Air Cooled Q6600 @ 3.55GHZ w/790i Ultra and 8800 GT's in SLI

[dragoncyber]

Alright so I believe that I may have accomplished something here,
I have got my Q6600 @ 3.55GHZ rock solid on "Air Cooling" with a 790i Ultra Board, and an SLI'd 8800GT setup. My Benches have been excellent and again totally stable.

Thought you guys might wanna see the specs for your own purposes,
Heres my results.

Intel Q6600 @ 3.55GHZ Air Cooled (Prime stable all four cores 8 hours)
395 X 9 Multiplier =3555
Voltage for the Proc is set at: 1.36v
Idle temp: 108 -110 Deg F. (varies per core).
Load Temp Max: 145-147 Deg F.(varies per core.)
Tjunction Max Cut Off: 211 Deg F.

Air Cooled by a LAPPED and Modified Thermaltake V1 w/ (1) 120 mm Fan mounted to the front and (1) 120mm Fan mounted in the middle both spinning @ 1800 RPMs + blowing air Directly out the back port with another 120mm mounted there, sucking the hot air out the back.

EVGA 790i Ultra w/FSB @1580
FSB Voltage is set @ 1.40v
Board temp is 90 Deg F.
Bios Ver. P03

(4) GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 @1333MHZ @ 1.8v
Timings @ 8-8-9-24-1T
Cooled with A Corsair Dominator Ram Cooler

(2) 8800GT in SLI clocked @ 710/1000/1600 Shader
Using stock coolers @ 60% speed

(4) Seagate 250Gb/7200 Rpm/16mb Cache HDD's Striped in Raid "0"
(2) Samsung 20X DVD-RW Sata drives

(1) Creative X-FI Fatality Sound Card

Powered by a Thermaltake 1200 Watt Toughpower PowerSupply

3DMark06 Score: 18,954
Aquamark Score: 201,344
Prime Stable 4 instances running// 8 hours
CPU Stability Test 6.0// 8 hours
Memtest complete no errors
Multiple Gaming Sessions over 6-8 Hours each
Sandra Lite Ranks Processor better than or equal to a QX9770 in all benchmarks.


So tell me what you guys think, and if there was anything useful for any of you.

 

[hughyhunter]

I think your friggin awesome!!!!

Nice set-up, nice 3dmarks score too. How is it playing Crysis with that overclock on the cards? I have probs with mine @ 1000mhz memory for the cards.

Dont you want 3.6ghz... it's only 50mhz away... just set that sucker to 400mhz FSB and see what happens

 

[evongugg]

Most people like to see Celsius:

Idle temp: 108 -110 Deg F. (varies per core). =42°-43°C
Load Temp Max: 145-147 Deg F.(varies per core.) =62°-63°C
Tjunction Max Cut Off: 211 Deg F. =99°C

Great job!

 

[3Ball]

Very nice setup man. I am envious tbh. I have been wandering if I should get a Q6600 or not. I want to get atleast 3.2ghz out of the chip, but the cooler that I want to use is the Zalman 9500 because of its very secure mounting, noise level, and its weight, because it is not to heavy. Even though the tuniq tower 120 is the same price...it just weighs so much and is so large that it worries me. Its a pretty tough decision for me, so your success is helping me make it alil easier. I think that I may just go ahead and spring for it. I can get a gaurenteed G0 for $224.

Oh and I am planning on adding a GTX 280 sometime this summer...ya know...just to mix things up a bit.

Best,

3Ball

 

[rodney_ws]

I think your friggin awesome!!!!

I'm not questioning the OP's awesomeness because that is one hell of a rig... but don't you think luck had a little bit to do with that OC?

 

[50bmg]

oh yeah? this is freakin awesome. LOL

http://www.xtremesystems.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=42&page=6

 

[dragoncyber]

Hey hughyhunter thanks for the props I did have it at 3.6 for sure but it gets up there with the heat, close to 70-72 deg Cel. and I think thats too hot for the long haul. The voltage has to be set over 1.40v and thats definitely not recommended for constant use, on air cooling.

Also at 3.6 I started having random crashes in games, and while running Prime it would start failing within about 1 hour. so thats why I backed it down to 3.55. If I was water cooling it would be a different story I'm sure.

To 3BAll, Thanks as well!! You should be able to hit 3.2 with ease on a Q6600. No prob at just over stock voltages I was at 3.0 ghz with this proc, which of course is Go stepping, Just make sure it says SLACR in the product serial code or on top of the actual processor on the heat spreader it will say "SLACR" if you get a non retail boxed one. Also make sure you don't skimp on the MOBO, you'll hit the High numbers easy.

To rodney_ws there really isn't anything involved here concerning luck, it's a Go stepping Q6600 proc, with a great overclocking board speced at upto 2000mhz FSB. I havent even broke the surface yet with this board.

Also not to mention there are others who have gotten there Q6600's much higher than mine On water cooling. It's just a matter of testing the voltages and stability until you get it right where you want it. Only patience and knowledge of my system. I have been building em for 14 years.

But don't get me wrong, not everyone with every board will hit these numbers, thats why I listed all the voltages and timings to let people try em out, who knows maybe some guys will have a better board or CPU cooler or something and hit 3.6 stable.

 

[hughyhunter]

I'm not questioning the OP's awesomeness because that is one hell of a rig... but don't you think luck had a little bit to do with that OC?

No way man!!! all SkillS!

oh yeah? this is freakin awesome. LOL

http://www.xtremesystems.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=42&page=6

Wow.... 4+ghz on that voltage with that proc!!! Definitely a one of a kind!!!

Just make sure it says SLACR in the product serial code or on top of the actual processor on the heat spreader it will say "SLACR" if you get a non retail boxed one.

Hey... it say's SLACR... get it!!!??? Slacker!!!

Yeah... YOu need a thermoelectric water cooler for those 65mn procs to run at 3.6ghz+. Or just a really good air cooled system!

Mine idles at 34c and load is 50c. At 4.5ghz it was idling at 40c. That's too hot for me!

 

[Granite3]

I have a Q9450 @ 3.504 on the 790i at auto settings, and with the 2x 8800 GTX's, I can only hit 18,849 on 3d06......

I haven't started working the board yet, want to burn it in for a few days first.

Nice job on air, all my stuff is watercooled.

 

[righteous]

Guys, not for nothing and not to rain on the parade, but the SLACR q6600 can reach 3.8 stable and in some cases up to 4ghz on air with a good cooler like the xigmatek rs1283 with a good fan like the extreme turbine.

Mine runs at 3.6ghz at 1.38 volts, but on 1.42volts I can hit 3.8 stable and peak at 50c full load at that speed.

Every chip is different, but I almost guarantee you can hit 3.6ghz easily. Don;t be so afraid of voltage you can go higher and in some cases with the right voltages for the PLL and NB etc, you can drastically lower processor volts like I have.

the original poster should try to go higher with a better air cooler. it is definitely doable. Even right now he can go to 3.6 with ease as almost any SLACR will do it.

I can run as high as 3.9 and make it through 3dmark 06, but not run occt without a crash.

Give it a try and as long as the voltage is below 1.6 it's fine...for as long as you would be using the chip.

I am using a differnt combo though consisting of an asus maximus formula, 2 gig of crucial ballistix tracer pc6400 and 2 radeon 3870x2 cards.

I can't see why the nvidia board cannot do this though.
Give it a try, you will NOT hurt anything.

 

[3Ball]

To 3BAll, Thanks as well!! You should be able to hit 3.2 with ease on a Q6600. No prob at just over stock voltages I was at 3.0 ghz with this proc, which of course is Go stepping, Just make sure it says SLACR in the product serial code or on top of the actual processor on the heat spreader it will say "SLACR" if you get a non retail boxed one. Also make sure you don't skimp on the MOBO, you'll hit the High numbers easy.

Yea, I am just going to drop it into my current setup with my AB9 Pro, which has held my 6420 @ 3.0 - 3.2ghz for a year and a half so Im not to worried about the OC. I am getting a new case (Antec 900), new Hard Drive (250gb Seagate Barracuda), new memory (4gb DDR2 1000mhz) new CPU Cooler (Zalman 9500), new CPU (Q6600), and most likely new gfx card (GTX 280).

I used to have my current setup at 3.2ghz until I got my extra 2gb of memory. I cannot stabalize my system past 760mhz on the memory when all 4 sticks are in, so I am limited to the 3.04ghz you see in my sig. I want to atleast get back to 3.2ghz and the memory I am looking at is only $85 for the 4gb of G. Skill DDR2 8000 so I am just going to get it so that I dont have any sort of memory hold back in any future endeavors and I will have my old memory for a backup.

I hope that with this setup of 4gb of decent memory, a 3.2ghz - 3.4ghz quad, new hard drive (my other one is dying after 4 years) and the GTX 280 that I will be able to manage maxed crysis at my res of 1680x1050 and possibly 4x AA at atleast 40+ FPS. Will it do it...idk? But if something is going to do it. I feel that will be the best way for me to see. lol

Best,

3Ball

 

[Lupiron]

How about you new q6600 guys running Core Temp and listing the VID of your chips?

BTW, its not a smart Idea to run your FSB termination voltage higher than VCore Bios setting. I bet if you left this setting at 1.2000 you'll see no errors as it doesnt do much at all by itself!

BTW again, VID = Factory starting Voltage, so just telling someone he can do it on just a lil more than stock doesnt actually help unless they know what stock is, and since it goes from 1.2000 - 1.3250 on chips, big difference between them.

For instance, a 1.2000 VID needs 1.3000 Loaded for 3.6 Ghz!
While all you new guys chips will be 1.3000 or higher, I already get 3.6 on the same!

The OP may have a decent one, if getting 3.55 on 1.36. I am curious as to what they are!

--Lupi

 

[dragoncyber]

Hey Lupiron,

thanks for your input, as I have already stated I have had the chip at 3.6 with ease but again, it runs too hot for my liking. And I had to ramp up the FSB voltage to stay stable, because when I left it stock I would crash.

BTW my Boards stock bios setting for the FSB voltage was 1.30 out of the box, I took it up only 2 notches to 1.35 and then 1.40 after extensive testing.

Also my VID is 1.2250 using CoreTemp, its also what I read my temps under load with.

So I understand what you are saying but I have tested my machine and I know it will go faster, and I am not a new Q6600 user, I have had two of them and used to run the other one on a 680i board, until I sold the configuration to a friend, and I had that one at 3.2 stable forever.

I don't overclock to melt my processor, I overclock to get a better value for the money I have already spent, without throwing it all down the drain, so I don't push very far into the realm of extreme. I have had it at 3.6. I wasn't comfortable with it, so I dropped it back a notch.

But 3.55 on air is pretty good considering, and I will never need that much anyways. Also please remember I am using a 790i Ultra board and it's extremely picky about voltages and timings.

Thanks - Dragoncyber

 

[Lupiron]

Yeah, the VID core temp is listing is the factory one. Thats why its always that in Core temp. CPUz is the best for real time current VCore value to the processor.

You have an excellent VID chip. I have a 1.2000, the best, then my next is 1.2500 and I tweaked the 1.2500 up to 3.8 Ghz at 1.5000 volts loaded!! So yours can get better, and so can my 1.2000!

But for what you have, you do have a great OC!

A TRUE would keep it under 70c per core, so it would last years at 3.8!

--Lupi

 

[papasmurf211]

i had my Q6600 at 3.6 ghz (455 x8) @ 1.2975v (VID 1.2250v) 12 hours OCCT stable on a tuniq tower 120 lapped 62c peak. But nice rig.

 

[Lupiron]

Behold, the power of VID!

--Lupi

 

[Guest]

I've just got my self EVGA X58 SLI Motherboard - LGA 1366, Intel X58, Triple Channel DDR3 support, RAID, Hyperthreading support, Corsair XMS3 Tri Channel 3GB PC10666 DDR3 Memory - 1333MHz, 3way SLI BFG GeForce GTX 280 Video Card - OC Edition, 1GB GDDR3, and Intel Core i7 940 Processor BX80601940 - 2.93GHz, 8MB L3 Cache, 4.8GT/s QPI, HypreThreading, Quad-Core, Bloomfield, LGA 1366, Retail, Processor with Fan. Antec case Nine Hundred with 4 (120mm), and 1 (240mm) fans. Trade up from my old 790i Ultra mainboard, Q6600, 3 way SLI 8800 GTX oc, 2 gig. DDR3 Kingston@1066mhz, Antec case. No overclocking done yet on both, as i've not needed it for any games I have with resolution up to 1920x1080 on 47". Games include ( Crysis, MOH Airborne, UT3, CoD4, CoD5, World in Conflict, Civilization4 : Epantions, Bioshock, Stalker, Microsoft Flight Simulator 10, Ghost Recon2, Sega Rally Revo, Age of Conan) to name a few!