Your thoughts on my overclock route?

[MattC]

Hi! I'm pretty happy with my results, conservative though they may be - but still I'd welcome any comments (or questions).

My specs:
E6320
Gigabyte DS3 Rev 3.3
G.Skill 800mhz micron d9 memory
evga 8800 gts 320
Antec 900
Scythe Ninja Rev B (no fan - passive cooling, not counting the case fans)

My FSB is at 300 (memory at 600 mhz, obviously) and cpu vcore at 3.0
7x300 = 2100
it autounderclocks to
6x300 = 1800 (pretty close to the stock speed) when the cpu is not in use

When the CPU is in use, the motherboard auto overclocking kicks in and pushes the temps up a little past 2100 to 2268
Memory timing is set to 5,4,4,11 (not sure how to manually change this on this motherboard - the option doesn't appear in bios)

Yes, clearly this is not a huge overclock (and considering how I'm undervolting things, I can definitely get the cpu to run at a much higher speed. However, I find that I can play oblivion, BF2, etc, all at very high settings with this minor overclock, and there doesn't seem to be any need to push things further. My goal is definitely to get the most cpu speed for my dollar, but I also don't want to waste power or product lifespan without getting some tangible benefit.

Temps are difficult to report - at idle, my system appears to be sub room temp (obviously it is not). At full load, the temp peaks at a little under 45 according to TAT ... but I question this, given the very low temp readings at idle (just a drop under 20).

Any thoughts? Comments? Is it possible on this mb to change my memory timings? Would it really benefit me to drop that cas latency? Or to run the memory at a higher speed (I'm running it at 1.8 volts, which is less than the manufacturers spec .. but it's also running at 324 mhz, less than spec).

 

[malphadour]

Hi

My DS4 also shows weird temps using Gigabytes module. Download Rightmark as it seems to display the correct temps.

For memory timings, when you are looking at the main bios screen, press Ctrl-F1. Then you get all the advanced options when you go into MB Intelligent Tweaker.

The memory timings you have stated sound a bit odd, normally with cas5 ram the setting are something like 5-5-5-15 or 5-5-5-18. If this is the higher spec ram you should be running it at 4-4-4-12 timings.

If you want to seriosuly overclock, then switch off the mobo overclocking and go manual. You should be able to comfortably run the chip at 7x400 mhz with maybe just a little bit of extra CPU voltage. However this might be limited by your passive cooling, but you have still got plenty of head room from where u are now.

I had my chip running at 8x800 with no extra voltage just using the stock intel HSF.

 

[MattC]

Thank you for the ctrl-f1 tip. I have my memory running at 4-4-4-12 now, and I am keeping the system at around 2.4 (1.3 volts).

I wonder if there is really much benefit, at this point, to overclocking further. All the games (the most demanding apps I use) run flawlessly, so I think I may even underclock and see how low the vcore can go while still maintaining a healthy speed.