat
Joined
15 Aug 2009
Messages
3,511
Age
32
I used to run intel but found the AMD's vastly superior in cooling and overall lifetime.
As I understand it, AMD CPUs aren't quite as efficient per GHz, but they've had eight core processors for a while where Intel has only recently introduced six core desktop CPUs. I don't know what I'd do with a 5GHz eight core processor, but I want one, and they have them.

As for overclocking, I've never done it myself and probably never will. From what I've heard it really cuts down the overall lifetime of your CPU, meaning it will die sooner and need to be replaced.

Overclocking does cut down on hardware lifetime, so I don't do it either. I do understand the appeal, though, particularly if you have the money to replace the CPU more frequently. I'm just using a 2.24GHz Intel CPU right now, but I used to have a 3GHz one, and if I knew I would get the money to finish my new computer build soon I'd definitely ramp it up to 3GHz in the interim because of the huge performance difference.

Anyway, there are several overclocking boards out there if nobody here can help. Some of them may go for more drastic changes than what you want, but there should be a lot of knowledge there.
 

Rifraf

I know just enough to be a danger to myself
Joined
25 Aug 2013
Messages
1,206
Age
51
I appreciate the info. I'm definitely not looking to replace anything hence my apprehension to try it. I've toyed with the idea on and off for a couple years and here I am 5 years later and going strong so don't want to prematurely put an end to my cpu. :) I would only go mild OC, but still. Murphy's law and all
 

Majestic

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Seraphim Build Team
Joined
17 Apr 2006
Messages
18,274
Age
39
As I understand it, AMD CPUs aren't quite as efficient per GHz, but they've had eight core processors for a while where Intel has only recently introduced six core desktop CPUs. I don't know what I'd do with a 5GHz eight core processor, but I want one, and they have them.

Pretty much, they have much better cooling and so preform better in the long run, but Intel do have better short term speeds. I have run both in the past and I do find the different not noticeable at all when it comes to speeds.

Here is a good example of the differences. Kat has an AMD laptop and Scarlon (our son) has a intel laptop, both are identical specs. Kat can play without a cooling pad for the laptop and Scarlon's laptop overheats every 10 minutes playing Star Trek Online and uses a cooling pad and a pedistool fan blowing on the laptop.
 

Adm_Z

Gettin' down and GUI!
Joined
23 Nov 2009
Messages
2,745
Ohh me, me!:excited: Though I"m running a 3770k at 4.4Ghz, and not using the stock cooler, The intel stock cooler is better than people like to give it credit. As long as you are getting enough fresh air, you should be safe for a modest overclock. Especially if you are using a turbo overclock and not a constant.:thumbsup:

Also, unless you are overvolting there is pretty much no way to actually damage your processor by overclocking. Sure, you may get BSOD, and it will be unstable, but modern processors all have built in safeguards to keep them from getting even close to damaging temperature levels. It will throttle your speed and shut down before any physical damage actually happens, unless your processor somehow malfunctions.
 

Rifraf

I know just enough to be a danger to myself
Joined
25 Aug 2013
Messages
1,206
Age
51
Thanks Z. I do have 3 intake fans and 2 exit fans plus the stock cooler and also a smaller fan on the northgate or something like that for the mobo so air flow is pretty good.

I've never heard of turbo overclock before so I'll have to look that up. I'm assuming what I was looking at was a constant overclock from 3.0 to ~3.6ghz. No overvolt required from my research so far. Thank for the info. I'm still only contemplating it for now. Really the only games that would even require this are Sup Com: FA and perhaps Crysis.
 
Top