Phenom II x4 955 OC to 4GHz

[Neutron1998]

Hello!

I just built a new rig with a Phenom II x4 955 BE C3 stepping CPU. I have it overclocked to 4GHz on stock voltage. I was pretty amazed that I didn't have to adjust the voltage at all to keep it stable.

Idle temps are 40-41C, and under full load with Prime95 it goes no higher than 56-58C.

My case does have 3 120mm fans for intake, and 3 120mm for exhaust. The PS has its own fan for intake and exhaust.

The CPU cooler is a Zalman Cu fan.

Is it possible to push this CPU even higher?

 

[natefostersr]

Of course you can my friend got his to 4.8 stable but each is different i think average is stable 4.2-4.6
You should test to see if you get any benefit in data transfer from the over-clock not just a higher number.
There are many threads just for your processor.
Id find a happy place and stick with that don't want to burn anything up.
Heres 1 quick way I found to test Data Transfer Its on mycooltools.com
or u can run 3dmark

 

[simon12]

Do you mean you left the voltage on auto and your board has increased it for you?

 

[natefostersr]

http://overclockhowto.com/cpu/how-to-overclock-an-amd-cpu/

 

[Nerdbox87]

lol you can't take a Phenom II chip to 4.8...

Generally they hit the wall @ 4.0ghz (4.2 at best).

And I'm sure you're using above stock voltage to hit 4.0ghz, just you're motherboard is doing it automatically rather than you setting it manually (the safer and proper way)

 

[natefostersr]

i dont know he just told me 4.8 i got a 920

 

[Nerdbox87]

He's talking rubbish - it would not be Prime95 or gaming stable.

Typical Phenom x4s (safe long term voltage) will be 3.9-4.1, x6s 4.0-4.2. Higher voltages and water cooling etc generally don't push these barriers much further either - they just hit a wall.

Neutron1998 - you should really read into overclocking properly - motherboard auto voltage settings are dangerous for any decent overclock, or at the very least cause more heat and power usage.

 

[henydiah]

He's talking rubbish - it would not be Prime95 or gaming stable.

Typical Phenom x4s (safe long term voltage) will be 3.9-4.1, x6s 4.0-4.2. Higher voltages and water cooling etc generally don't push these barriers much further either - they just hit a wall.

Typical Phenom x4s (safe long term voltage) will be 3.9-4.1 just when power on your CPU damage

1.39 ~1.41 is right..

 

[Nerdbox87]

I was talking about the typical max safe overclock you'd expect from an x4 ~ 3.9-4.1 GHZ

Generally at about 1.45v

 

[henydiah]

oooh sorry, i mistake about it
3.9~ 4.02 ghz with 1.45 v still safe , if your temperature below 60 when Full load stabillity

i use phenom for everyday till Now just 3.8Ghz vcore 1.44 still recommend from AMD. !

 

[natefostersr]

im useing my 920 probably untill 8 core is out with pci 3.0 on 2011 chipset

 

[Neutron1998]

I do have it set to auto as far as the voltage. CPU-ID shows it at 1.40 though with it OC'd to 4GHz.

 

[Nerdbox87]

1.40 under Prime95 Large FFTs?

Auto causes more than just the vcore to be increased, best to go into bios set them all to 'normal' and set your vcore to 1.45 (which will drop to about 1.40v effective).

 

[Neutron1998]

Everything is set to auto as far as the voltages go.

So I should set the vcore to 1.45? Will this make it run any cooler still OC'd to 4GHz?

How does it drop to 1.4 effectively?

I do have CNQ turned off.

 

[Nerdbox87]

Setting it manually allows you to find the minimum voltage that the chip requires at that speed - your motherboard will be playing it safe and overvolting.

Also by setting it manually you know the maximum that your chip will ever get, as it wont exceed your settings, automatically the motherboard will add whatever it likes = iffy

Auto voltage settings = bad.

Good chance it's blasting your NB voltage / CPU NB etc to compensate as well when it doesn't need to

 

[Nerdbox87]

Essentially - don't be lazy, spend the time reading up and learning to overclock properly

 

[natefostersr]

if you havent yet look at this dicussion
http://www.overclock.net/amd-cpus/792372-help-me-get-my-965-x4.html

 

[Neutron1998]

I tried to manually set the voltage and Windows did not like it.

Back on Auto it runs just fine at 4GHz. I did notice the CPU-ID shows the voltage at 1.38-1.4 in real time.

 

[natefostersr]

there u go, well just dont burn it !

 

[wheelzz]

temps are kinda hot. I would try to keep it 55C or lower on 100%!