Q9400 stock volts overclock

[Tknockers]

Hi all! I bought q9400 last week and I've been trying different frequencies since...and voltages I have ddr2 800 Mhz so my fsb is limited to 1600. What I came up with is that if I clock it to 3.2Ghz I have to increase cpu vcore to 1.262V in bios, (read as 1.236V), and it idles in Windows at 1.216V, full load under IBT, OCCT Linpack is 1.168V. Also I have to increase NB voltage to 1.160V... However, if I put bus to 375 (x8), I get stable 3.0Ghz@stock volts, no need to increase NB or cpu vcore. This is 100% stable with C1E and EIST enabled! Passed 8 hours OCCT on small data set, 8 hours on medium and 8 hours on Large data set. Also it passed 35 rounds of Intel Burn Test, and 2 hours OCCT Linpack. I dont plan going to 1066 ram soon so my options are either to stay on 3.0 Ghz , or clock it on 3.2... What's your opinion what should be better in real world performances, I mean games etc... BTW I used CPU-Z 1.50 to check the voltages and Core temp to monitor temps.
Should the benefit of those 200 Mhz per core be great increase or is it better to leave it on 3.0 Ghz @stock volts to run cooler.
What I also would like to know is what are your experiences with overclocking on stock volts and how far were you able to take ypur cpus @ stock?
Thanks in advance for all replays!

My config is:

Q9400 VID 1.2367V ( read as 1.204V in BIOS )
GA-EP45-DS3 F9 bios
2 GB Kingmax DDR2 800Mhz
BFG 8800 GTS 640MB OC2

 

[jsc]

I was able to run my Q6600 at 3.0 GHz. on stock voltage. Had to boost vcore .05 volts to get my Q9550 to run at 3.4 GHz.

Most good DDR2-800 memory will run faster by relaxing the timings.

Game performance seems to become GPU limited at 3.2 - 3.4 GHz.

 

[dwe_khal]

when you run out of fps on your current config just change your video card...
the extra 200 mhz wont get you far.

even with an 4870 512, you'll see a nice bonus in perf 😉

cheers

 

[Tknockers]

I think that time has come. I used to run two of those in SLI on my last config,so performance drop in fps is more than noticable It-s a shame that I can-t do that anymore on intel chipset now...kmeee. I was thinking about 4870 1gb, performance wise it should be the same or better than my two 8800 gts 640, right?

 

[orangegator]

What are your temperatures? As long as you keep the temperature about 65C max, and the vCore at 1.4V max in the bios, then you are fine as long as it passes all stability tests. Of course, higher overclocks result in higher performance. But it also uses more power and creates more heat. Each cpu will overclock a differently. How far you want to push it is up to you.

 

[SirCrono]

The gain from those 200 MHz would be negligible, specially in gaming, since most of the work gets dumped to the GPU, I personally think 3 Ghz is the sweet spot for gaming performance, any higher will only yield more heat and power use and no noticeable performance gain.

Focus on OCing those videocards instead.

 

[Tknockers]

I clocked videocard as high as I could, but I guess the time has come for a change... It just doesnt have the juice for todays games any more, not as it used to anyway. About the cpu temps, under Linpack they are 47-48 C on all cores ( if Im at 3.0 Ghz stock voltage), and if I go to 3.2 Ghz then they go up 1-2 C. Im satisfied with the temps and must say that my last e6850 was way hotter than that. Btw I have Arctic Freezer 7 on this quad... If I stress it with OCCT or Prime/small data set, then thez dont go over 44-45. When summer comes they will go up a little more offcourse. SirCrono I think you`re right, I ran 3Dmark at 3.0Ghz and my cpu score was 4790, while at 3.2Ghz it went to 5190, not so big difference and at 3.0 I can have eist and c1e enabled so it consumes even less while idleing.. I have to say there certainly is a diffference between quad and core2duo while gaming, I have a feeling that even with only one GPU now my frame rate doesnt drop on explosions in Crysis and in Far cry 2..

 

[sk8hockey]

i overclocked my q9400 to 4ghz with 1.550 volts. it is stable but i have a 3000rpm 120mm fan

i also have a forum going on about ocing q9400 http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/259950-28-overclocking-q9400#t1922349

mobo: evga 790i
cpu: q9400
ram: ocz 1800mhz 2x2gb
fan: Ultra Kaze 3000rpm

 

[fahimmuchi]

MotherBoard:GIBABYTE EG41MF-US2H
PROCESSOR:CORE 2 QUAD Q9400

 

[fahimmuchi]

I listed my given information of my computer
MotherBoard:GIBABYTE EG41MF-US2H
PROCESSOR:CORE 2 QUAD Q9400
RAM😀DR2 800 MHZ 2GB + 2GB(Total 4gb)Transcend
FAN:STOCK FAN 2700 rpm
*************MOTHERBOARD VOLTAGE CONTROL****************
>>>CPU
CPU Vcore 1.21250V
CPU Termination 1.200V
CPU Reference 0.800V
>>>MCH/ICH
MCH Core 1.200V
>>>DRAM
DRAM Voltage 1.800V
***************************************************************
I want to overclock my q9400 to 3.0 ghz or 3.2ghz.What will I have to do exactly,how much voltage will I have to increase?please help

 

[Tknockers]

I listed my given information of my computer
MotherBoard:GIBABYTE EG41MF-US2H
PROCESSOR:CORE 2 QUAD Q9400
RAM😀DR2 800 MHZ 2GB + 2GB(Total 4gb)Transcend
FAN:STOCK FAN 2700 rpm
*************MOTHERBOARD VOLTAGE CONTROL****************
>>>CPU
CPU Vcore 1.21250V
CPU Termination 1.200V
CPU Reference 0.800V
>>>MCH/ICH
MCH Core 1.200V
>>>DRAM
DRAM Voltage 1.800V
***************************************************************
I want to overclock my q9400 to 3.0 ghz or 3.2ghz.What will I have to do exactly,how much voltage will I have to increase?please help

First put all settings in motherboard voltage control to normal, don't leave them on auto because they will then grow proportionaly as you increase cpu frequency. To increase cpu frequency you have to increase fsb speed. For 3ghz that would be 375fsb x8( multiplier). Also you have to unlink your ram, so that it wouldn't increase frequency as cpu, set it up manually. For fsb 375 you will prolly get some weird frequency but that's ok ...for now. Later you can play with timings but thats another story anyway. Back to cpu, for 3.0 Ghz your stock voltage will probably be enough, so give it a try. If it's not stable under testing, increase cpu voltage a notch and try again. Depending on your mobo you will or won't have to increase mch core voltage, for 3.0 ghz that is. For higher than that, you probably will have to increase mch core also...how high depends on mobo and fsb speed. For 3.2 Ghz, put fsb400 x8, same procedure as before, increase cpu voltage a notch and run some testing tool, i recommend intel burn test. Very fast and accurate. Some will recommend Prime95 or something alike but Intel burn test will do...after that to be sure you can double check with OCCT, run 2 hours of small, medium and large data set. Hope this helps, sorry for late reply I didn't check mail for few days.

 

[Tknockers]

P.S when you run Intel burn test, choose max stress level, 20 runs...that will do. If you have 64bit os even better. Cheers

 

[fahimmuchi]

First put all settings in motherboard voltage control to normal, don't leave them on auto because they will then grow proportionaly as you increase cpu frequency. To increase cpu frequency you have to increase fsb speed. For 3ghz that would be 375fsb x8( multiplier). Also you have to unlink your ram, so that it wouldn't increase frequency as cpu, set it up manually. For fsb 375 you will prolly get some weird frequency but that's ok ...for now. Later you can play with timings but thats another story anyway. Back to cpu, for 3.0 Ghz your stock voltage will probably be enough, so give it a try. If it's not stable under testing, increase cpu voltage a notch and try again. Depending on your mobo you will or won't have to increase mch core voltage, for 3.0 ghz that is. For higher than that, you probably will have to increase mch core also...how high depends on mobo and fsb speed. For 3.2 Ghz, put fsb400 x8, same procedure as before, increase cpu voltage a notch and run some testing tool, i recommend intel burn test. Very fast and accurate. Some will recommend Prime95 or something alike but Intel burn test will do...after that to be sure you can double check with OCCT, run 2 hours of small, medium and large data set. Hope this helps, sorry for late reply I didn't check mail for few days.

TO Tknockers
I tried what you told me to do but it didn't work and I can't unlink my RAM.I have a psu of 400w,I think I will need a 500w or 600w.How will I unlink the RAM?Please help....