Should i OC my CPU?

[Powerman287]

Hello.

I would like to know how important the CPU is when considering games. I am probably going to get a GTX580 to run games like BF3 pretty much maxed out, but i am just curious whether my CPU would be holding the system back in terms of being able to do this. I currently have an Intel core i7 920 2,67 Ghz (2,8 with turbo).

I would like to know whether you guys think i should OC it or if it wont be a problem.

The thing is i have never OC'ed anything before, and i dont know how dangerous it can be for the system or if my PSU can handle it etc.

Thank you in advance

 

[mcnumpty23]

would be a shame not to as most i7 920 are good for 3.8ghz to 4.2ghz as long as you have a good cooler--thats a 50% increase if at 4ghz

i have never damaged anything by overclocking it--as long as you have adequate cooling and find out the maximum voltages you should use before hand and roughly how far your components are likely to overclock so you dont go crazy then its ok

it may shorten the cpu life a bit but would you still be using the same cpu in say 5 years time anyway?

 

[Powerman287]

Yea true, i was only counting on overclocking it to like maximum 3,4 ghz but i dont know if a 750 watts PSU will be enough for this. Also im not sure how if my cooling will be able to handle it, but i guess i can test this with some sort of software that will test if the OC is stable etc. right?

 

[mcnumpty23]

yes a 750w psu will be fine

you can stress test with prime 95 or intel burn in test though these will test it beyond any real every day use--if you only have the stock cooler that will be the main issue

try for overclocking without raising the cpu voltage first to see how high you can get

plenty of 17 920 overclocking guides on the net--raising the bclk also raises the ram speed so your ram will also overclock and you may need to drop the ram multiplier

my i7-920 is at 4.2ghz at 1.3v using a corsair h50 cooler

 

[djridonkulus]

I also have an i7 920 and was also a first time overclocker about 3 months ago. I wasn't aiming to break any overclocking records so I just did mine to a comfortable 3.6 GHz which has been running stable ever since. I had a CoolerMaster Hyper 212+ that I got for $25 CDN which kept my CPU temp below 70degreesC with IntelBurnTest.

3.6GHz is found to be the most efficient overclock by Tom's:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/overclock-core-i7,2268-13.html

Also, the guide I used as a first time overclocker was this:

http://www.techreaction.net/2011/01/04/3-step-overclocking-guide-%E2%80%93-sandy-bridge-v0-1beta/

That guide was VERY helpful. It explains everything you need to know in layman's terms and guides you step by step on what to do and why.

Just keep in mind that according to the producers of BF3, they said that in order to run the game on max (Ultra settings), you would need TWO GTX580s in SLi, so don't get your hopes up. That game is like playing actors in a movie.

 

[Powerman287]

So i could try and find out how much the CPU can overclock without raising the voltage which should not make it run with more heat and then test with either intel burner or prime 95?

 

[djridonkulus]

Oh and I forgot to answer your original question regarding cpu limitations on games.

I'm not an expert, but it seems from all of the system builder benchmarks that Tom's does, the overclocked system does usually about 10-20% more fps than the equivalent non-overclocked system.

The percentage seems like a big deal but the actual fps value really isn't. If BF3 on high settings gets you the playable 40 fps, 20% more only gets you to 48 fps.... wow... and that's if you get 20% more.

 

[mcnumpty23]

yes--it will still run a bit hotter bacause its running faster--but not as hot as when the voltage is increased

you could always get a good heatsink once you get the hang of overclocking if necessary--the coolermaster hyper 212 is a decent choice and quite cheap

 

[djridonkulus]

So i could try and find out how much the CPU can overclock without raising the voltage which should not make it run with more heat and then test with either intel burner or prime 95?

I actually managed to overclock my i7 920 to 3.6 GHz without changing my voltage from stock 1.20 V, but every cpu chip behaves differently, what's stable for me may not be stable for you. Just follow that Techreaction link I gave you.

 

[Powerman287]

Alright, thank you very much everyone