Fine Tuning a 2.80c P4 O/C

[apoppin]

I just built my new budget rig last week:

P4 2.80c
Abit IC7g
2x256mb PC3500 (Mushkin Level1 2:3:3)
Aspire X-dreamer w350w PS
[Radeon 9600xt/Maztor 40gb 7200/win2k]

It seems to "hit the wall" at 3.39Ghz - 4x242Mhz FSB - with stock voltage and CPU to RAM ratio of 5:4. +1 Mhz more and the temps climb and voltage needs to be increased to keep it stable.

It has posted at 3.6Ghz - even running Windows for awhile - but requires a LOT of OVERvoltage and the temps go WAY up.

OR, I can run it (also default voltage) 1:1 @3.06Ghz (221FSB - so my RAM is hitting 442Mhz, a bit over my PC3500's 433mhz rating).


Since I prefer 3.4Ghz - evidently the sweet spot for my rig - would it be wise to play with the RAM timings since they are currently UNDERclocked to 2x 193mhz (386Mhz data rate)?

Should I attempt to set them more aggressively - perhaps 2:2:2:5 - in an attempt to find more performance? Try the "Turbo" settings on my MB?
(I am pretty satisfied with my O/C and don't wish for more cooling, etc . . . just maximun PERFormance from what is there for now).

 

[apoppin]

Has this topic been beaten to death?

I read everything I could find but would like confirmation on fine-tuning a P4 o/c for max memory performance.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

From reading oldfart's and Duvie's posts I'd say you are better off with the 5:4 3.4ghz and shooting for the tightest timings you can manage stable. That much extra clockspeed should more than compensate for the bandwidth difference especially if you can get the timings tight. The fact that you have to up voltage and deal with the additional heat makes anything above the 3.4ghz settings a poor trade off IMO. You have a healthy overclock there and if you're truly not certain wether to run 1:1 or 5:4 then bench it out or use FRAPS while gaming and compare frame rates.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
From reading oldfart's and Duvie's posts I'd say you are better off with the 5:4 3.4ghz and shooting for the tightest timings you can manage stable. That much extra clockspeed should more than compensate for the bandwidth difference especially if you can get the timings tight. The fact that you have to up voltage and deal with the additional heat makes anything above the 3.4ghz settings a poor trade off IMO. You have a healthy overclock there and if you're truly not certain wether to run 1:1 or 5:4 then bench it out or use FRAPS while gaming and compare frame rates.

thanks for the confirmation.

From my benchs, the 3.4Ghz with underclocked RAM outperforms the 3.06 with O/C'd RAM . . . I am gonna work on my timings today.

I am totally satisfied with my O/C. I posted BEFORE I bought the 2.80c that I would be happy with a 3.2Ghz O/C; 3.4 is "gravy".

 

[Duvie]

NIce OC!!!!...That is pretty similar to mine as I can do about 3.43ghz at default vcore....

I usually find 1.6v actual or less can still buy you a good trade off....I can usually get another 5-6fsb but the temps will increase about 4-5c in load tmpes...If you have the room you may go for it.

Anyways defualt vcore at 3.4ghz when you were only really hoping for a 3.2ghz OC is awesome and you should be very happy knowing you matched the perofrmance of a chip 3 times the cost...PURE BONUS!!!!

 

[Soulkeeper]

nice overclock on that memory
i couldn't get my mushkin to run at spec in any of the 4 motherboards i tryed it in
my mushkin loved 2-2-2-5 and 2-2-2-6 timings the most. it shouldn't have too much trouble holding those even at higher mhz
the 5:4 is prob your best bet
you should have plenty of mem bandwidth at that point anyways


good luck

 

[apoppin]

Thanks for your replies.

It IS a nice O/C . . . I have been lucky O/C'ing with 5 out of 6 Intel Procs in a row.


However, no matter what I do, the PC3500 Munchkin memory won't hold 2:2:2:X (Windows corrupts even at 192Mhz) . . . . 2:3:3:5 is the best it can do. It will accept "enhanced" and/or "aggressive" timings but woN'T accept "Turbo", "F1" or "Street Racer" acceleration (Win refuses to load).

 

[Night Blade]

You guys are lucky, I god a dud 2.8C that will only do 3GHz no matter what I put the vcore or mem divider to, have PC3700 ram sitting here running 430MHz .

 

[Soulkeeper]

yeah my memory won't do any of those game accerlator settings even with the memory running at like 100mhz

i think they might be making the memory run with cl 1 or something because it just ain't happening on my memory

the fact that you have the mushkin level 1 might account for those higher timings you have to use (level 2 was the latency king with bh-5 chips)


i just spent a long time trying to get my mem stable at 230mhz but couldn't do it, so i run the 5:4 divider and accept my 184mhz memory with the fastest timings i can at 2.8v



good luck

 

[apoppin]

I think ANY "game accelerator" setting bumps the ratio back to 1:1 - Mine won't even post (or Windows will "lose" a startup file).

The ONLY other setting I can manage is "enhanced" (not aggressive nor strengthened).

So I am at nearly 3.4Ghz and 5:4 ratio and 2:3:3:5 timings (which really aren't "bad" for the PC3500 Munchkin memory). I guess I would have done just as well using PC3200 with this CPU . . . [or I need PC4200 ]

What I am thinking re: future upgrades is to buy a P4 3.40Ghz CPU next year - when Intel has perfected the Northwood line and it is really CHEAP - and O/C that sucker to around 4.0+Ghz . . . that should keep me running an EXTRA year.