Is it Worth the Mobo Change

Matt26LFC · 4 Dec 2009 at 22:05

Hey all, just curious really, i have a Asus P5Q-E P45 and a Q9550

Now i was wondering from a purely Overclocking point of view would it be worth getting a Biostar TPower to replace my current board as i've read the TPower OC's really well

Cheers

Matt

bifday2k · 5 Dec 2009 at 01:06

Your current motherboard is a good overclocker as it is, some of the t-powers that have been pushed really hard and high where done with extreme cooling, so those kinds of clocks on air are very unlikely.

A friend of mine has the base asus P5Q model and has his Q9550 clocked at 4ghz 24/7 with no probs, and still has head room to go, but he is happy with that.

Id personally suggest if ur not planning on high end water cooling, or even phase cooling, to stick with your current mobo, as the t-power will just be the same as urs, on air.

setter · 5 Dec 2009 at 07:14

The tpower is meant to be a better board with dual cores, id stick with what you have, the asus p5q's are proven quad clocking boards.

Clairvoyant · 5 Dec 2009 at 08:41

Stick with what you have. What do you have your Q9550 clocked to at the mo. Im at 3.84 @ 1.28v. I could hit 4 Ghz but cant be bothered for a couple 100 mhz.

Matt26LFC · 5 Dec 2009 at 18:32

Hi guys, cheers for your inputs

I can hit 4.05Ghz no problem with this board, and can bench at 4.2Ghz (Just) im pretty sure it can do a bit more, i feel 500Mhz+ FSB is doable with this if i play with the GTL's.

Reason i asked about the Tpower is because i fancied more

I am considering Watercooling after Xmas and im prepared to pay £300-£350 for it, so that should get me some highend water gear i expect. Gotta do a lot of research into it 1st

bifday 2k i'd love to try phase that would be cool, have you ever had the luxury of phase?

Big.Wayne · 5 Dec 2009 at 20:53

Matt26LFC,

there is no logical reason to spend even 1p more on your older system, don't swap out your LGA775 board for another LGA775 motherboard.

Before Intel Core i7 was released it would have made more sense as the LGA775 was the best in the world and anyone really serious about their benchmarking had no choice, they had to get the highest performing LGA775 setup to produce some serious benchmark results . .

This has all changed now, anyone who is serious about benchmarking has left the LGA775 platform a long time ago as its severly underpowered compared to Nehalem . . .

Make the best of what you've got and enjoy, GTL tweaking will drive u potty if your not patient so be careful . . . I found that 500MHz-FSB was very easy if I left *all* the voltages on [Auto], this was ok with a high VID Wolfdale but caused max load problems with a low VID Wolfdale . . . .

Matt26LFC said:
Is it Worth the Mobo Change

nope . . .not unless your changing platforms! :cool:

PishY · 6 Dec 2009 at 22:25

Stick with what you have mate! great board and chip there!

Th3D0n · 6 Dec 2009 at 23:11

Big.Wayne said:
its severly underpowered compared to Nehalem . . .

I wouldn't go that far!

but i do agree its a good mobo

Big.Wayne · 7 Dec 2009 at 00:20

Th3D0n said:
I wouldn't go that far!

What you have just done is selectively edit my statement and made it something else!

The full statement read:

Big.Wayne said:
anyone who is serious about benchmarking has left the LGA775 platform a long time ago as its severly underpowered compared to Nehalem . . .

And I think that is true, before Nehalem Benchmarkers would swap LGA775 boards out quite often, eek a slightly higher set of results . . . but those who would consider themselves a serious overclocker will not be buying a LGA775 motherboard a few weeks before the start of 2010

Matt26LFC is thinking of spending good money on an old platform for better overclocking which I read as benchmarking . . . there's just no point, hes got a decent board already, LGA775 has been outmoded . . . soon to be a loverly budget £35 platform to work with Wolfdale Celerons . . . .

Matt26LFC said:
Now i was wondering from a purely Overclocking point of view would it be worth getting a Biostar TPower to replace my current board as i've read the TPower OC's really well

Its your money but I'm sure there are other shiny things out there for you to buy!

bifday2k · 7 Dec 2009 at 01:14

Matt26LFC said:
Hi guys, cheers for your inputs

I can hit 4.05Ghz no problem with this board, and can bench at 4.2Ghz (Just) im pretty sure it can do a bit more, i feel 500Mhz+ FSB is doable with this if i play with the GTL's.

Reason i asked about the Tpower is because i fancied more

I am considering Watercooling after Xmas and im prepared to pay £300-£350 for it, so that should get me some highend water gear i expect. Gotta do a lot of research into it 1st

bifday 2k i'd love to try phase that would be cool, have you ever had the luxury of phase?

Nah never had the chance or even the luck to get hold of any phase units, been looking for ages, but just bought myself a new motorbike, so thats my new toy for now, tinkering with my comp gets to expensive lol.

I would have to agree with wayne really, it would be a much better idea to use that money you would getting water on 775, to moving up to I5/I7, would be better in the long run.

That being said i know how you feel, i was really tempted last month into buying a new mobo for my current setup, as my mobo will easily do 500+ on the fsb, just lacks in memory support, will only take 800mhz stuff =(. But the current prices of memory put me off doing that though.

And as i got my cpu from an online mate that has access to phase he had it comfortably, upto 4.9ghz, on only 1.45v, iv only been able to reach 4.5ghz with the same vaults, on cheapo water (H20 - 120), so he still has bragging rights over me damn him lol.

But that all being said, as wayne said it is ur money, and that mobo with added top end water cooling would be very nice, especially in clocking terms.

But realisticly it probably would be better spent getting the newer stuff, not that im knocking 775, im still on it with my E8400, and will be for some time =(.

Big.Wayne · 7 Dec 2009 at 01:58

The LGA775 platform must have it's priced slashed by Intel® . . . and that's not gonna happen as long as people keep spending big money buying it new!

If someone is really wanting to pick up a LGA775 board for overclocking, benching etc then they should either buy a used board or wait for the price slash . . .

It's a great platform and has been since 2006 but we are now approaching 2010 and the price is almost the same? :confused:

Matt26LFC · 7 Dec 2009 at 15:16

Hey all, really appreciate the comments, though i think im gonna have to agree with Big Wayne its probably not worth spending more cash on this platform.

As much as i would like too see how much more i can get out of it, cash wise its probably a waste, and no doubt as soon as i went i7 and started OC'ing and Benching i'd soon forget all about it

So perhaps its i7 time for me. will have to wait on the water cooling then i think, as won't have enough cash for it all. Would rather save a little more and get the higher end WC gear.

Does any1 know if the i7 930 when its released next year will be based on Intels new 32nm node? If so think thats gotta be a must buy

kitfit1 · 7 Dec 2009 at 17:53

It's certainly not worth spending anything on the 775 platform now. Even more so if you wanted to bench. The only real reason for benching is to get HwBot points for a team, and unless you are going with Dice/LN2/Cascade or SS, you really stand no chance of getting any points worth getting. The big boys have already been there, done it and moved on.

I7 is the way to go, even with benching. If you are seriously considering spending £300/£350 on water, then you really should look at a the second hand SS market. Recently i have seen good SS units go for £250/£300, one even went for £175 not that long ago (i'm not talking about rubbish either, these were all good SS's made by good builders).

Matt26LFC · 7 Dec 2009 at 20:26

kitfit1 said:
It's certainly not worth spending anything on the 775 platform now. Even more so if you wanted to bench. The only real reason for benching is to get HwBot points for a team, and unless you are going with Dice/LN2/Cascade or SS, you really stand no chance of getting any points worth getting. The big boys have already been there, done it and moved on.

I7 is the way to go, even with benching. If you are seriously considering spending £300/£350 on water, then you really should look at a the second hand SS market. Recently i have seen good SS units go for £250/£300, one even went for £175 not that long ago (i'm not talking about rubbish either, these were all good SS's made by good builders).

Any Chance you can point me in the direction of second hand SS's dude?

And also any really good guides on whats what?

I dont have a case for it, so i would have to have everything sort of sat out on like a bench or something

Would be awesome though, didnt realise thats what they cost, thought it'd be much more expensive

kitfit1 · 7 Dec 2009 at 20:52

Matt26LFC said:
Any Chance you can point me in the direction of second hand SS's dude?

The"Members Market" on this forum, when you have enough posts.
Join as many "Clocking " forums as you can find, most have for sale sections. A certain well known auction site also has SS's pop up from time to time.

Matt26LFC said:
And also any really good guides on whats what?

Have a good read here, it should give you plenty of info to start with.

Matt26LFC said:
Would be awesome though, didnt realise thats what they cost, thought it'd be much more expensive

They are more expensive if you have one custom made. But second hand, they tend to be a lot cheaper than peeps think.

Matt26LFC · 8 Dec 2009 at 18:43

Cheers mate, i'll check out the link and have a read about it all

Also there is one avaliable on the certain will known auction site

i've mailed the guy just not heard back yet.

kitfit1 · 8 Dec 2009 at 19:15

Just a word of caution when looking to buy a phase unit off of that well known auction site.
If you come across a seller called, xtremesystems316 or Pazza316, avoid him like the plague. His work is well known to be shoddy and dangerous. He is also a well known rip off artist.

Matt26LFC · 8 Dec 2009 at 20:04

Thanks dude either of those names don't match his, he also has 100% Positive Feedback

I've bid on it, but he messaged me just before i made the bid (Already sent him a message and then bid anyway) that he'd recieved a good offer from elsewhere so not sure im gonna be able to get it off him.

Hopefully i can work something out