Is it ok to exceed maximum voltage?

[HecFam]

I know it may seem obvious that it is a maximum for a reason but is it just a guideline?

I have a phenom ii x4 960t, at the moment i've unlocked it to 6 cores @4.2GHz. But to make it stable, the vcore is set to 1.5375v, but shows as 1.552v in cpuz. The max voltage of the chip is 1.55v.

In cpuz hardware monitor the vcore has a max of 1.56 and a low of 1.542.

Is this a safe amount? Or shall i just reduce the overclock and the vcore?

Thanks

 

[Martini1991]

Those figures are fine tbh.

 

[HecFam]

Thanks for the reply. I know chips can get damaged after you exceed the max, mine seems pretty solid, i just wasnt sure how much over would cause damage.

Worst case scenario, it will break and ill have to buy a piledriver, oh no!

 

[HecFam]

Even at that vcore it crashed a bit, i've set it to 4.05GHz at 1.5v never exceeds 1.53. Its safer and works i suppose.

 

[Martini1991]

Agh, if it's unstable then fair enough.
Guess I won't see many ever best my Phenom II x6

 

[joeyjojo]

Voltage makes the chip wear out faster. The only "safe" voltage is stock, i.e. guaranteed to last practically for ever. It could still last years and years at these high volts, but equally you might find it needs more and more over time just to stay where it is due to damage.

Edit: but reading it again those are probs fine.

 

[illuz]

It's the risk you take

 

[pandem0nium]

Snap with the Cpu!

I push about the same number of volts through mine and haven't had any problems. I've gone over 1.6 before to see if it'd go higher, no dice though so went back 100m hz and knocked the voltage back until it was no longer stable to find the sweet spot. I'm at 5.125 now which goes up to about 5.5 under 100% load with MB digi VRM ssettings.

The life time of the cpu tbh is not the top of my priority list; if it goes eventually it goes and I've got an upgrade excuse

Im guessing you have some serious cooling to handle the heat from 6 cores though? I've knocked mine back down to 4 so I can get a higher clock on 4 and actually see what my core temps are.

 

[JonJ678]

Why do you think 1.55V is the maximum? It'll go steadily higher than that until your motherboard goes pop.

 

[troops]

I would stick at 4ghz tbh, not really worth it.