Is it my motherboard or CPU that's limiting the overclock?

NoNameNoNumber · 17 Nov 2012 at 17:57

Hi there,

When I'm overclocking the computer seen in the my sig I can get to 3.8GHZ easy on stock voltage by just bumping the multi up and also I can knock the NB up to 2.2GHz again on stock v but when I push a little more (either 3.9 or 2.4 respectively) I can't seem to stabilise properly on both IBT and Prime95 regardless of what I do with the voltages...

Is this a limitation of the board-770 chipset maybe? (which I appreciate isn't a super duper board)
http://uk.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3534#ov

Or the CPU (which again I know isn't groundbreaking...)
http://products.amd.com/pages/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=532

Thoughts much appreciated

Rooster212 · 17 Nov 2012 at 21:04

I would think that motherboards themselves wouldn't have that much impact on it, but higher end boards have more power phases/better quality components so it might be the board. Personally I would put it down to the chip, and getting a new motherboard might give you 300MHz or something but it wouldn't be worth it.

NoNameNoNumber · 17 Nov 2012 at 21:17

I'm not desperate to get much more out of it tbh
When I bought the board I got it because it was known to unlock the X2 550/555's and have since dropped a 955 in. If i was to renew the board I'd have to go for an i5 combo.

doyll · 18 Nov 2012 at 08:21

What Rooster212 said.
3.8GHz is about right. The Silicone Raffle is a fickled beast. BE chips are usually a little better.

NoNameNoNumber · 18 Nov 2012 at 09:20

I'll stick with 3.8

Rooster212 · 18 Nov 2012 at 10:41

puma luke said:
I'll stick with 3.8

Then make your next upgrade an Intel one

probably best to wait until Haswell if you are tempted any time soon.

doyll · 18 Nov 2012 at 13:11

Just finished doing some encoding with my old i7 980 Running 3x Handbrake with CPU @ 100% solid for 30 minutes. Cooler fans revved 980rpm with CPU at a max of 41-44c with ambient of 21.7c. Now it's idling at 22-25c Gotta love it.

"Overclock" I hear a whisper. "Why" I whisper back. Stock this 980 encodes in half the time it took my old i7 920 @ 4.0 GHz took... with fans revving along at 1300rpm and CPU @ 72c.

Yeah, love this 980

NoNameNoNumber · 18 Nov 2012 at 16:19

Yup intel is definitely the way forward although to be fair this 955 is dealing with everything I want it to.

doyll · 18 Nov 2012 at 16:41

AMD are not bad. 955 may not be cutting edge but is still a good player. Wife has Athlon X4 620 @3.5GHz and love it. Her son has 955 and have a couple of mates using same and all are happy with them. My old 920 was just fine. I did some horse-trading and ended up with this 980 for under £200 and a Sunday of work so price was right.

Otherwise I would still be using 920