Question about Overclocking?

[PC Pilot Dave 3]

Hello all,

 

I'm in the process of saving and planning to build a computer to run FSX. I currently run it on a laptop (which has been a bit rough), but I am hoping to build a new machine to run FSX on sometime this winter. I have been reading up online about what works and what does not work for an FSX computer. From what I understand, in order to get the most out of FSX it is necessary (or at least very recommended) to overclock your CPU. I have experience building computers, but this would be my first time overclocking a CPU. So my question right now is, would it be necessary to watercool this system if I am overclocking the CPU? I also have never watercooled a system, so this would be two new steps for me and I want to make sure I am prepared before I start investing into a system.

 

If it helps at all, here are the parts I am tentatively looking at. For some reason, PC Part Picker only allows me to select one fan, but with this current build, I'd plan to use every fan slot available in this case (I believe it is 5).

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/GLaDOS/saved/#edit_description_442881

 

Any thoughts or suggestions regarding the watercooling (or even the system in general) would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thank you!

[martin-w 3,235]

Quote

would it be necessary to watercool this system if I am overclocking the CPU?

No, a full blown custom water cooling setup is not required.

 

I run an i73770K Ivy Bridge. My cooler is a Noctua NH-D14 air cooler. I'm overlooked to 4.5GHz. My temps in FSX are 55 degrees. Nice and cool and very quiet.

 

Another option is a closed loop water cooler, they require zero maintenance and are very easy to install. Leaks are a possibility though.

 

 

Temps here, overclocked and under load...

 

http://www.guru3d.co..._review,13.html

 

H100i 76 degrees

Kraken X60 70 degrees [Noisy higher RPM fans]

Corsair H110 72 degrees [Very quiet]

NH-D14 72 degrees [Very quiet]

 

Noise levels here...

 

http://www.guru3d.co..._review,11.html

 

NH-D14 and H110 are the best in terms of heat sink/radiator efficiency. If they fit in your case.

[PC Pilot Dave 3]

Hi Martin,

 

Thank you for the information! I think, given all the options, I'd prefer to stick with traditional fans. Something about running water through my system makes me nervous haha.

 

Thanks again! I appreciate the help!

[martin-w 3,235]

Glad to help.

 

To be fair, leaks from closed loop water coolers seem to be quiet rare. but of course we can't say precisely how common they are, as we don't have access to the manufacturers sales, and failure figures.

 

My opinion is similar to yours, why install a water cooler and with it the small risk of a leak, when something like my NH-D14 is guaranteed leak free, and cools just as well.

[IFR7700 228]

You definitely need to buy a better cpu cooler than the one listed.  I bet the stock cooler is better than Rosewill.

[PC Pilot Dave 3]

Thanks Martin! We definitely agree on that point!

 

Hi IFR700. I'm not too up to date on what the higher-quality cooling fans are. Would you be willing to make any recommendations? What about Martin's NH-D14?

[martin-w 3,235]

Thanks Martin! We definitely agree on that point!

 

Hi IFR700. I'm not too up to date on what the higher-quality cooling fans are. Would you be willing to make any recommendations? What about Martin's NH-D14?

 

Dave... have a read of the links I gave you above. all of the top coolers are there.

 

 NH-D14 and H110 are the best in terms of heat sink/radiator efficiency. If they fit in your case.

 

If you want to save some money, but still a achieve a reasonable overclock, the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo is a good choice.

 

But as I said,  reviews will tell you all you need to know.

[PC Pilot Dave 3]

Dave... have a read of the links I gave you above. all of the top coolers are there.

 

 NH-D14 and H110 are the best in terms of heat sink/radiator efficiency. If they fit in your case.

 

If you want to save some money, but still a achieve a reasonable overclock, the Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo is a good choice.

 

But as I said,  reviews will tell you all you need to know.

 

Hi Martin. Whoops - sorry, I forgot to go check those outs before I posted. I'll take a look at them today.

 

Thanks again for the great info!

[Adam T Lutley 12]

I have a 3770K OC'd @ 4.5 Ghz paired with a $30 CM Hyper 212 EVO and 2 fans in a push-pull arrangement and am very pleased with the performance. 4.5 Ghz seems to be the accepted "ceiling" of that chip without de-lidding. I've employed water cooling in my builds but went back to air for various reasons. Proper case airflow (location and placement of case fans) and a decent aftermarket air cooler are perfectly adequate for a moderate overclock. Regards

[martin-w 3,235]

Yep, Adam is spot on, the Hyper 212 EVO is the best bang for your buck when it comes to coolers.

 

Agree regarding 4.5 for 3770K as well. Mine will do 4.6 without any trouble, but 4.7 is a different story.

 

4.7 and the associated voltage is the point at which the Intel TIM becomes more of an insulator than conductor, and temps shoot up dramatically for me.

[HLJames 2,568]

The cooling solutions on the market now were designed for Sandy Bridge.

For Ivy and Haswell you have to turn to the mainstreem custom water cooling components. No delidding necessary 5GHz!

 

HLJAMES

[Ted Striker 338]

Martin, Adam,

 

What CPU voltages are you seeing in CPU-Z for your 3770K overclocks at 4.5 ghz?  I'm seeing 1.17V with a 80C CPU temperture, 68F room temperature, and using Aida64 FPU Stress test.  CPU temps in FSX are much lower.  Just curious what others are using in case I ever experience any instability in FSX.

 

Ted

[martin-w 3,235]

No way you are seeing 1.17 Ted, not under load. That sounds like the voltage at idle.

 

4.5 GHZ for me, FSX is around 55 or so, with an ambient of 20C. NHD-14 cooler.

 

Volts are 0.030 offset, which gives me 1.304 under load.

 

At idle volts are  1.168. Frequency drops to 1600.03 MHz.

 

Don't have Aida. In Prime blend test I'm at core temps of 64, 73, 69, 67. [Average 68.25] 

 

Ambient is high today in the UK, currently 24C. So that's a delta of 44.25.

[martin-w 3,235]

The cooling solutions on the market now were designed for Sandy Bridge.

For Ivy and Haswell you have to turn to the mainstreem custom water cooling components. No delidding necessary 5GHz!

 

HLJAMES

 

Wouldn't agree with that James. Aftermarket coolers aren't really designed for a given architecture. Rather, manufacturers compete with each other to produce the best cooling for a given price point.

 

NH-D14, Silver Arrow, H110... are all perfectly capable of handling an overclock up to 4.6 on Ivy bridge, which is plenty for most people.

 

As for the notion that we "have to turn" to a full blown custom loop for Ivy/Haswell, then no, that's not true at all. Further more, there are many out there with full blown custom loops who have still found that high overclocks are difficult. The reason for that is because it's not so much the cooling that's the issue with Ivy/Haswell, it's actually the fact that the thermal interface material under the IHS starts to act more like an insulator above a certain temp/voltage. 

[martin-w 3,235]

Correction to the above TED.

 

For the first time, I'm now getting BSOD's at that voltage. Error 0x00000101.

 

Have had to up the voltage. Now at 1.320 under load. I always new this CPU needed high volts, but it seems higher than I thought. Been fine for ages, but now prefers higher.

 

FSX temps at 20C ambient should now b around 59.