Multiplier question - learning to oc

[Isaac MM]

I know most of the cpus have locked multi so you can only overclock them by increasing the FSB, but what about the cpus that have unlocked multipliers like a QX9650? Can you just raise it as much as you want? If not how do you know how much you can raise it? And does it really make a big difference in performance?

Thanks

 

[Shortass]

Unlocked multipliers essentially make it so you can push the CPU as far as it can before it explodes. They're great, and if you can afford one I will pay you $10 for it.

To know your limits, you usually start at a reasonable overclock, test it with a few benching and stressing apps, and if it's good kick it up a notch and repeat. At some point it'll fail a test or simply fail to start up, in which you back it down or alter the settings, voltage, etc, until you get your max OC.

Some programs scale proportionately with clock speed, others fairly well and some not at all (I doubt Starcraft will notice a difference between 3.0ghz and 4). There are thousands of graphs on the nets proving the worth of overclocking, many on or around anandtech's front page. There's an overclocking sticky, read that and with a little searching the subject will become easily understood.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Overclocking is easy. The formula starts with having memory able to hold the fsb push. I've been out of the loop for a while since my last cpu had an unlocked multi but now, things have changed and it didn't take me long to get back into the swing of it. A few simple rules; 1 pair of memory sticks are easier to overclock than 2 pair, boards using 8 and above pwm are a good place to start looking when looking at motherboards, and last but not least, the cpu multiplier. That'll give you an indication of how high you'll have to push your mobo's fsb and also give you a starting point of the memory speed in which to purchase.

Personally, I think cpus with locked multis can be much funner. Buying cpu's with unlocked multi's usually get you state of the art cpu architect but at way too much the cost per diminishing marginal utility of the novelty.