Resolved Overclocking my CPU advice requested

I have a Core i7 920 CPU that runs at 2.67Ghz. My motherboard is an EVGA X58 SLI LE which has BIOS features that permit overclocking from within it.
I've owned this computer for about 4 or 5 years, and just recently switched from a 300Gig WD Velociraptor to a Samsung SSD. My Windows Experience Index breakdown is as follows: CPU 7.4. RAM 7.8. Video 7.6. and HD 7.9. The Velociraptor was 5.9, the limiting factor, so I never bothered to think in terms of overclocking. Now that the CPU is the limiting factor, I thought-why not.
The person I bought this computer from installed a CoolerMaster V8 fan/sink monster that has a variable speed fan control. Right now, the speed is set to 49%-always has been. I never touched any of it. The CPU temps, under CPUID Harware Monitor are 82F (CPU), 104F(VREG), and 80F(System). It has 4 cores, and they are between 104F and 111F.
I don't know how to increase the clock speed, and by how much. That is why I'm posting this here.
I think the current bus speed is 133Khz, and the multiplier is 20. Not sure about Khz vs Mhz. CPU VCore is 1.2 volts,if that is relevant.
What is the temp that I should try and keep the CPU below, if and when I crank up the Bus speed, multiplier, or voltage?
Thanks.

 

Hi skaler2k, I don't think many of us are into O/Cing. If it ain't broke....
Someone may come along with a few suggestions so all the best. Neil.

 

First, I think you are wise to ask questions first about overclocking, before attempting to do it then asking, "what did I do wrong?" after.

There's a reason Microsoft dumped the Windows Experience Index in W8.x - it is worthless and confusing as a benchmarking program. It either gives users a false sense that all is good, or a false sense that "limiting factors" are degrading performance.

Why not? Because of the following excesses or limitations:

• Heat,
• Lack of technical knowledge and expertise,
• Heat,
• PSU power requirements,
• Increased preventative maintenance requirements,
• Heat,
• CPU Stress,
• CPU stability,
• Motherboard stability,
• Cooling,
• Motherboard voltage regulation stress,
• Heat.

Did I mention heat? If you look at the last line in my signature, you can see I take heat in electronics seriously. When overclocking, it is not just heat of the CPU to worry about, but excess heat generated in the various circuits and components on the motherboard that are stressed too.

At you can guess, not many of us are fans of overclocking - for many reasons, including a lack of performance advantages. Yes, overclocking can improve your benchmarking scores (with real benchmarking programs) but in spite of what these benchmarking makers and fans would like us to believe, high benching marking scores don't necessarily translate to actual, and noticeable (or usable) gains in computer performance. Typically, all you get is bragging rights, and more headaches.

As a technician who ends up cleaning up the aftermath of poor implementations, my advice if wanting a faster CPU: buy a faster one. Then use the downward firing OEM cooler that was specifically designed for that line of CPUs. In spite of what many will tell you, OEM coolers are excellent, more than capable of keeping the CPU in their charge adequately cooled, even with mild to moderate overclocking.

But the reality is, you already have a really nice CPU, a quad core that supports hyper-threading for 8 simultaneous processing threads. If you want the most out of your CPU, give it gobs of RAM (configured for dual or triple channel memory), a really good graphics solution, and a good 80 PLUS Certified PSU to power them.

Remember, today's computing tasks are intensely graphics oriented. The more capable the graphics solution, the more graphics tasks it can support and the faster the GPU can accept tasks handed off by the CPU. And it takes very little CPU horsepower to hand off tasks.

***

If, in spite of all of the above you are still intent to overclock, then because of your admitted and displayed lack of technical knowledge and experience (an observation, not a criticism - "unsure of KHz vs MHz" for example), then I recommend you stay away from BIOS settings and use EVGA's tuning program at the lowest preset option - then watch your "real-time" temps very carefully.

 

I guess I'll just let it be as is. Thanks for your replies. I'll be marking this thread as resolved.

 

I think if you had asked this question 6 or 7 years ago, you would have been met with much greater enthusiasm. But I guess the thrill is gone. Or there's just not enough thrill for the risks.

Also, note that much of the drive for overclocking (other than bragging rights) was for better game play. But the best game makers know most players don't have quad cores and high end CPUs like the i7 series! So they design their games to have great game play on lessor systems.

And again - what do games really depend on? Monster graphics solutions and gobs of RAM.

 

YES! Absolutely! Great point. And disk intensive games do better with SSDs too.

 

Bill,
You mentioned "gobs of RAM ". I have three sticks of 2gigs of triple channel ram at 1600Khz.
Considering my i7 at 2.66 Mhz, a Radeon HD 4890 with 1gig of DDR5 ram, and the Samsung SSD, would it be worth buying more RAM? If so, can I get 2 sticks of 4gig DDR3, or would it be better to buy 3 sticks of 2gig? The MB has 6 slots total. The OS is Windows 7 Ult 64 bit.
I know that it is possible to buy ram that works but actually degrades the performance of the existing sicks. This ram is Corsair PC3-10700H(667Mhz), and back in 2009 was pretty expensive, as I recall.

 

To take full advantage of your board's triple channel memory architecture capability, you want to install RAM in threes. So I don't recommend 2 x 4Gb.

3 x 2Gb for 6Gb is a "decent" amount, though not "gobs ". But it is my recommended "minimum" for triple channel boards (8Gb is my recommended minimum for dual channel boards) and a 64-bit OS.

If you want to increase your RAM, I recommend adding another 3 x 2Gb. But check prices. You may find 3 x 4Gb at a decent price.

The advantage of replacing your existing 2Gb sticks with new 4Gb sticks is you don't need to worry about power as the power consumption will be essentially the same, even though they are bigger sticks. They may be faster sticks too.

If you add 3 more sticks to your existing 3 for a total of 6 sticks, you need to verify your power supply can support the added demands BEFORE firing it up.

The Radeon HD 4890 with 1Gb of RAM is a decent card, though it would be nicer with 2Gb of on-board graphics RAM. I like the double wide cards as they exhaust the card's heat straight out the back, instead of back into the case.

That is not common. And while possibly true, generally the addition of more RAM results in improved overall performance, even if the RAM is not performing optimally.

But you can avoid that buy just replacing your existing RAM with all new, larger and faster RAM. Note I have a box of perfectly good, but old RAM that was replaced to upgrade RAM. That's just the cost of keep up with (or at least closer to) the state-of-the-art.

Check your motherboard’s webpage for the QVLs (qualified vendors lists) for compatible RAM and CPUs. You MUST buy a CPU from the list but there are too many RAM makers and models for motherboard makers to test them all. So you must buy RAM with the same specifications as listed RAM.

Alternatively, here's my canned text on RAM wizards:

These popular RAM makers have auto-scanning and/or manual entry RAM wizards to help you determine which RAM is compatible with your motherboard. For manual entry, enter/select the PC or motherboard make and model number and the wizard will list compatible RAM.

Crucial - Memory Advisor
Corsair - Memory Finder (manual data entry only)
GeIL - Memory Meter
Kingston - Memory Search (manual data entry only)
Mushkin - Advisor
Patriot - Memory Search (manual data entry only)
PNY - Memory Configurator (manual data entry only)
SuperTalent - Memory Finder (manual data entry only)​

The following retailers have auto-scanners and manual wizards. They sell brand name and/or "house" brand (re-branded) RAM.

Newegg - Memory Configurator System Tool
MemoryStock - Upgrade Configurator
18004Memory "“ Configurator
4AllMemory - Memory advisor (automatic and manual)
TigerDirect - Memory Configurator (manual data entry only)​

 

Bill,
I checked for pricing and see about $70 for a 3x2gig, and it jumps to around $120 for 3x4gig.
I think my power supply is probably up to the task. It's a ABS 850watt, 80plus Bronze rated.
The video card is an XFX HD4890, and it is double wide with an exhaust out through the rear of then case.
Thus far, I've kept my search to Corsair, but the links they provide to various vendors show that the memory is out of stock. I did look at ebay and Newegg.
I have the impression that PC3-10700 may be old stuff and no longer restocked.
I have no brand loyalty, and thus far, haven't looked at others. I've had some experience with several brands, and really never had any problems with any of them.
You say you have a box full of old ram. Do you have any you care to sell? I hope this doesn't violate any of the rules on the BBS.

 

Asking if I have any to sell does not violate any rules. But if I posted links for things I sell would.

That said, I am hanging on to it.