E8500 Overclock

[Guest Tom R]

Hey guys, I have an E8500 on the Gigabyte EP45-UD3R Water cooled with a eVGA 8800GTS 640MB (the older series) and the CPU Water Block on the same loop.I have managed to get to 400x9.5 which gives me 3.8Ghz.I set the voltage from "Auto" to 1.205 because I read somewhere (cant remeber where) that the CPU runs better when you manually set the voltage. Is this true?Anyway, w/ Prime95 running for 10 hours (the Large FFT test) I run at 64-65C in a room about 25C.Is that safe for the E8500 "E0"?Another thing, is 10 hours a sufficient amount of time to test a CPU for stability?Am i using the correct test (Large FFT) in Prime95?I appreciate your help,Thanks in advance.

[tfm 169]

Hey guys, I have an E8500 on the Gigabyte EP45-UD3R Water cooled with a eVGA 8800GTS 640MB (the older series) and the CPU Water Block on the same loop.I have managed to get to 400x9.5 which gives me 3.8Ghz.I set the voltage from "Auto" to 1.205 because I read somewhere (cant remeber where) that the CPU runs better when you manually set the voltage. Is this true?Anyway, w/ Prime95 running for 10 hours (the Large FFT test) I run at 64-65C in a room about 25C.Is that safe for the E8500 "E0"?Another thing, is 10 hours a sufficient amount of time to test a CPU for stability?Am i using the correct test (Large FFT) in Prime95?I appreciate your help,Thanks in advance.

In my first attempt at an over-clockable PC last summer I used an E8500 with an Asus P5K board. From memory, I could get it to go to about 4.2GHz (440MHz x 9.5). But after a week or so it degraded - at least, I started getting random crashes - and I had to drop back to 3.8GHz to restore reliable performance. It was rock solid at that speed.So my advice would be to stick where you are.On your other question: 10 hours under Prime95 should be enough - BUT Prime95 does not seem to catch all the possible stuff that FSX can throw at it, so NO AMOUNT of Prime95 time can give you a 100% guarantee of stability under FSX: FSX can break parts that Prime95 doesn't reach ...Tim

[Mace 1,904]

Anyway, w/ Prime95 running for 10 hours (the Large FFT test) I run at 64-65C in a room about 25C.Is that safe for the E8500 "E0"?

For reference, I run my E8500 with air, (a Thermalright Ultra 120), and it maxxes at about 70C @ 3.8 ghz with a typical room temp.Agreed with Tim, there's no stress--like FS stress. Sure, do Prime95 and SuperPI type of testing initially. But then simulate a long flight in FS9 or FSX. That'll be the true test of any overclock.

[Guest Tom R]

OK, thanks guys I appreciate it.

[ppo 67]

I have that CPU running at 3950 ghz (415*9.5). Temps under load = 55-57c (37-37c at idle)Core volt read 1.304 (set auto)RAM is at 1107 (timing manual 5-5-5-15, latency 54)CPU heatsing is OCZ Vendetta 2MB Asus P5Q provideo card 8800 gts 640megI found out the best OC tests are when you run FSX itself with reference flights.PierreWhen you overclock, think about your RAM too

[Chuck_B 2]

Geez, I must be doing something wrong. I've got my E8500 clocked to 4.12 on air -- temps are consistently 62 - 72, depending on which temp software you look at. Specs below (I THINK they're up to date).

[Mace 1,904]

Geez, I must be doing something wrong.

Why do you think that? Your results look about right to me... ??

[Chuck_B 2]

Why do you think that? Your results look about right to me... ??

Mace--I was just kidding -- I wanted the OP to know what was yet possible on air, and I guess I forgot to add the smilie.So, here it is now: :(

[Mace 1,904]

Ah ok. You are doing a little better than I am temp-wise; under Prime stress mine tops at about 70C at 3.8 ghz. I may be overvolting a little bit for the overclock though. I am always dialing it in. My cooler may not be quite as good as yours, either.

[Noel 4,493]

Geez, I must be doing something wrong. I've got my E8500 clocked to 4.12 on air -- temps are consistently 62 - 72, depending on which temp software you look at. Specs below (I THINK they're up to date).

My QX9650 purrs along at 4.2 with FSX running, and fresh air aimed at the CPU/Memory/mainboard, at up to 70 degrees. I use 1.39v to keep it stable. If I want to crank it up a tad more, she runs fine at 4.4Ghz at 1.412v, and temps at this level are between 58-64 tops using cold air blown gently onto the CPU/Memory/mainboard. Even tho this CPU is rated to be run up to 1.45v maximum, I feel like it might be stressing it to run it at 4.4Ghz, so I usually run around 4.1 to 4.2, depending if I need a little more CPU headroom for complex flights. I have never tried overclocking beyond 4.4Ghz.I use output from a small thru-the-wall AC unit via aluminum 5" flex hoses that carry cool to very cool air (setting dependent) directly at those critical parts. It is important to note: this is low flow-rate, cool to very coold air, that is both dehumidified and not cold enough to cause condensation on warmed PC parts. I have done this many years with different PCs and had no crashes, hardware failures except for one video card that was overclocked heavily for 3 years, and also one mainboard that I overclocked and undervolted (my analysis). Both items were warrantied.Noel

[Guest Tom R]

I could do better on temps if i took my 8800GTS out of the same loop. Probably a good 5 degrees C.70 C seems dangerous to me. I dont like my components to be that hot.

[Chuck_B 2]

Noel: I think I've seen a pic of your setup you may have posted here a few months ago -- I had asked a question about an air conditioned case. I like your solution.I have a side case fan blowing directly onto my video card, which has a fan of it's own and I have installed a cheap PCI fan blowing on it from underneath as well. The case fan also blows directly onto my CPU cooler, and I have front and rear fans, a mini fan blowing on my memory sticks, and of course the fan built into the PSU -- the whole setup is "directed" so that air flow is continuous and in one direction. To top it all off I have a $10 vertical desk minifan blowing across the back of my boxes to keep any hot air flowing away from my set up.

[irocx 292]

Chuck, that's a nice OC on air. I could just not get mine stable much past 4-0, so I settled back a notch or two and for awhile even went back to 3.8 as there really isn't much appreciable difference in FSX. My cpu temps have always been upper 59-62 max but the lack of a decent NB cooler (and no room for one) had me more concerned on that front. To the OP, get what you can get, stable, cause for FSX I haven't found it worth the xtra effort.

[DAD 2,650]

interesting read. just oc'ed my e8500 yesterday for the first time. chose 380*9.5 so far, just adjusted the DRAM freq and nothing else. works at 3.6ghz like a charm, just 37C on both cores when running fsx with ASA and the PMDG MD11. Prime95 brought temps up to 70C though...I may try the 3.8Ghz, too. But yesterday I was not successful when just setting the bus to 400 and leaving everything else as is; will try to fiddle with the core voltage though. which are your setting here? Tom, I see you are using 1.205v. I read somewhere that 1.35v might be needed? So should I start with the lower value? What is the default core voltage and which are the 'allowed' specifications for the E8500?Besides, how do I know whether my E8500 is a E0 model? brPhil-E8500@3.6Ghz-8800GT-Asus P5E-VM HDMI-8GB Corsair-Vista64

[Chuck_B 2]

Mine is at 1.45v. 430 @ 9.5. If I go lower my system becomes unstable and FS9 CTDs.