Life limiting CPU by clocking

[Cetus Alpha]

Hi Folks,

I will have a Configurator put together a custom build for me who will also clock it up to 4.4Ghz.
I am considering having it reduced to say 4.2 in order to drop the pressure on the CPU, hoping to improve its lifespan prospects.
The Configurator assures me that the OC procedure will take it up to a stable max and maintaining acceptable temps.
I have confidence in their abilities but still question the long term effects and wonder if a hit of 2Ghz on performance would be significant enough to warrant the drop?
I have no experience of over clocking and software configuration, (reluctantly) admitting to an almost plug and play approach, hence this path.
I would appreciate your thoughts.

Cetus Alpha.

Proposed Build.
Coolermaster HAF-X.
i7-4770k (3.50GHz clocked up to 4.40GHz).
Asus Sabertooth Z87.
16gb Kingston Hyperx 2400Mhz (2 X 8gb Kit)11 13 13 30.
3Gb Geforce Gtx 780.
3 x Intel 530 SSD’s, 120Gb, 240,240,1TB WD HDD.
Corsair 850w TXM Modular 80plus.
Corsair H100i .
ASUS 27" PB278Q.

Apps.
Coral Painter 12 and an Intuos 5 Large graphics tablet.
FSX flight Simulator.
Astronomical data collection and imaging (Photoshop / Registax).

 

[guskline]

Cetus Alpha, for $25.00 you can buy Intel's Overclock protection plan for the 4770k. Here's the link; http://click.intel.com/tuningplan/

I purchased a plan for the 3770k below AND for the 3930k below (3930k was $35). I can sleep at night knowing that if my OC killed or degraded the cpu, Intel will give me a one time replacement of the cpu. For what you are spending pay the $25 for that!

 

[Cetus Alpha]

Thanks for your suggestion and link.

 

[BrightCandle]

When people are worried about the life of a CPU I recommend they not overclock. An overclock can become unstable within a year or two and if you don't know how to reset it or change it in response to instability (which may only show up once a month) then you can't maintain it properly. Its for experts to extract more performance knowing the trade offs, including the potential that the CPU one day might just stop working altogether.

 

[Kougar]

Frequency matters less than sustained temperatures under load, which itself matters less than the voltages being used to sustain that overclock.

So there's no point in dropping the frequency by 200Mhz if they will maintain the same vcore for it, the benefits would be minimal.

 

[Cetus Alpha]

Thank you BrightCandel and Kougar for your replies. I must apologies to you both for the delay in replying.
Both your comments read sound.
Even though I know next to nothing about Overclocking it seems pretty obvious from your thoughts that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Overclock and take your chances (and I guess experience can come at a cost)
I’ve now decided not to have the build clocked by the Configurator but play safe and run it at stock settings for a while. (I hope to replace the Ram with higher spec sticks when I can find a supplier who can ship to the UK.[2400Mhz C9 11 11 31]. Here in the UK it’s as rare as hens teeth)
I think the best action after that, will be to push it very, very gently into the overclock using NickN’s excellent advice on Simforums, A haswell build.
http://www.simforums.com/forums/haswell-48ghz-on-air-building-a-haswell-system_topic46180.html
He must have spent considerable effort to spell out the OC process and ‘follow the bouncing ball’ for muffins like me. I’ve reached a very cautious old age so maybe that will help.
So if I’m careful I should be able to move things on and up a little at a time?
Cetus Alpha.

 

[joshhedge]

It is also worth noting that unless you need CUDA, a 290X will offer you better value for money than the 780 you've got the system configured with. Sorry if thats OT for the CPU forum.

 

[Markfw]

Very simple: if you keep the vcore not much above stock and the temps not over 70c under full load, then the chip will become unusable way before it dies, like 10 years. Every chip I have (except my server motherboards) is overclocked, and I have never lost a chip. I still have an AMD XP1700 and an X2 3800 both overclocked, but not in 24/7 100% load. The oldest chip I have overclocked 24/7@100% load is an Intel 950@ 4 ghz.

I even have 2 Intel E5639 hex core chips @2.8 on an SR-2, but only been running 24/7@100% for a month or two.

 

[Cetus Alpha]

I value your thoughts from this Overclock forum and thank you for your comments and suggestions.
I’m sticking with the choice of components and hope to get a clearer understanding of the subject once I get my hands on my new desktop.
Cetus Alpha.