CPU cooling Overclocked performance
Since we have a killer whale in the house we definitely should have decent tweakability on the processor.
As such, we were wondering where wed end up with a quick overclocking session. So we popped in a Core i5 750 processor and had a peek at several stages in overclocking and its respective temperatures, have a look at the following results please.
Perhaps its a bit hard to read in the chart, but these are the four tested stages.
- Core i5 750 @ default | fan regulated by motherboard (dynamic PWM)
- Core i5 750 @ 3.2 GHz with 1.3 volts on the CPU | fan fixed at 80%
- Core i5 750 @ 4.0 GHz with 1.4 volts on the CPU | fan fixed at 80%
- Core i5 750 @ 4.2 GHz with 1.5 volts on the CPU | fan fixed at 80%
Looking with an enthusiasts eye, we notice that the frequency of 4GHz is the maximum safe choice for a 24/7 overclocked system. Although Intel states 1.35 Volts as the max-safe voltage applied for these 32nm processors, we think that 1.4 Volts is more recommended for those who hesitate to sacrifice their systems stability over a 50mV increment. Some of you guys may hold onto your horses and opt to go for 3.75GHz at @1.35 core voltage. However, wondering through many forums around the net, Ive seen many people striving to join the 4GHz Club, no matter the consequences.
So let me get this straight, if you want 4GHz you can have it. Higher voltages are not welcome though. As such, 1.5 Volts is considered an excessive voltage to apply, only with more exotic cooling solutions rather than air-coolers. Personally, I wouldnt recommend it, as Ive seen more than one 32nm chip actually being killed by too much VCore applied. We do this measurement because we want to seek a threshold in cooling performance. So, where is the i7 920? Where is the e8500? Of course weve tested them too. Here we are:
Its obvious that the Killer Whale cannot ride on the i7 920. If you are an X58 Bloomfield owner then you must deal with its high temperatures and forget serious overclocking situations. In spite of that, both e8500 and i5 750 owners are able to push their hardware to its limits as long they remain inside the recommended voltage fields.
