OCing CPU or GPU will result in better FPS in Crysis?

[skippo]

Hi,

I have a QX9650 and 2 x 8800 GTX OC2 and am wondering whether OCing the CPU or GPU will result in more FPS?
I have got my QX9650 up to 3.67GHz by increasing the multi from 9 to 11, however this is not entirely stable, probably need to bump up VCore a smidging.
I have however got the QX9650 to 3.33Ghz at 10x multi with full stability.
My next job is to go slightly further, perhaps getting the CPU to 11x multi? Maybe upping the FSB?

Where would you guys start? From what I gather OCing the CPU is quicker and cooler, and potentially results in more stability?


Thanks

 

[skippo]

...

A very concise post. thanks.

 

[skippo]

I'd say the cpu...

you've got an overclockers cpu so that really ought to be running quite a bit higher than it is, I'd concentrate on that right now because with 8800GTX in sli

a) you might struggle to clock them (is that still the case? I recall the last time I had sli with 7900GTXs they didn't like being clocked in a pair)

and b) in properly configured games it scales quite well with cpu speed.

You're looking at potentially 40%+ gains in sli, you just need the cpu to be able to chuck instructions at the cards fast enough, and a well coded game that can take advantage of 2 cards which Crysis seems to do apart from these annoying minimum frame rates, it seems to drop into the 20s no matter what gfx setup you've got even if the average is in the high 40s/50s.

Yeah this is what i figured. Do you reckon just upping the multi from 9x to 10x to 11x is good enough, or do you think that raising the FSB is a better option?
I am after ease of getting stable vs. performance improvement.

many thanks

 

[skippo]

yeah, I probably have a lot of tweaking ahead of me if i want to ensure a awesome OC'd system.
The problem I can see with oc'ing the FSB is that i will be effectively tweaking the memory settings, therefore I have two things to worry about? thus mutliplying the potential scope for problems.
arhhhh - the joys of overclocking!

anothing thing - overclocking my cpu to around the 4GHz level - is this alright on air? Or will I just pay the price of this by increase cpu fan speed which i really don't want! Would this be the time for H20? --- More money!!

 

[skippo]

i'm shocked that you bought a QX9650 and havn't clocked the nuts off it. and you seem to have no idea how to.

honestly, if you're not overclocking it, you've wasted £450 by not just buying a pre-overclocked Q6600.

sort it out to be honest, read the guides and get a good overclock on that chip, then on the cards, and see how much better crysis (and everything else) runs.

p.s. if not, i'll trade you a Q6600 for your chip.

hahahahaha.

Yeah the reasons for not overclocking are quite complicated, but essentially it was due to loads and loads and loads and loads of problems with my old mobo (the POS striker II Formula) which shook the confidence out of me.
Also I am too busy to spend hours upon end at the moment to seriously overclock and find a stable system.

So far, by spending about 20mins, I have got the multi up to 11x, thus my CPU is running at 3.66, and I am getting over 18+k in 3DMark06 under vista.
I do appreciate that I can go way way further, but I haven't the time or the inclination at the moment.

The reason for the post is for some serious overclocking efforts during the summer. Need to start the preperation! lol.

thanks