I7 3820 overclocking questions

[naf]

I have a brand new build here and could use some help getting the most out of my CPU. I use this machine mostly for photo editing but also for video editing/encoding and CAD (+ gaming here and there). I've never overclocked before, and I have a few questions. I don't care to do anything extreme, and I'd rather not swap out any parts. Stability first.

Specs:
i7 3820
ASRock X79 Extreme 6
CM Hyper 212 Plus
Corsair HX750
Gigabyte SOC GTX 560
32GB 1600Mhz Kingston HyperX

Questions:
1. How high can I take the frequency while keeping all 4 cores in use?
2. Will I be able to increase the base clock with the cooler I have?
3. At what point will 750 watts not be enough power?

I'm new to overclocking and don't know what I'm doing - I hope those questions make sense. Any tips/suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Nelson

 

[willard]

1. How high can I take the frequency while keeping all 4 cores in use?

Every processor is different, you'll need to find your maximum yourself.

2. Will I be able to increase the base clock with the cooler I have?

That's a fine cooler, it should be able to keep up with the heat except at very, very high overclocks.

3. At what point will 750 watts not be enough power?

Overclocking isn't going to put nearly enough strain on your CPU to necessitate a bigger PSU, 750W is plenty, even if you stuck a second GTX 560 in there.

 

[naf]

1. How high can I take the frequency while keeping all 4 cores in use?

Every processor is different, you'll need to find your maximum yourself.

2. Will I be able to increase the base clock with the cooler I have?

That's a fine cooler, it should be able to keep up with the heat except at very, very high overclocks.

3. At what point will 750 watts not be enough power?

Overclocking isn't going to put nearly enough strain on your CPU to necessitate a bigger PSU, 750W is plenty, even if you stuck a second GTX 560 in there.

Good news. Thanks.