Couple Questions About Overclocking

[vivanapoli806]

I just recently got into computers and am starting to build my own. I'm getting the Intel q9400 cpu and want to know what is a safe speed i can overclock it to. I dont need anything insane just a faster and reliable speed upgrade. I'm using 8gb of corsair ddr2 800mhz of ram and have an Intel DP35DP Motherboard. I also have an Artic Cooler Pro 7 cpu fan cause i know it will be running higher temps if i overclock. Any suggestions will be helpful thanks

 

[Mondoman]

Check out the excellent OC guides among the forum stickies.

 

[x_2fast4u_x]

The Cpu you are talking about is plenty for you bud, Since you are not out for record speeds or your max over clock it’s not worth voiding the warrantees.

Over clocking is usually meant to stop a bottle neck, benchmark higher, or as a hobby, and since you need it for none of those factors i suggest you save the warranty and be happy with stock, because trust me you will only want to push your system more and more, perhaps to the point of breaking it.

In summary your quad core will be more then sufficient to power though apps, games, and work.

Hope this helps, if you would like to learn more just send me a message.

 

[cadder]

With 800MHz RAM, you can set your FSB on 400 and that will run the CPU at 3.2GHz.

I have a Q9400 but I have 1066 RAM so I can go a little higher. I got the CPU up to 3.7 in limited testing, but I run it at 3.4 for everyday use.

If you play with the settings of your RAM you can probably go above 3.2GHz, although from 3.2 to 3.4 you probably won't be able to really see it. Even at 3.2 it's pretty darned fast.

 

[Mondoman]

x_2, you'll find there are more reasons for OCing than the few you mention. Since the OP didn't indicate why he was overclocking, there's no basis for us to speculate on whether or not he "should" OC or whether or not it makes sense for him to do so.

 

[x_2fast4u_x]

I was assuming that since we was not some hardcore video editor it was not for the faster render times, considering the fact that he "just recently got into computers" he also said "I don’t need anything insane just a faster and reliable speed upgrade." well overclocking does that but bumping a CPU up by a few hundred megahertz is a faster reliable upgrade, however he will see no "real world" improvements perhaps a few points here and there on benchmarks.

general computing, Microsoft office, Photoshop, video rendering, games. Are some of the things he’s probably doing, so I figured since PS can make use of 4 cores then that’s running smooth as butter, as well as all recent games.

Sorry for assuming, you know what they say, when you assume, you make and @$$ out of you and me.

 

[x_2fast4u_x]

To anwser your original question, that cpu's multiplyer is 8, which means that your CPU takes the FSB roughly 333hz*8=2664hz, I would say take your stock voltage to 1.295/1.3v with ample cooling that is, then take your CPU fsb to 400, that will give you a nice OC of 3.2ghz. Rember to NEVER take over 1.3625V that is the max voltage for the core, any higher and you risk killing ur cpu. Always run stabillity test after you over clock. Also, all CPU's and mother boards varry slightly from one to the other so you can never know how your setup will overclock.