We all have our reasons for OCing so this is more of sharing with each other what we discover about ourselves when OCing seems to be heading towards a state of addiction, IMO you're officially addicted to OCing when you purchase brand new parts for the sole purpose of OCing right out of the box, so with that mentality you're ready to toss your warranty to the wind if it gets in the way of your goal.
We all tend to think if we can keep it cool enough that throwing more voltage to it doesn't matter, however thats really the fastest way to destruction, but necessary for OCs way beyond factory specifications, but does alert CPU manufacturers that Johnny [theorectical person], has his own self fried up the CPU so his warranty claim is denied by the CPU manufacturer.
The goal setters [someone that has predetermined a high O/C goal out of the box based on review information], seem to get themselves in more trouble than anyone else, simply because the silicon quality properties of one CPU and hardware combinations [M/B and RAM], may yield a higher or lower expected output than the exact same hardware manufactured at different times, or different quality batches, and also completely differing hardware combinations will yield different results, than some review article that you've read.
Even if your goal is the maximum O/C you can possibly get with the cooling setup you have, and throwing caution to the wind using whatever voltage is required to get there, its not wise to intend to run that O/C 24/7, under those circumstances you are seriously shortening the hardware life, however it is your money and your choice.
If thats the type of O/Cer you are, its a good idea to keep a second operational machine, so you can access the internet when your O/Cing computer bites the dust, because it is just a matter of time before it does under those conditions, and without a backup you're dead in the water.
Personally I class myself as being addicted to O/Cing, however my past serious mistakes I had to eat at my own expense, have made me more cautious in my endeavors as of late, so what I've learned is to O/C to see where I can get with a certain setup then back down a notch or two, to run 24/7, and allow the CPU to run at these higher speeds and voltages to kind of give it a seat in time period to get used to running faster than spec speeds and settings.
So far it seems if you give the CPU time to get used to running at a higher setting and voltage for like a break in period, it seems to O/C a little higher later on, its kinda like a break in period for a car with a brand new motor, unless you just have loads of money to throw out the window you're not going to drive it 180mph [if thats the cars top speed], off the show room floor.
O/Cing takes us past the manufacturers suggested break in straight out of the box, and some peoples car break in policy is, break it in how you intend to drive it, that may not be the best approach with O/Cing a CPU, since too much voltage allows electrical migration from the begining, and we don't want to deal with that for some time, [unless we have money to throw out the window], but if we had that, we shouldn't need to O/C because we could afford the best of the best, and replace it as it gets bested by new technology.
When it comes to O/Cing way before it ever becomes an addiction, and this is for you newbies to O/Cing that are constantly asking us to hold your hand and walk you through O/Cing you new precious, as I've said many times, learn first!, Then Do!, using the internet to study O/Cing articles and How Too's, learn what you're doing first before you attempt O/Cing anything.
If you don't even know how to enter your BIOS settings, you have a lot of learning to do and that is your responsibility not ours, any successful O/Cer has invested time in learning what they were doing before they did it, so learn first then do and maybe one day you'll get addicted to O/Cing too.
That may or may not be a good thing, because you also need to learn when to quit and be satisfied with what you have, and enjoy the benefits of getting more than you paid for, before you destroy your investment.
Edit; Unless destroying, or sacrificing your investment was your initial goal for bragging rights in the first place! Ryan
We all tend to think if we can keep it cool enough that throwing more voltage to it doesn't matter, however thats really the fastest way to destruction, but necessary for OCs way beyond factory specifications, but does alert CPU manufacturers that Johnny [theorectical person], has his own self fried up the CPU so his warranty claim is denied by the CPU manufacturer.
The goal setters [someone that has predetermined a high O/C goal out of the box based on review information], seem to get themselves in more trouble than anyone else, simply because the silicon quality properties of one CPU and hardware combinations [M/B and RAM], may yield a higher or lower expected output than the exact same hardware manufactured at different times, or different quality batches, and also completely differing hardware combinations will yield different results, than some review article that you've read.
Even if your goal is the maximum O/C you can possibly get with the cooling setup you have, and throwing caution to the wind using whatever voltage is required to get there, its not wise to intend to run that O/C 24/7, under those circumstances you are seriously shortening the hardware life, however it is your money and your choice.
If thats the type of O/Cer you are, its a good idea to keep a second operational machine, so you can access the internet when your O/Cing computer bites the dust, because it is just a matter of time before it does under those conditions, and without a backup you're dead in the water.
Personally I class myself as being addicted to O/Cing, however my past serious mistakes I had to eat at my own expense, have made me more cautious in my endeavors as of late, so what I've learned is to O/C to see where I can get with a certain setup then back down a notch or two, to run 24/7, and allow the CPU to run at these higher speeds and voltages to kind of give it a seat in time period to get used to running faster than spec speeds and settings.
So far it seems if you give the CPU time to get used to running at a higher setting and voltage for like a break in period, it seems to O/C a little higher later on, its kinda like a break in period for a car with a brand new motor, unless you just have loads of money to throw out the window you're not going to drive it 180mph [if thats the cars top speed], off the show room floor.
O/Cing takes us past the manufacturers suggested break in straight out of the box, and some peoples car break in policy is, break it in how you intend to drive it, that may not be the best approach with O/Cing a CPU, since too much voltage allows electrical migration from the begining, and we don't want to deal with that for some time, [unless we have money to throw out the window], but if we had that, we shouldn't need to O/C because we could afford the best of the best, and replace it as it gets bested by new technology.
When it comes to O/Cing way before it ever becomes an addiction, and this is for you newbies to O/Cing that are constantly asking us to hold your hand and walk you through O/Cing you new precious, as I've said many times, learn first!, Then Do!, using the internet to study O/Cing articles and How Too's, learn what you're doing first before you attempt O/Cing anything.
If you don't even know how to enter your BIOS settings, you have a lot of learning to do and that is your responsibility not ours, any successful O/Cer has invested time in learning what they were doing before they did it, so learn first then do and maybe one day you'll get addicted to O/Cing too.
That may or may not be a good thing, because you also need to learn when to quit and be satisfied with what you have, and enjoy the benefits of getting more than you paid for, before you destroy your investment.
Edit; Unless destroying, or sacrificing your investment was your initial goal for bragging rights in the first place! Ryan