Intel Core i7-3960X (ES) Sandy Bridge-E Overclocked to 5.5 GHz

[blackened23]

This has me REALLY wanting the SB-E now. 125 bus with unlocked multiplier? Yes please.

Even though I'm conservative about vcore, I think that 5ghz would be extremely easy on air. I think they got 4.8 at 1.35 with an ES, which is reasonable considering it has 6 cores

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

This has me REALLY wanting the SB-E now. 125 bus with unlocked multiplier? Yes please.

Even though I'm conservative about vcore, I think that 5ghz would be extremely easy on air. I think they got 4.8 at 1.35 with an ES, which is reasonable considering it has 6 cores

Comes down to luck, mostly. Most reviewers get very good samples. About the average for Sandy Bridge is 4.5-4.6GHz at 1.32-1.35V or so, but some samples get 4.7-4.8GHz at the same voltage. You're very likely to need 1.4V for 5GHz, though, which for me is unacceptable.

 

[Edrick]

So basically, with a unlocked BCLK, the Quad SB-E cpus that will sell for under $300, will be able to overclock just like the old i7 920 did. Who cares if it has a locked multiplier. In fact, since you have more control over the RAM clocks on x79, I would even go out on a limb and say this CPU may be a better option than the 2600K.

I can not wait until these are released.

 

[lol123]

Why does he even run SuperPI with 1066 MHz RAM? What's the point of that?

 

[AdamK47]

This has me REALLY wanting the SB-E now. 125 bus with unlocked multiplier? Yes please.

Even though I'm conservative about vcore, I think that 5ghz would be extremely easy on air. I think they got 4.8 at 1.35 with an ES, which is reasonable considering it has 6 cores

It doesn't take a very stable system to run CPUMark99 and SuperPI like this guy did. 4.5GHz is most likely the easy target with these.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

So basically, with a unlocked BCLK, the Quad SB-E cpus that will sell for under $300, will be able to overclock just like the old i7 920 did. Who cares if it has a locked multiplier. In fact, since you have more control over the RAM clocks on x79, I would even go out on a limb and say this CPU may be a better option than the 2600K.

I can not wait until these are released.

Platform costs. Especially taking into account you can get great boards like the AsRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3 cheap.

 

[grkM3]

benchers will love s2011 because of the unlocked blcks.

they were capped to 57x multy and could only push the blck so far for max ln2 runs.I would expect someone to break the amd record now since they can run 125x57 now and not be limited to just 57x110 for max run.

Ill go s2011 when 6 core 22nm ivy comes out near the end right before haswell hits the streets,it will be the best bang for the buck by then and should hit 5-5.5ghz if there 22nm is done right.

 

[aigomorla]

So basically, with a unlocked BCLK, the Quad SB-E cpus that will sell for under $300, will be able to overclock just like the old i7 920 did. Who cares if it has a locked multiplier. In fact, since you have more control over the RAM clocks on x79, I would even go out on a limb and say this CPU may be a better option than the 2600K.

I can not wait until these are released.

uhh no..

OK...

lemme tell you guys about bclk overclocking and multi overclocking.

Yes they achieve almost the same, except one is significantly easier then the other... and i bet u can guess which one it is.

there is a reason why the 2500k and the 2600k are easy as pie, and why they completely broke all rules associated with overclocking as we knew it.
You put little to no stress on the board by straight multi clock.
You put a tremendous amount of stress on the board with a block and QPI adjustment.
You also put a lot of stress on the poor memory controller if your ramped up there in mem speed.

If you want the true unlocking potential of sandy-E u need to get an unlocked one.. or your best off on the 2600k with an unlocked multi.

And i can pretty much tell you, a 2600k will stomp a locked sandy-e unless you get the 1000 dollars in other EQ to compensate on Sandy-E.

 

[Edrick]

Platform costs. Especially taking into account you can get great boards like the AsRock P67 Extreme4 Gen3 cheap.

The only difference in cost will be MB costs. And I expect some lower end level x79 boards to be cheaper than high end z68 boards. (RAM will be the same price).

 

[Edrick]

uhh no..

OK...

lemme tell you guys about bclk overclocking and multi overclocking.

Yes they achieve almost the same, except one is significantly easier then the other... and i bet u can guess which one it is.

there is a reason why the 2500k and the 2600k are easy as pie, and why they completely broke all rules associated with overclocking as we knew it.

If you want the true unlocking potential of sandy-E u need to get an unlocked one.. or your best off on the 2600k with an unlocked multi.

And i can pretty much tell you, a 2600k will stomp a locked sandy-e unless you get the 1000 dollars in other EQ to compensate on Sandy-E.

Agreed, it will not be as "easy" as a 2600K. But anyone with experience with x58 overclocking will have no issues at all.

 

[aigomorla]

Agreed, it will not be as "easy" as a 2600K. But anyone with experience with x58 overclocking will have no issues at all.

until they realize they are locked on a multi of about 31x

and they look over at there grandmother playing WOW with a multi of 52x on a 2600k!

:whiste:

Sorry Granny FTW!!!!

 

[AdamK47]

Aren't there higher base clocks available on the x79 though? I would think 150MHz would be available. 31x150 = 4.65GHz. Seems good to me.

 

[aigomorla]

Aren't there higher base clocks available on the x79 though? I would think 150MHz would be available. 31x150 = 4.65GHz. Seems good to me.

Adam u shutup... lol...

less then 1% of the people here are like you and will get the EE processor.

You have no problem with an EE processor and i know you only look at EE processors.


:whiste:


This statement is for the demigods.. not the full blown gods like you and i... :whiste::biggrin::ninja:
^SARCASM!!!!!!!


BTW when are u going to water your rig? How would u like to see all 3 of your gpu's put out no more heat then 40-50C under full load on all 3 of your GTX's?

 

[Edrick]

until they realize they are locked on a multi of about 31x

What are you talking about? The i7 920 was multi locked too. What is your point? That everyone forgot how to overclock using BCLK since SB came out?

 

[Edrick]

Aren't there higher base clocks available on the x79 though? I would think 150MHz would be available. 31x150 = 4.65GHz. Seems good to me.

+1

 

[pantsaregood]

The difference between overclocking by base clock and multiplier has been pretty irrelevant since the K8 days.

Back when FSB was used, overclocking your FSB as far as possible was great if your RAM could take it. More memory bandwidth was quite useful at that time.

PCs have excessive bandwidth now, though. I'm running DDR3 2133, despite the fact my 2500K would be happy at DDR3 1066.

As for the overclock to 5.5 GHz? That isn't impressive at all. SB has already been pushed beyond 6.0 GHz by use of equivalent cooling methods. Everyone should've known that SB-E would overclock identically to SB several months ago. The cores are identical.

If you want to get really technical, the six-core SB-Es have a lower chance of overclocking well. More cores means a higher chance of having at least one bad core. One bad core could drop a CPU's potential from 5.0 GHz to 4.2 GHz.

 

[aigomorla]

What are you talking about? The i7 920 was multi locked too. What is your point? That everyone forgot how to overclock using BCLK since SB came out?

No if your going after a faster system without breaking the super price tag a 2600k is the better route.

Its a repeat of the 875K vs the 920...

which do you think had better overclocking.. and why?

its the same exact thing all over again, only the generation is flipped this time.

And if you are the type to get the super expensive processor, in Q2 i think... if not middle of next year, intel will make you sad when they release the 10c/20t 20meg cache EE processor for the same price.

And your going to have a hard time finding a seller for your cpu when they can get something significantly more powerful.


In short i dont know where this niche falls into, and ive been telling all my friends to just freaken wait....
6/12 is not much of a super improvement over a 980 / 990X.
the 10c/20t will be what makes u go OMFGWTFBBQ x 2.

when the 10c/20t comes out boards will also be much more matured.

Dont get me started on 1st generation boards.... ive had enough of them to learn, 2nd generation is always a better step unless u look at eVGA's classified.
Which then it is the E759 all the way!

 

[blackened23]

until they realize they are locked on a multi of about 31x

and they look over at there grandmother playing WOW with a multi of 52x on a 2600k!

:whiste:

Sorry Granny FTW!!!!

Confused. I was under the impression that these were not multiplier locked. Any concrete information on this?

 

[aigomorla]

Confused. I was under the impression that these were not multiplier locked. Any concrete information on this?

they should come out in a lot of variety.

and i will tell you this, the K or unlocked EE processor wont be 300 dollars.

Try more 1000-1500 dollars near the xeon market price.

Infact just look at the Xeon market price... as these cpu's will be priced PAR with them.

Low ball cpu's will roughly start at 300ish... average cpu 500-700, and then you got your cream of the crop and EE at 1000 -1500

You guys been spoiled too much on P55, X79 is a completely new field where things are exponentially more expensive.

 

[Edrick]

In short i dont know where this niche falls into, and ive been telling all my friends to just freaken wait.... 6/12 is not much of a super improvement over a 980 / 990X. the 10c/20t will be what makes u go OMFGWTFBBQ x 2.

10c/20t going to be IB-E or Haswell?

 

[aigomorla]

10c/20t going to be IB-E or Haswell?

:whiste:

friends wont tell me anymore then that.

He tells me your not going to be impressed this round, wait for round 2.

And i trust my friend when it comes to cpu's blindy because on intel he has yet to be wrong.

 

[blackened23]

they should come out in a lot of variety.

and i will tell you this, the K or unlocked EE processor wont be 300 dollars.

Try more 1000-1500 dollars near the xeon market price.

Infact just look at the Xeon market price... as these cpu's will be priced PAR with them.

Low ball cpu's will roughly start at 300ish... average cpu 500-700, and then you got your cream of the crop and EE at 1000 -1500

You guys been spoiled too much on P55, X79 is a completely new field where things are exponentially more expensive.

Are you upset or something? Of course x79 is more expensive, its housing extreme processors. Calm down

I'm under the impression that all EE processors will be multiplier unlocked just like previous generations were. Does anyone have concrete info on this?

 

[aigomorla]

Are you upset or something? Of course x79 is more expensive, its housing extreme processors. This isn't supposed to be cheap.

I'm under the impression that all EE processors will be multiplier unlocked just like previous generations were. Does anyone have concrete info on this?

ALL EE processors are unlocked.

ALL top level Xeon Workstation processors are typically unlocked as well.

Yes by all means if you MUST HAVE this system go ahead.
The unlocked processors will have a price tag of somewhere around 1000-1500 dollars.

Then i hear the crown on that processor will be short lived because the 10c/20t monster we all saw on the sheets are scheduled to roll out next year unless we see delays.

But short said, are they faster then the 2600K? Yes the are because of the extra cores.

Are they noticibly faster? not if the 2600k is clocked high enough.

Will the EE 2011 processors overclock better? They better for the 500% price difference not to mention the extra pins they have over 1155.

Will it be jaw dropping? No your obviously waiting for the 10c/20t for something truely jaw dropping.


Am i upset? Why should i?
I love intel... however 6c/12t should of been for 1155 and the 10c/20t should of been at 2011 launch and not a upgraded version of a 990X.

 

[Mopetar]

Yeah, this is why I keep asking. At 4.7GHz my 2600K has a reported VID of 1.3961V.

Thus I'm curious about the voiced concerns regarding Vcc on SB's, are they born from caution/fear/paranoia or from data/specs/experience?

I personally don't know, hence my question.

Most likely caution, fear, and historical data. SB hasn't been out long enough for most people to do prolonged studies on how the lifespan of the chip is affected when using higher voltages. We could probably base the information on data from Westmere as that also used Intel's 32 nm process.

Most people can't afford to get a group of chips, run them hard in a controlled setting, and see how many are still alive after set intervals. And the people who can actually afford such things usually spend the money on something more fun, such as strippers and cocaine.

 

[AdamK47]

I'll just have to get both then. 3960x soon and the 10 core later. I'm not too bothered by it.