Overclocking Athlon XPs is not worth the risk.

kermit4karate · Mar 4, 2002

Until AMD unlocks their CPUs again, at least the FSB settings, Intel will run away with the overclockers title.

Who wants to have to hold a knife to their CPU just to get a marginal speed increase? If you can't do it in softbios, unless you're getting 20-40% more performance, it's not worth the time it takes, and it's not worth wrecking the chip.

Intel clearly has the overclockers title right now.

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Grizely1 · Mar 4, 2002

you can change multiplier/FSB setting easily on the AthlonXP. It's the pentium 4 that has the locked multiplier. (lol)

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kermit4karate · Mar 4, 2002

What do you mean? I thought you had to modify the Athlon XPs before you could overclock them?

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Grizely1 · Mar 4, 2002

no, not to overclock them. you have to do a slight modification to unlock the multiplier, which helps with overclocking, but it's not a necesity. And doing the mod isn't that hard.

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kermit4karate · Mar 4, 2002

So it's possible to increase FSB for Athlon XPs without doing the chip mod?

"Put your desk in the corner." - Stephen King

eden · Mar 4, 2002

Sure thing, the good thing about AMD is they want us to continue OCing. Unlike Intel who locked them. Who am I to talk? I don't OC but still, the fact I see AMD caring about enthusiasts makes me happier.

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kermit4karate · Mar 4, 2002

Thanks for clearing this up for me.

I used to overclock, back in the Coppermine days before I switched to AMD, but even back then the loss of stability frustrated me. I'd only do it again if I could get 30-40% more performance out of a chip, enough to make it worth periodic crashes/lockups.

The Intel Northwood CPUs are worth keeping an eye on, don't you think? In a couple of months, the 1.6As should be down around $120. For that price, getting a Northwood up to even 2GHz, where I feel the stability wouldn't suffer much, could entice me to return to overclocking.

But for now I'm happy with the price/performance I get with AMD.

"Put your desk in the corner." - Stephen King

FatBurger · Mar 4, 2002

Stability problems? Overclocking isn't worth a loss of stability, even if you get a 100% overclock.

I'm at 155MHz (1.6A @ 2.480), with my RAM at around 930MHz. Perfectly stable so far (although very hot). And the 1.6A is down to around $140, BTW.

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kermit4karate · Mar 5, 2002

What's your system breakdown again? Because with performance and stability like that, I would GLADLY resume overclocking on the Intel platform.

Which board did you go with? And brand of memory? Stock heatsink/fan?

"Put your desk in the corner." - Stephen King

lhgpoobaa · Mar 5, 2002

also bear in mind the general ability of overclockability in a cpu line.

you will be able to get more extra Mhz out of an XP1500+ or a XP1600+ than a XP2000+ becauze the XP2000 is much closer to the golden limit of the XP core, somewhere between 1800 and 1900Mhz (with air cooling)

the P4 1.6A give good overclocks cauz its at the start of the 0.13 die shrink, which can feasibly lead the P4 to 3Ghz or beyond. plus the 1.6A and 1.8A are probably identical to the 2.0... and were released at such speeds to fill backorders.

likewise, when the thouroughbred comes out expect the first versions of that to be highly overclockable too.

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samwyse · Mar 5, 2002

I don't think you can say AMD wants people OCing, because you have to make physical modifications to unlock the processors.

If they wanted it they would leave them unlocked at default.

FatBurger · Mar 5, 2002

Intel P4 1.6A @ 2.48741GHz (1.75v)
Abit TH7II-RAID
2x 256MB Samsung RDRAM (double-sided) @ 933MHz
Retail heatsink with Arctic Silver II

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Matisaro · Mar 5, 2002

I don't think you can say AMD wants people OCing, because you have to make physical modifications to unlock the processors.

If they wanted it they would leave them unlocked at default.

A: unlocked processors will not be set up automatically in motherboards, causing tons of confusion to the non techie buyer, the fact that they default to 100mhz causes enough posts in this forum alone, imagine if the buyer had to set up the clock multiplier themselves??
B: The chips are tested in their packaging, unlike intel chips(which are locked at the chip level), the chips MUST be unlocked for the testing, once a final speed is determined, they processer is locked at that multi with lazer cutting.
C: many people think that the axp being more difficult to unlock than the tbird is a sign amd dosent like overclocking, however it is MERELY a side effect of the new organic packaging, the increased difficulty was not intended, just happened.
D: AMD has stated on NUMBEROUS occasions that they are NOT anti overclocking, The fact they do not hardlock their cpus like intel in itself is a sign they do not mind overclocking.
E:Most importantly, see reason A:

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No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

Guest · Mar 5, 2002

There is also an F:

F: unlocked cpu's could be used very easily to commit fraude. ie someone sells you a 1600+ as a 1900+.. how would you know ? It might be hot, not overclock at all, but you would have no clue as to the "real" clock speed its rated at. Fixing the labeling isnt that hard either. BTW, this is the official reason Intel mulitplier locks their cpu's as far as i know. It might also be the true reason.

G: Athlon MP's are factory unlocked. You pay a premium, but overclock all you want without having to solder/cut/whatever.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

FatBurger · Mar 5, 2002

A: unlocked processors will not be set up automatically in motherboards, causing tons of confusion to the non techie buyer, the fact that they default to 100mhz causes enough posts in this forum alone, imagine if the buyer had to set up the clock multiplier themselves??

I hadn't thought of that, that's a very good point.

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AMD_Man · Mar 5, 2002

Actually, my AthlonC 1.2GHz came factory unlocked with a default multiplier of 9. So the multiplier is not an issue. I'm running it right now with an FSB of 142MHz and a multiplier of 9.5. That gives me 1.35GHz.

Actually, I had wanted to ask this question for a while, but I kept forgetting. Ok, I currently have a plain old ABit KT7A. My poor Micron RAM doesn't like running over 142MHz for prolonged periods of time without becoming unstable. Ok, as you know this is SDRAM. Therefore it runs at a default voltage of 3.3V. I've tried raising it up to 3.7V and still it doesn't like the 150MHz FSB. Would raising the voltage to 3.8V be safe? Consider that this is also the VIO voltage.

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FatBurger · Mar 5, 2002

Actually, you're right. My 1.2 Tbird came unlocked as well, and had the correct default multiplier.

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eden · Mar 5, 2002

I'm not getting what Mat is meaning by the confusion! Anybody care to elaborate?

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Guest · Mar 5, 2002

You can add my old 1.33 Mhz T-bird as well. It is AXIA coded that came completly unlocked when I purchased it over a year ago. Could OC that baby to a stable 1.5 Mhz at an FSB of 150 Mhz with Micron SDRAM.

Guest · Mar 5, 2002

A: unlocked processors will not be set up automatically in motherboards, causing tons of confusion to the non techie buyer, the fact that they default to 100mhz causes enough posts in this forum alone, imagine if the buyer had to set up the clock multiplier themselves 

I absolutely agree. Even just over a year ago when I purchased an AXIA 1.33 T-bird, I had been initially confused when upon installation, I discover that the FSB on my ASUS A7V133 is set at only 100 MHz. At first, I thought the vendors sold me the wrong CPU. However, after fiddling around with the BIOS settings, I managed to get the machine to boot incident free at a FSB of 133 Mhz.

So it would seem that as experienced as I am assembling systems, on that particular day I felt like just another befuddled newbie sloggin through yet another learning curve all over again.

Matisaro · Mar 6, 2002

Actually, my AthlonC 1.2GHz came factory unlocked with a default multiplier of 9. So the multiplier is not an issue. I'm running it right now with an FSB of 142MHz and a multiplier of 9.5. That gives me 1.35GHz.

The other bridges are still burnt, the default multi is correct, but you can change it IIRC.

About your voltage question.

I have my 2.5v ddr running at 3 volts and it dosent overheat, and is perfectly fine, go for it!

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

Matisaro · Mar 6, 2002

I am rethinking the position, because my 1.33axia too had the proper multiplier by default.

I tentativly retract reason A, I believe the bridges are unlocked for testing, and locked to prevent unscrupulous vendors from reselling overclocked cpus.

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

Matisaro · Mar 6, 2002

However, a changeable multiplier can lead to confusion to newbies, so having a simple to unlock processor is the best of both worlds IMO.

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!

FatBurger · Mar 6, 2002

How many people do you know that have just randomly changed things in BIOS? I haven't met anyone that has. Most people I know just sit there and don't do anything if they're not sure what's going on.

I know one guy who sat and stared at a computer screen saying "Non system disk or disk error. Replace and strike any key when ready." for half an hour, just sat there waiting for it to do something. I noticed it and walked over to take out the disk and hit a key.

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eden · Mar 6, 2002

Maybe they will one day create a key socket where you have to buy a special key and "unlock" the CPU! Kinda funny, with a small clank sound meaning it's now open and free to daddle!...

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Overclocking Athlon XPs is not worth the risk.

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