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AMD Overclocking Returns: Phenom X3 720

By - Source: Tom's Hardware US

Listen up Phenom X3 720 owners, the AMD Virtual Overclocking Competition is back!

The setup of our Phenom II X4 940 winnerWith our Phenom II X4 940 winner already found, we’re ready to hit the reset button and set things up for our second winner.

The rules for this contest are nearly the same as the one we had the first time around, except that we’ve had a change in CPU choice at the request of AMD. Instead of the Phenom 9950 Black Edition, we’re now looking for the fastest, craziest Phenom X3 720 you guys can come up with.

To recap our contest details again, you need an AMD Phenom X3 720 and are a U.S. Resident (sorry international folks, but those are the rules we’ve been given), then you’re qualified to compete! First, you will need to prepare and then send us some information. When you enter, you'll automatically be emailed a copy of the requirements and rules.

For starters, we’ll have to know about the rest of your system besides just the requisite CPU. Tell us your motherboard model, memory configuration, graphics card, and any hardware and software modifications. We’ll also need to know your cooling method (e.g. air, water, liquid nitrogen, or, for the brave, liquid helium; where appropriate list any non-stock heatsink and cooling fan manufacturers and models).

We want to see what your bad ass rig looks like too. The winner will be flown out to our offices here in Los Angeles, all expenses paid for, to receive the prizes and have an opportunity to replicate or even exceed the winning overclock! Best of all, you'll get to hang out with us and AMD.

Not in the mood to go overclocking this time of year? No problem! Non-competing entries will be placed in a weekly random drawing for prizes, but if you don't compete, you can't get dibs on the grand prizes.

As for the prizes, that’s something we’re still working on with AMD, and we’ll let you know once we have things finalized. Good luck to all!

ENTER THE COMPETITION HERE.

There are 14 Comments. B
Top Comments
  • 10
    IronRyan21 , March 14, 2009 5:22 AM


    So now Intel fanboys whine? wow, you cant please anybody.
Other Comments
  • 0
    sacre , March 14, 2009 3:21 AM
    cool, im gonna go buy a motherboard/cpu/liquid nitrogen/a bunker then see if i can OC the little bastard..

    OR..... i'll just root for the people that have the CPU, Go men GO! don't burn it out... cause if u do then wow, bummer right?
  • 8
    scarpa , March 14, 2009 5:08 AM
    Phenom II 720 overclocks very well, this should be a good competition.
  • 10
    IronRyan21 , March 14, 2009 5:22 AM


    So now Intel fanboys whine? wow, you cant please anybody.
  • 0
    neilistabom , March 14, 2009 5:46 AM
    i wish they would do an overclocking comp with the x2 6000! i can clock mine like a mother!
  • 2
    anonymous@guest , March 14, 2009 6:11 AM
    @the Intel fanboys in the comments section: Let's have an i7 OC contest, and watch that cold-bug cripple i7 to well below the AMD OCs. Then let's rationalize how there's victory in defeat.
  • 0
    LATTEH , March 14, 2009 6:40 AM
    >_< i wish i had a 720
  • 0
    Xenophage , March 14, 2009 6:06 PM
    I got my AM3 720 up from 2.8ghz to 3.3ghz on the stock cooler with no voltage changes. 3.4ghz will run for a while but occasionally gives me errors. Eventually I'll get a nice cooler and mess with the voltage a bit, I know some people have gotten theirs up around 4ghz without much trouble.

    I'm very happy with this CPU. Reminds me of the old Thunderbird Athlon days :)  The 3-cores haul ass, too.
  • 0
    SneakySnake , March 16, 2009 7:50 PM
    They should have an air-cooling champion and then a liquid cooling champion
  • 0
    jcknouse , March 16, 2009 8:36 PM
    I've got mine on 4 cores @ 3.4GHz.

    I would volt up and go for 3.6-4.0 GHz and enter, but I don't want AMD to void my warranty. lol
  • 0
    Glorian , March 16, 2009 8:54 PM
    I think these liquid helium/nitrogen cool OC competitions are cool. The only thing i hate about it are the amd/intel fans that start bashing each other. "can't we all just get along!"
  • 0
    gnesterenko , March 16, 2009 9:11 PM
    It would be more interesting to the average user of these forums if Toms tiered these overclocking competitions. Keep the overall winner and prize the same, but include honorable mentions or something cheapo like a gift certificate to NewEgg for lighter categories that are more accessible to hobby overclockers, water, air, or even *gasp* stock!!!

    my 2c

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