Help me overclock my i5 2500k budget system!

Add a cheap CPU cooler like the Cooler Master Hyper 212+. In my opinion, it was the best 30$ I spent on my system. Brought temps down and looks nice too. That'll easily take the heat off a 4.8GHz i5-2500k.

Ah ok thanks for the quick reply! How does it compare to the H50 or H60 water cooler?

The H50 and H60 will easily outperform the Hyper 212+, but at twice the price of the Hyper 212+. Also, you have an additional point of failure: the water pump. You see, if the fans of the Hyper212+ fail, the system can still go on, because the Hyper 212+ actually works fine as a passive (no fan) cooler, because of its size. But if the water pump of the H50 fails, you'll overheat pretty soon. I'm not saying that the pump will fail so quickly, but it's a thing to consider.

If you think the benefit outweighs the cost and risk, then go for it.

Ah ok sweet. Thanks! I will go with the Hyper 212+!

There are also some other good (and huge) air coolers out there. You can check out the Cooler Master V8, V6, Prolimatech Megahalems/Megashadow, as well as Scythe and Xigmatek coolers (I forgot their names).

Check this site for reviews of various CPU coolers. it will surely help you alot in deciding what to choose.


http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/?s=coller+master+v8&cat=...


cheers

For less ($40) you can get
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
or better yet for $55 (Which I just ordered on friday for $65- Have to call as it now Has a $10 MIR)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
For review: http://www.guru3d.com/article/zalman-cnps-9900-max-revi...

How would I actually go about OC'ing? Do I adjust the FSB like my Q6600 or do I adjust the multiplier?

Good place to start:
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2011/01/07/how-to...

Do not change the FSB   on the P67 chipset a lot of the components on the motherboard use that as a base clock, not just the CPU and RAM. You have a 2500k, the "k" means that it has an unlocked multiplier and so that is the only way to overclock the CPU  

Ah sweet! Keep upping the multiplier until I hit a wall? Do I need to adjust anything else?

I dont have any experience with the 2500k/2600k but yes, up the multiplier until it is unstable, then up the vcore. Keep doing that until you achieve your overclock goal. I think the max 'safe' temp for this CPU is around 70*C. Just keep it in the mid 60's and you'll be fine.

There are many guides all over the net explaining in detail how to overclock these CPU's, follow one and you will be golden.

Sometimes I wish I had an unlocked upper multiplier too, it makes OCing so much easier, and now with SB, I can have all the power management features enabled.

check out this sticky, it provides a detailed guide on overclocking sandy bridge

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/265056-29-2600k-2500k...

if you only had checked it earlier prior to opening this thread, you probably wouldn't had done it.

Cooler Master V8 stay away also freezer pro 13, look nice but are exceeded by the 212, by a fair amount,

Cooler Master V8 stay away also freezer pro 13, look nice but are exceeded by the 212, by a fair amount,

Im running at 5Ghz 24/7 with an i5 2500K.

Im using the MSI P67A-GD65 (non-B3).

Overclocking is easy, yeah you just up the multiplier. Bump your I/O voltage and PLL voltage up to around the 1.2v mark, and give your CPU around about 1.48 or 1.5V.

Set the correct settings for your RAM (usually will be loaded automatically, but you can check).

Enable the "Internal PLL Overvoltage" setting.

Leave your power saving settings ON (really!), although I did disable speedstep (or else it will underclock/devide your CPU to 1.6Ghz when not under load).

The MSI boards are pretty heavy-dudty, so dont worry too much about frying your board. Just open the taps! If you open CPUz under load you will see that the CPU can take a little more voltage when it needs it  

Im using a scythe Mugen 2 cooler with 2x120mm fans on it. My temps stay under 70 degrees which I dont think is too bad for a 5Ghz O.C. My cooler is massive, needed a Coolermaster H.A.F. to fit it in (!)

My freind has a Coolermaster V8 and it is OK but really noisy.