Does overclocking a CPU shortens its life span??

Hi, I have a very similar question!

I am running my i7-920 (D0) at 4000 MHz (200x20) with HT on. Are these factors okay/safe/normal if I want my PC to last me until December 2014 (I say that because that will be 5 years since I bought it)?

Voltages that I am using:

-CPU - 1.26 (apparently only using 1.248), temp is 55 C (70 C max when under load..nothing constant though! I am not a very demanding user).

-DRAM - 1.654

-IOH - 1.110

-IOH CSI - 1.16

-VTT - 1.55

-CPU PLL - 1.88

Once again, can anyone please let me know what they think about these temps and voltages? I know 70 C is high, but keep in mind that it only hits that here and there for really brief moments. Most of the time it will be around 55 C, but I think it's important to mention that it does hit 70 C for those brief moments since they can "add up" over time (I guess). I want my PC to last me for about 5 years!


UPDATE: My PC froze with those settings..No BSOD, just..froze. Anyone have any suggestions for improving my OC'ing?? BTW, I still want to know about those temperatures please.

If I run prime95 there is no doubt that the CPU temp will go higher than 70 C. I am giving these temps based off of every day usage. Stability isn't really what I need to know about. If it is unstable I'll just go back to settings that work.

I am mainly concerned about the temperature running at 55 C, and sometimes hitting 70 C just for a second if I do something demanding by chance (because I am really not a demanding user..I don't game..I am just learning to be a graphic designer ).

Actually one thing that is cool (no pun intended) is that I have been at 50 C with 3990 MHz for the last day...That is a safe temperature right? The highest I've hit is 65 C on one of the cores..

Once again, I am not going to use Prime95 as a test for this because Prime95 is way more intense than my type of usage Don't worry about my stability..I am 95% sure the PC is stable with these settings right now.

Oh and you wanted to know about my cooler..Yes, it is the stock heatsink+fan+pre applied thermal compound that came with the 920. That's why I want to make sure that 50-55 C running temp is okay, with very brief moments of going to 70 C under load moments..

I didn't say I don't need it.. I said, "Stability isn't really what I need to know about." That is completely different than saying, "I don't need it."

I checked out that article, so thanks. However, you do realize the guy who wrote it is saying he gave 1.475 volts to the CPU right? I am not going anywhere near that! I am only using 1.26 max (I refuse to go over that). However, I am concerned with those temperatures when it comes to this thread, not stability or if my settings work..

I am asking everyone/aynone to assume they DO work and then answer that question about the temps I mentioned:

55 C running temp, 70 C high temp for only really brief moments.. Is that okay if I want my CPU to last me a few years? Also, if someone can let me know if a CPU PLL voltage of 1.88 or 1.90 is safe, I would also really appreciate that!

Thanks for your time and opinions! I hope anyone that reads this decides to give their input as well! I look forward to it!

Wolfram, thanks a lot for that info!!

I have a question though. Even if I DON'T overclock, I can't get my PC running without a minimum VTT of 1.48... So what do I do/can I do? =/

I know my cpu voltage is good to go (because it's running at 1.248 apparently and I have it set to stock 1.26). However I am also concerned now about that VTT voltage now. Also, what do you say about the CPU PLL being 1.88 and the rest? At stock my CPU PLL is at 1.86 so is 1.88 okay? Is 1.86 even okay?..The rest I don't know anything about..Check it out:


Please do let me know? I greatly appreciate this info!


EDIT: I am trying to use a VTT of 1.34 right now.. I'll let you know if it's not stable.. Please get back to me about those voltages etc? Thank you so much for your time and help!

Alright, I'm staying at 1.34 VTT right now and I still haven't had any issues. Thanks a lot Wolfram!

On an unrelated note: Have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60P7717-XOQ When I saw your name I thought of it

I'd say try raising vcore a lot more to make up for the lower vtt. I just got my PC stable (i5 730) at 182x20 with turbo so 1 and 2 cores is 4.3ghz. My voltages are 1.3625V Vcore and 1.206V Vtt. You should try turning off things like turbo, EIST, C States, maybe turn off spread spectrum and maybe try boosting the CPU amplitude controle to 1000mV. I don't know enough to say which could help the most but doing these things is supposed to help stability when overclocking.

OK, gotta ask, you have been going on for days now, is it safe, is it safe, is it safe

WHY WON'T YOU JUST PUT AN AFTERMARKET COOLER IN YOUR COMPUTER?

and don't say because you can't afford one, even if you are 14 years old, you cut two lawns and you have the money for one. You can't say that it would be to hard to install, it's pretty much a monkey could install one these days. SO, WHY??????

Just don't understand how someone with enough smarts to enjoy OCing so much would be so clueless to the fact that all of his problems could be eliminated with a $50 cooler. Just don't get it, are you afraid to take the side off of your computer or something?

OK, just read one of your other posts and you stated your from Jersey, I was born and raised in Central Jersey (hence the attitude at times) so stop messing around and do it right.

Your a total noob who doesn't have a clue what your doing and you come in here and mouth off, you better know what your doing before you do that.

You can't even OC your own computer and have no clue about the history of trancetunes and myself on MANY threads about his problem so you may want to learn something before opening your mouth.