Slightly OC'ing the Core 2 Duo

[Ronin13]

I'm planning a Core 2 Duo build using the following components:

ASUS P5-E Plus, C2D E6600, 2x1 Gb Corsair XMS2 6400C4 RAM, 320 Gb Seagate 7200.10 harddrive, Plextor DVD burner, Leadtek 7900 GTX, X-Fi Xtreme Music, all in an Antec P150 case that comes with an Antec Neo HE 430 PSU.

I have some experience with self-builds (this will be my 7th build in about 10 years), but almost no OC experience.

Since the C2D seems pretty easy to OC, I'm considering doing so, but only a 'modest' increase from 2.4 to 3.0 GHz.

Here's my questions:

1: If I OC the CPU the 25% I intend, what influence will it have on power consumption? Will it draw extra power all the time? Or only when it's being heavily taxed?

2: Will such an OC have any adverse effect on the computer's other parts?

3: Will the stock CPU cooler be enough?

4: I assume that both the motherboard as well as the RAM I've chosen will be adequate?

5: How do I do it? Specifically, what properties do I need to change in the BIOS? And from what to what?

6: Are there more than one way to increase the 2.4 GHz C2D to 3.0 GHz?

7: Will the RAM in question be able to run at it's rated DDR 800 with 4-4-4-12 timings when OC'ing?



Thanks in advance.

 

[The-Noid]

Change overclocking to manual and place these things in.
# vCore: 1.350
# vFSB: 1.300
# vNB: 1.3
# Memory Voltage: 2.1
# Configured FSB: 400
# Memory Ratio should be 1:1 or DDR2-800
# Configured Ratio: 8
# Configured Memory Timings: 4-4-4-12 (Configured under Chipset)
# C1E and SpeedStep off, Locked PCI Express Frequency locked at 100, PCI Sync Mode at 33.33.

That will be your easiest way to get the most out of your system for bios. You will have 1:1 ratio and hit 3.2 ghz, this is a pretty modest overclock. The ratio of your processor goes down to 8 which allows you to hit more on the FSB increasing bandwidth between the processor and other components. Power consumption may go up by 30w in total.

Cheers.

 

[Ronin13]

Thanks!

What is the reason you're recommending an OC to 3.2 instead of 3.0? (Obviously it's faster, but are there other reasons? Like maybe the numbers add up to a 'cleaner' OC this way?)

If I 'only' want a 25% OC (from 2.4 to 3.0GHz), how do I go about it?

Or would you advice against hitting that particular speed?

On this site they OC the E6600 to 3GHz. Do you have any comments on how they went about it? (I mean, are their settings 'good enough'?)

 

[IndyJaws]

Originally posted by: Yoxxy
Change overclocking to manual and place these things in.
# vCore: 1.350
# vFSB: 1.300
# vNB: 1.3
# Memory Voltage: 2.1
# Configured FSB: 400
# Memory Ratio should be 1:1 or DDR2-800
# Configured Ratio: 8
# Configured Memory Timings: 4-4-4-12 (Configured under Chipset)
# C1E and SpeedStep off, Locked PCI Express Frequency locked at 100, PCI Sync Mode at 33.33.

That will be your easiest way to get the most out of your system for bios. You will have 1:1 ratio and hit 3.2 ghz, this is a pretty modest overclock. The ratio of your processor goes down to 8 which allows you to hit more on the FSB increasing bandwidth between the processor and other components. Power consumption may go up by 30w in total.

Cheers.

Doesn't the E6600 have a multiplier of 9? Wouldn't a FSB of 400 give 3.6 ghz rather than 3.2? Or am I missing something? (Planning on a similar build myself)

 

[lopri]

Yeah E6600 has x9 multiplier. Other than in some isolated situations, you wouldn't want to change that. It's a plenty low multi to begin with.

I wouldn't worry to much about 'how to OC' ahead. If you have no experience, you start with something small. Like raising the FSB by the factor of 5 or 10. Start it from there and you will learn one by one. It doesn't hurt to read about others' experiences, though.

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: Ronin13
ASUS P5-E Plus, C2D E6600, 2x1 Gb Corsair XMS2 6400C4 RAM, 320 Gb Seagate 7200.10 harddrive, Plextor DVD burner, Leadtek 7900 GTX, X-Fi Xtreme Music, all in an Antec P150 case that comes with an Antec Neo HE 430 PSU..

1: If I OC the CPU the 25% I intend, what influence will it have on power consumption? Will it draw extra power all the time? Or only when it's being heavily taxed?

2: Will such an OC have any adverse effect on the computer's other parts?

3: Will the stock CPU cooler be enough?

4: I assume that both the motherboard as well as the RAM I've chosen will be adequate?

5: How do I do it? Specifically, what properties do I need to change in the BIOS? And from what to what?

6: Are there more than one way to increase the 2.4 GHz C2D to 3.0 GHz?

7: Will the RAM in question be able to run at it's rated DDR 800 with 4-4-4-12 timings when OC'ing?

Your selection of components are very fine. (You must have studied before posting this!) Only reservation I'd have is the 7900 GTX. With the imminent launch of 8800 GTX/GTS, I don't think it's a good investment. At the very least wait till the price of 7900 GTX drops.

And the answers:

1. It will draw more power consistently. But as long as you have adequate cooling you don't need to worry. For example, an OC'ed CPU might consume 2W more power under idle and 10W more power under load. But in a grand scheme of things, they're a drop in a bucket. Controlling heat is the top priority.

2. OC'ing does affect other components, and its side-effects are heavily dependent on the quality of motherboard as well as the degree of OC. With your choice of board, I can't think the likes of 2.4GHz -> 3.0GHz would cause a problem.

3. Probably. But I generally avoid them.

4. Superb choices.

5. See Yoxxy's post.

6. There is only one way to OC with your CPU, that is, raising FSB. Everything else is there to work for (or against) the FSB OC'ing.

7. Yes. Chances are they'll do DDR2-800 / 3-3-3 with 2.2~2.4V.

 

[Ronin13]

Originally posted by: lopri
Your selection of components are very fine. (You must have studied before posting this!)

Thanks (And I have - for me doing the research before a new build is part of the fun...)

Only reservation I'd have is the 7900 GTX. With the imminent launch of 8800 GTX/GTS, I don't think it's a good investment. At the very least wait till the price of 7900 GTX drops.

I agree. The 7900 GTX is what I would by now (or maybe a 7900 GTO), but I'm not ordering anything until I've seen the reviews of the 8800 GTS.

And the answers:

1. It will draw more power consistently. But as long as you have adequate cooling you don't need to worry. For example, an OC'ed CPU might consume 2W more power under idle and 10W more power under load. But in a grand scheme of things, they're a drop in a bucket. Controlling heat is the top priority.

After I posted my questions, I found this review, where it seems that OC'ing the E6600 to 3.0GHz actually makes it draw quit a bit more power than what you suggest (+27W @ idle, +40W under load).

I'm still pretty confident that I will have enough power with the 430W Antec Neo HE PSU for such an OC. But maybe not if I add a 8800 GTS card as well? I guess I'll have to wait and see... (as I was planning on anyway.)

6. There is only one way to OC with your CPU, that is, raising FSB. Everything else is there to work for (or against) the FSB OC'ing.

So (just to be sure) the only setting I'd have to change is the FSB from 266.1 to 334.0MHz? Like in this example?

This may be a dumb question, but how is the FSB speed related to the RAM speed? Am I better off if they are more 'in sync' with each other? (Like it seems that DDR 800 RAM is with the FSB of 400 that Yoxxy suggested above.)

Or doesn't it matter?

 

[Skyguy]

Exactly. You need the ratio set to 1:1. Therefore, the RAM speed will equal the same number as your FSB. Your 800 RAM will easily overclock much higher, depending on the volts, etc. But if you're not going for a huge overclock, then you can run it at stock timings with probably some added volts.

 

[The-Noid]

Processor has a multiplier of 9. I would go down to 8 though if you are only looking for a modest overclock. This will provide 400 on the fsb which that board can do easily and allow you to run you ram at 1:1 which has been proven to provide more bandwidth at the same speed. That ram needs a boatload of volts to hit 3-3-3 as well. I had one set that I got rid of to someone else needed 2.65 on the vdimm to hit 3-3-3-10 @ 410 mhz!

Oh well it is good ram for the rated timings though so it should end up ok.

Have a great day and good luck with the overlocking!

Cheers.