AMD FX-8320 OC/Volt question.

[fractalfarts]

So, right now i'm running my fx 8320 @
-4023mhz/1.306v
On my ASUS M5A99X EVO R2.0 @
-MULT/18.5
-FSB/217
-NB/2310
-HT/2810
-RAM/1972mhz

These settings are perfectly stable, and stay sufficiently cool (idle 21c/full load 59c/gaming 30-45c). I'm aware stock voltage is 1.368. I use prime 95 as my benchmarking software. My cpu cooler is a Zalman 92mm full copper heat sink.

I'm mainly wondering why i'm able to achieve such an excellent overclock/temp range at this found sweet spot of 4023mhz/1.306v, but when i try to shoot for 4200mhz @ stock voltage i get core failure..? Probably because the cpu needs more volts.

So then i raise volts past 1.4 to achieve a stable 4200mhz, and the temps are way to high (70c+).

Am i missing something? Or is it black and white... In my mind i'm thinking that if i can get a stable 4023/1.306v then why shouldn't i be able to get a stable 4200/1.33v? I'm thinking its my chip. Getting a new heat sink is out of the question right now.

 

[i7Baby]

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Bulldozer/AMD-FX-Series%20FX-8320.html - it will do 4.0GHz without overclocking.

The FX can overclcok pretty good - http://www.anandtech.com/show/6396/the-vishera-review-amd-fx8350-fx8320-fx6300-and-fx4300-tested/8

 

[fractalfarts]

Well, yes i know that they are pretty overclockable. Im wondering why my current settings wont scale, like i was saying about how i could get a stable 4ghz @ 1.306v, but 4.2ghz isnt even stable at factory 1.368 voltage. Don't get it.

 

[i7Baby]

Try 1.40V

You can get 4.8GHz at 1.50V - with a good chip.

 

[fractalfarts]

1.4 volts under full load on prime 95 raises the temps to over 70c =/ with my zalman 92mm copper heatsink

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

Your Zalman cooler is not up to the task.

Also, the linked to CPU-World page states that P State #1, or 4000 MHz, is supposed to run at 1.425V. If you're unstable, it could very well be that you're undervolting the chip.

 

[i7Baby]

1.4 volts under full load on prime 95 raises the temps to over 70c =/ with my zalman 92mm copper heatsink

70C is OK with Prime. 80C is OK.

As long as you still get 40C max at idle and 60C max gaming then its fine.

 

[fractalfarts]

That sheds light. I thought it was absolutely wildly bad to have those temps.. What about the northbridge? Ive seen temps as high as 93c =x

 

[fractalfarts]

so i tried out 4.2 @ 1.38750v and the cpu got up to 81c, nb at 93, and i had core failure at 10 mins in. looks like its just my chip. If i were to go up it would just straight up crash in efforts to save the hardware.

I think its just this particular chip. guess ill have to be satisfied at 4ghz =//

Thank you very much for your responses i7baby.

 

[bigpinkdragon286]

4-module FX chips are only supposed to run with a core temperature in the low 60's and a socket temperature in the low 70's.

I suspect your poor overclock isn't due to your chip, I think it's due to either excessive temperature or lack of voltage.

Crashing is not an effort on part of your equipment to save itself. Powering off or throttling would be. Crashing or malfunctioning is just that, a malfunction.

 

[i7Baby]

so i tried out 4.2 @ 1.38750v and the cpu got up to 81c, nb at 93, and i had core failure at 10 mins in. looks like its just my chip. If i were to go up it would just straight up crash in efforts to save the hardware.

I think its just this particular chip. guess ill have to be satisfied at 4ghz =//

Thank you very much for your responses i7baby.

Over 4.2 you need a good CPU cooler.

 

[fractalfarts]

The zalman 92mm copper cooler i have is good, just not good enough for those volts. Thanks again man.

 

[fractalfarts]

4-module FX chips are only supposed to run with a core temperature in the low 60's and a socket temperature in the low 70's.

I suspect your poor overclock isn't due to your chip, I think it's due to either excessive temperature or lack of voltage.

Crashing is not an effort on part of your equipment to save itself. Powering off or throttling would be. Crashing or malfunctioning is just that, a malfunction.

My current oc at 4ghz/1.3v is not a poor overclock. My temps do not exceed 59c under full load on prime 95. Running AAA titles only bump is as far as 45c witch is the max ive seen. My motherboard has a protective feature to auto shut off once temps are too high. By crash i meant power off, sorry to be misleading.

Its IMO pretty amazing that im able to achieve this 4ghz/1.3v by undervolting and overclocking by 500mhz. That's the point right? Using the lowest possible volts to achieve the highest possible stable OC? I'll admit i need a better cooler. Its just odd that my settings arent scaling well at all. Like ive said earlier i think ive found a magical "sweet spot".

 

[i7Baby]

Sounds good to me.

 

[fractalfarts]

I guess we'll leave it at that. But (not that it matters) when x99 cpu/mobos go down i want to (a few years from now) hop on that train. And who know what we'll see in the future. Definitely going intel on my next build.

Way before this current build i went q6600/gtx 280. at the time it was great.

After that build i went hd 7850/ a-10 5800k. Was a fair upgrade.

Had a cheap opportunity to go from ^ to an r9 270x (x2)/ fx 8320. That was a f****** headache

Now that i have a gtx 970/ fx 8320, the choice to ME is so much clearer. No fanboy bull**** here.

Cfx with an amp cpu was too much of a heachache (synthetics were great [and optimized], actual game titles had horrid scaling most of the time), FOR ME an intel cpu crossed with a good nvidia single gpu is ideal. My desire for trying out amd was self inspired, and i learned alot. Not going with that ever again, but for now for now my nvidia/amd build holds me pretty well.