Overclocking - Multiplier vs FSB

FSB will give you better proformace. If you PCI card can take a highier bus go for it. FSB gives you more bandwith and MHz. Where multipiers only give more MHz.

Nice Intel and AMD users get a Cookie.... Yummy

Better idea-buy the 1333 and overclock the BUS to 150, giving you even better results. Use PC 150.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine

Oh, without even changing the multiplier, you can get the 1ghz/100FSB (200DDR) Axia, and then simply increase the bus to 150.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine

No offence, but I think you need to read some more before beginning to overclock.

Anyway, there are only two ways to overclock a cpu:
1) increase fsb
2) increase multiplier
CPU speed is fsb x mulitplier. Increasing the voltage is a way to stabilize a cpu at higher speeds. It will not make a Tbird (or any cpu) faster by itself.

Intel cpu's can only be overclocked by upping the FSB. Their mulitplier is locked, and there is no way around it (except for some rare engineering examples).

Some AMD cpu's are factory unlocked, meaning you can either overclock them by increasing the fsb or the multiplier, or both. Those that are locked, can be unlocked relatively easy by closing the L1 bridges (the famous 'pencil job').

As for life-span.. there is no easy answer, and in fact, I dont think anybody really knows. Common sense would tell me increasing the voltage *will* reduce the life span. Overclocking it without increasing voltage, might.. but then again, there is no real difference between a Duron that was sold as 600 Mhz, and runs perfectly @800 with std voltage, and a Duron 800. So, while a Duron 600@600 may last longer than a 800, you're probably still looking at 30+ years.

As long as you dont exagerate the Vcore (ie, not 2v+ for a Tbird), and you keep the temps down to a reasonable level, I dont think you will live to see the end of your cpu. I mean, who cares wether it lasts 10 or 30 years ? Also, no one has ever owned a 500+ Mhz cpu for more than 10 years, so no one really knows.

The only thing that may really shorten the lifespan of an (overclocked) cpu, is running it without hsf. You're talking seconds then ;-) Crushing the core by mis-installing a hsf is another way to make sure your cpu wont last. All other practices seem quite safe.


---- Owner of the only Dell computer with a AMD chip

I have never seen the processor life shortened significantly. It either works for a long time or fries quickly, depending on what you did wrong.

Cast not thine pearls before the swine