Advice with Overclocking an FX-8120

[Igglesworth]

Specs:
Processor AMD FX-8120 CPU (8x 3.10GHz/8MB L2 Cache)
Processor Cooling Liquid CPU Cooling System [AMD] - ARC Silent High Performance Fan Upgrade
Memory 8 GB [4 GB X2] DDR3-1600 Memory Module - Corsair or Major Brand
Video Card GTX 670 FTW
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-970A-D3 --
Power Supply 820 Watt -- Standard


Now, I have done a little bit of poking around and have found that good cooling is imperative for effectively overclocking a CPU. My first question is if the cooler I have installed right now is sufficient for boosting my 8120 up to around 4.0GHz while keeping it stable. Secondly, is my power supply powerful enough to handle both my GTX 670 at fairly high settings as well as an overclocked CPU?

 

[videl]

Can you give me the link or full description/name of the liquid cooler? no way of knowing otherswise...

However, I can give a good bet that any liquid cooler is already better than average air cooling so yes, you should be able to safely get to 4Ghz. Best way to find out is to test. Do the overclock and stress test it while checking temps... if they're good, you're set! If not, you know you need to upgrade the cooling. Most likely the temps will be fine at 4Ghz, its past that when they'll start climbing high.

Will the power supply suffice? It should be fine. Wattage-wise you're set to go with the setup and performance you're looking for. Quality? can't say, you didn't name a specific psu model and brand. If its at least 80 plus bronze certified and made by a reputable brand, the quality should also be fine. So all in all, as long as the power supply is decent itself, 820 watts will be more than enough.

Hope this helps

 

[iam2thecrowe]

depends what exact power supply you have. what make/model is it? some cheap 800w psu's can perform more like 300w psu's.

 

[videl]

haha, its not the performance I'd be worried about if I had a cheap pos power supply, it would be the quality/reliability...

Some cheap psu's like to die/fry/explode and take your system with it along the way when you put them under any real stress/work load lol

For me now, if johnnyguru didn't say it's a nice psu, I won't get it period. lol

 

[MrMr91]

I have the same CPU and Motherboard
when I overclock the CPU more than 3.1 GHz ( more than the default ) it becomes unstable even the temperature is low ( 27 C \ idle - 50 C \ load ).
with hyper 212 hyper evo +

 

[videl]

@MrMr91

Have you increased any voltages when attempting to go above 3.1Ghz?

I can think of three reasons you can't overclcok.

1. Your hardware may require better fine tunning the settings and voltages in the bios
2. You were unlucky and some part of your system is lower quality than usual and is preventing you from overclocking.
3. Your system is possibly not optimally set up or ready for overclocking. For instance your ram is running at whatever bios set it to and you didn't make it run by the xmp profile and you didn't enter the correct values and timings manually. (just an example)

 

[Igglesworth]

Best answer selected by Igglesworth.

 

[dgranson722]

your power supply should give u plenty of power, the and fx-8120 is a good processor, but it is known for being unstable at 220 to 225, so i would stick to not going past 220 and clocking the cpu ratio to get to 4ghz, and i know AMD says it is good till 61C, but i wouldnt let it get past 56C, and i recommend ur next upgrade be a new mobo especially if u plan on over clocking it is not a bad one, but the 990 is much better and alil more stable