CPU Temperature and overclocking

mattymsboi · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:21 am

Hey guys,

I recently built me a new computer, and I've been thinking about CPU over-clocking and CPU temperature.

My CPU is the i5 650, which is 3.20Ghz stock speed is what I think they call it, and the turbo drivers can get that up to 3.46 GHz I beleive (too scared to try it :blush: ). However I was wondering about whether its a good idea or not to try and overclock the CPU past 3.46Ghz? I would definatly need a better CPU fan since right now im CPU temperature is 43 C degrees (I just have this internet window open and thats it), and gets to about 65 C when FSX is running. My motherboard came with a PC Probe software that shows me my CPU voltage, temperature and RPM, which is handy.

IF I were to try overclocking, is there the possibility that
A) My CPU will overload and cease to function?
B) Will I notice a difference regarding FSX performance?

Also I was wondering how much a graphics card affects FSX, I know CPU power is the most important, but I was thinking of replacing the integrated graphics card with a better one?

Thanks,

-Matt

Edited By mattymsboi on 1281928982

cva3906 · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 12:25 pm

I am not sure you will notice any big difference to overclock beyond your current settings. It has been said that 3 GHz is the point you need to reach. Since you are already past that point.... ???

I know I was running a 2.66 and FSX was a dog. As soon as I passed 3 GHZ...it was an incredible change. I wouldn't worry about your current temps. The intel chips, i5 and i7 seem to run a little warm.

If you do decide to overclock. Make small steps and test with something like Prime95 to load the CPU while monitoring the temps with RealTemp in real time. If the temps get too high, stop the CPU loading.

CVA0014 · Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 3:28 pm

I'd also Google your specific CPU for additional info if I was you. Use the part number that was on the packaging for searching.

Rob Vanderkam · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 5:13 pm

Learned that there is a great deal of difference between 3.2 GHz and 3.8. Go for it. Doing something wrong simply means it won't startup and you'll be able to go into BIOS to reset things.

CVA0014 · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 5:55 pm

Doing something wrong, like overclocking the FSB too high, could also mean toasting one of the bridges. That would mean a fried mobo, not fun.

Always increment in steps, that way you get to see the stability waver. There is practically no danger if you proceed this way.

If you make large jumps, you could go right to the toast phase.

mattymsboi · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:06 am

I'll get reading my motherboards book that it came with, there should be something for overclocking there. I'll try it in increments, but I should probably purchase an after market cooler for my CPU before proceeding right?

Right now I just have the standard one that the CPU came with

-Matt

CVA0014 · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2010 12:59 am

First thing you should do is google your mobo and overclocking. There's lots of mobos out there that have quirks.

Yup, a larger fan and cooler instead of the rinkydink stuff they send with stock cpus would definitely be a good thing. Check out peltier coolers, a bit pricey, but they are good.

mattymsboi · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:36 am

After going through a horror story, I managed to pull it off! I took a trip over to Canada Computers, purchased a cooler master fan for abour $20 taxes in, and tried installing it. Turns out the standard fan it came with didnt want to be removed and put up a fight :p, long story short, I ended up having to dismantle my whole computer, disconnected everything, took the motherboard OUT of the case, and looked underneath. 2 of the 4 pins that secure it were jammed.

My tools were a pair of tiny scissors, plyers, and a toe nail clipper! Managed to break the darn pins, removed the old stinking fan and put on the new one, put together my poor computer, and presto! Much cooler temperatures! With Prim95, at max load, temperature never went over 56 celcious. The other fan had a max temperature of 99 celcious at max load, so theres a big difference there.

I did notice that my computer ran slower than before untill something kicked in and she was back to normal, weird. Im wondering if these temperatures are low enough to start over-clocking? The guy at Canada Computers said I should only over-clock my CPU by only a coupel GHZ, then kick in the automatic turbo feature the CPU comes with. He also said I could probably achieve that with the standard CPU fan, I'm not so sure about that :p.

If the temperature is still a bit high for overclocking, I can add another fan to the other side of the heatsink?(the thin sheets of metal part). Its a cool fan, its got a copper tube that contacts the CPU and brings the heat up, where the fan cools it down.

Its a coolermaster fan by the way,

-Matt

Rob Vanderkam · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 12:49 pm

Good start, Matt. But 55 with Prime95 loading seems high if you're not OC'd. However, there's only one way to find out!

What are your basic system specs? There is probably a very simple OC that you can start with. I know my e8500 3.2 was able to go to 3.8 with almost no change in anything (vCore was on auto and did go up) except the FSB. Core temps never went over 55.

If you could do something like that, and check your temps again, you could see how things stand. I never actually checked my temps before OC'ing. Maybe I'll do that and report back.

Rob Vanderkam · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:07 pm

But I can tell you that my temps are under 40 (one is even under 30) when there is no load.

You can overclock anyway until you are nearer to 80 (better around 70). Apparently no damage is done until you hit the TjMax, which will depend on your cpu (get RealTemp to find out - it is one of the few that measures your temp as a difference from the TjMax).

Edited By Rob Vanderkam on 1285186174

Rob Vanderkam · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:23 pm

Here is my RealTemp readings under load. Guess what my TjMax is. :;):

Edited By Rob Vanderkam on 1285187031

Rob Vanderkam · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 9:20 pm

Here's my sensor test with the range of temperatures from full load to none...

mattymsboi · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:40 pm

Hey Rob, these are the stats for my CPU

My TJ max is 105

-Matt

Rob Vanderkam · Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:02 pm

Great. Like Robert said, go bit by bit and watch the temps. See what experts say about first steps to OCing the i7. My cpu allowed quite a bit of FSB increase, with vCORE on auto. Later I found out that I could go much higher by having FSB:DRAM at 1:1, which wasn't happening on auto.

And like Chuck said, keep your FSX settings steady so you can decide if you see any difference. I personally was happy to be able to turn on AA and road traffic, which really make a slide show without OC.

And one more thing, don't get too involved. OCing seems to be on one of those diminishing-returns-for-increased-effort curves. At some point, you're just learning useless stuff for nothing and it'll hurt your private life for no benefit.

:thumbsup:

Edited By Rob Vanderkam on 1285196643

mattymsboi · Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 9:02 pm

Rob Vanderkam wrote:

Great. Like Robert said, go bit by bit and watch the temps. See what experts say about first steps to OCing the i7. My cpu allowed quite a bit of FSB increase, with vCORE on auto. Later I found out that I could go much higher by having FSB:DRAM at 1:1, which wasn't happening on auto.

And like Chuck said, keep your FSX settings steady so you can decide if you see any difference. I personally was happy to be able to turn on AA and road traffic, which really make a slide show without OC.

And one more thing, don't get too involved. OCing seems to be on one of those diminishing-returns-for-increased-effort curves. At some point, you're just learning useless stuff for nothing and it'll hurt your private life for no benefit.

:thumbsup:

EDIT: I was able to lower my number's to 7 7 7 20, not sure if I should go lower?

Hey Rob

Where do you go into the motherboard BIOS to set that ratio to 1:1? My motherboard does not have an ratios, I just have a DRAM timing control option, where my options are 6 8 8 20 (i've read that the first 4 numbers on 1st information are only important)

I also cannot get past 180 BCLK frequency, multiplier at 12. Fixed CPU voltage atm is 1.325, I will try upping that to see what happens.

I'm thinking that my RAm ratio is too high, taking up too much voltage or something, because @ stock frequency (3.20Ghz) my CPU only used 1.176 V Now its using close to 1.325 V at 2.16 GHz

-Matt

Edited By mattymsboi on 1285362555

CPU Temperature and overclocking

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