Hello gents. I've just stabalized my new i7 3820 to 4.6GHz, and am quite satisfied with the results. While I was tuning my system, I noticed that my P9X79 MB has the option to set the multiplier per core, instead of the entire CPU. So I started thinking (oh-oh), since FSX runs mostly on one core, delegating only some tasks to other cores, would overclocking the FSX main core higher than the other cores be a good idea at all?

 

Without finding any topics anywhere describing any results of such an attempt, I can at this point only use my ( flawed?) logic: Tuning down cores that are not as busy would reduce the required vcore for a stable clock, and therefore the temps, allowing for a higher clock on the core mainly used by FSX. Since FSX doesn't use these other cores, it is more likely that this would boost FSX performance. That's at least the general idea.

 

Now, I'm completely new to overclocking, and I therefore know very little about the relationship between the different cores, the memory timings, etc etc. For all I know, running cores at different speeds might screw everything up. So those of you who actually know this stuff, what's your thoughts on this? Impossible? Plausible? Feel free to comment your predicitons, and maybe even attempts.

 

 

 

It depends on whether your BIOS has settings that allow you to do so. If it does, here's a guide:

 

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1592713

 

Don't blame me if your PC catches on fire, etc.

Meese

As an experiment I turned of  HT and then in the BIOS disabled 2 cores and overclocked the other 2 to 5.2GHz (water cooling) and FSX ran very well indeed.  However as JABloomf . . above  said I was afraid something would go wrong and reinstated the other 2 cores and ran all 4 at 4.6Ghz with no issues and with FSX still looking fine.

So if the BIOS allows it then it can be done, but it may not be without drawbacks. 

 

I now use software to "maximise/Optimise" core usage but I could be deluding myself that it works well!!

 

Good Luck

PeterH

Meese

As an experiment I turned of  HT and then in the BIOS disabled 2 cores and overclocked the other 2 to 5.2GHz (water cooling) and FSX ran very well indeed.  However as JABloomf . . above  said I was afraid something would go wrong and reinstated the other 2 cores and ran all 4 at 4.6Ghz with no issues and with FSX still looking fine.

So if the BIOS allows it then it can be done, but it may not be without drawbacks. 

 

I now use software to "maximise/Optimise" core usage but I could be deluding myself that it works well!!

 

Good Luck

PeterH

Do you by any chance remember what your vCore and temps were when you had that config?

Not excessive as far as I can recall - it was just an experiment to see if it could be done - so the flight might only been for about an hour or so.  I use a large water cooling rig to cool the cpu - Thermaltake which takes up 2 slots on the front of the mobo plus 5 x 120 mm fans in a full tower case.  This keeps everything fairly cool.

pH

Yeah. I'm not sure if/when I'll try this, as I'm stable at 4.6GHz, with my Noctua NH-D14. It runs FSX smoothly, so I don't really have the need right now.