Point of overclocking the e6600?

[petachok]

Hi,
I have this setup:
e6600
x1900xt
ocz 6400 4-4-4-* ram
p5w DH mobo

I'm just wondering if there is any point to overclock my system if I can run all games on highest settings without any lag (at 1280x1024 native to my lcd). Would it give a major performance boost to my system, or should I wait until I upgrade to a dx10 card later this year before thinking about any OC.

As a side note. How far can I go in terms of overclocking my e6600 without any additional cooling (that is just the original heatsink + fan).

Thanks

 

[bazza]

6600 goes to 3G with ease but best get a better cooler

you probably wont see much of a benefit running 3d games at those low resolutions but if you wanted to encode a divx or run photoshop then 3G is 25% faster than stock 6600 so thats how much faster crunching will be

if you plan on keeping your 6600 for 5 years + then dont OC 24/7

 

[petachok]

Thank you, I am planning to keep my computer for a while, so I think I'll still to stock settings for now until later this year. I run some processor intensive applications, but so far I haven't seen any major performance issues.

BTW, if the native resolution of my lcd is 1280x1024, would the games look better at higher resolutions anyway? I don't know why I never tried higher, I think I always assumed native is best. :|

 

[bazza]

native res is the lcs's max res, so no you cant go higher

i feel that switching to 16:10 will benefit you so much you cant imagine

you have a decent setup so why not spend $300 for a 20" 16:10 that can run at 1680x1050

the most neglected items are the monitor and psu ...

i know some people with conroes using 17" crt...... arrrrrgh!

 

[CompuTronix]

I have the same CPU, MB & GPU. As bazza said, you should reach 3.0Ghz easily on the stock cooler, but it's fairly minimal for OC'ing, so a high end cooler will compliment your rig well.

 

[petachok]

Hmm that's interesting. I will probably get a bigger LCD this summer. Now a few more questions about overclocking:
1. If I get a better cpu cooler ($50-$100) right now, how far would I be able to overclock.
2. Will overclocking past 3.5Ghz with proper cooling shorten my computer life considerably
3. Are the coolers you buy usually more noisy than the stock cooler? When your computer is overclocked how quiet is it? Thanks

 

[kwalker]

with the E6600 being one of the best performing dual core CPU's on the market at stock speeds you really dont have to overclock the system to enjoy it .
But if you do deside to oc it be warned.
Its habit forming.
Just raise the fsb as far as you can stable without raising the vcore then drop it down just a little for safegaurds.
your temps should be close to stock with little increase if any.
and you will notice the difference
every cpu is different so your top clocks might be better than others who have to raise the voltages.
maybe luck is on your side 8)

 

[hatsurfer]

If I get a better CPU cooler ($50-$100) right now, how far would I be able to overclock. Also, does overclocking within a safe range with proper cooling shorten your computer life much, considering it's done properly within a reasonable clock speed range.

Tunic Tower 120 would be my favorite right now. I normally operate my e6600 anywhere between 3.1-3.7 GHz with my Scythe cooler. My board allows me to save profiles and changing between overclocks is fairly simple once you have found its optimal values.

I have posted higher speeds, but I do not care for the higher temps. I generally do not overclock unless it is necessary to gain performance to enhance my gaming. My normal day to day gaming runs at 3.1 GHz which is a mild-moderate o/c.

I don't see any reason to o/c if everything you are playing is running great. Maybe when you buy a higher resolution LCD it could be beneficial if you find games get a little choppy.

Overclocking and bungholio marks are fun, but most case it's pointless to throttle your CPU close to or maxed out 24/7. The high temps are what kill the CPU life, especially over prolonged periods. Find a good cooler that keeps your temps down and there's little harm in moderately overclocking, since most CPU are made to last ~10 years.

 

[kwalker]

actually its the voltage that degrades the performance of the cpu.
of course high vcore=higher temps .

 

[hatsurfer]

It 's the increased vcore voltage that speeds up a process know as electromigration. Here's a great article I found about CPU Temperature vs Life Expectancy. An old article but the principle is the same.

http://www.overclockers.com/tips30/

 

[kwalker]

Thats correct but you stated that its the heat that kills the cpu

 

[petachok]

Thanks guys, I'll look into tuniq when I get that new LCD meanwhile I'll play around to see how far I can go with OC without raising the vcore. =)

 

[kwalker]

Good luck
8)

 

[Tang]

Hatsurfer, your rig looks expensive, where'd you get all that money?