How much to push overclocks...

[krisboats]

Hey guys, so i've just built my new system up and it seems a bios these days has a lot more in the way of options than my old q6600 ever did.

As it stands i have the 2500k at 4.5ghz and the graphics card has been bumped from 925 to 1190 on the core. Its all in a single cooling loop going:

Pump>GPU>120 rad>cpu>240mm rad>res

Temps after hours of gaming and benchmarks/furmark/prime95 never get higher than 56 degrees on the cpu and never more than 45 degrees on the gpu.

Should i be looking to squeeze any more out of it given the lower temps or am i at the point where the gains aren't worth the extra heat/voltages that will be required? I had to bump the gpu voltage to 1240 instead of 1172 to stop that stalling in 3dmark and to be artifact free in furmark.

Openhardware monitor reports that my cpu never goes above 1.344v and i've got it set to offset mode with a +0.2 setting (off the top of my head). I have to say i've not fully read up on all these extra settings to get my head round what they all do yet.

Any help/advice is massively appreciated.

 

[krisboats]

Ah, that sounds absolutely grand then. my gpu can go higher, i've had it finish 3dmark at 1250 on the core but running 1.28v. I was reluctant to push it any further as i noticed some coil whine during the 3dmark runs, although i can't say i was listening for whine before the runs i just assumed it was a side effect of the overclock.

Looks like i'll be keeping it as is for now then. It's running everything really well to be honest. Crysis 3 was the slowest of the lot running at around 46fps on average. Very much playable unless i added v-sync. Everything else max's out at nice rates, fallout 4 was silky smooth so i figured if i come across any other games i'll get a second 7970 off members market and go crossfire for once.


So that brings me to my next question. I've had the same fans since i got my new case.... in 2007/8. xigmatek orange glowing things. The computer is noisey as hell and i'm in the market for something good on a radiator, but almost silent. Looks aren't too important so long as they aren't as fugly as the noctuas and i guess silly lights would be a bonus, but not essential. Any reccomendations and why? Ek vardars seem to get good youtube reviews... those or the corsair led static pressure series?

It'll be going on a 120 rad and a 240 rad.