The trek to 3.8 Ghz+ on E8400

[Madpistol]

Just wanted to let you guys know that I've started overclocking my fiance's new E8400. My goal is 3.8Ghz and hopefully higher. I'm hoping to keep it under 50 C on full load if possible.

So far the results look very promising. I'm at 3.45 Ghz currently. Core voltage= 1.25V. CPU cooler is a Zalman CNPS9700 LED.

Memory is 2x2GB Patriot 1066mhz memory. The timings are 4-4-4-12-2T and Mem voltage=2.0V

I'm using Orthos CPU/memory blend to test stability, and so far, nothing has changed since I started. The highest temperature I've gotten so far is 44 C. All the voltages, memory timings, etc. are all the same as when I started. This processor has been incredible so far. :D

I'll keep you guys posted. I'm about to up the CPU to 3.5Ghz, so we'll see if I have to up the voltages, loosen the timings, etc.

[Madpistol]

Up to 3.6Ghz now. Amazingly enough, the settings are still exactly the same!

Opening up the case shows that the northbridge is pretty warm to the touch, but the HD4870 is still by far the hottest thing in this case.

Max temperature on the CPU is still 44C.
Memory is at 800Mhz 4-4-4-12 2T 2.0V
CPU is at 3.6Ghz, 1.25 Vcore (9x400mhz)

I'm starting to really love this CPU! :captnkill:

I wish my E6600 could do this... :(

[Madpistol]

I'm now at 3.7Ghz

On first restart, it crashed before it fully booted to desktop, so I loosened the timings to 5-5-5-15 2T. The system booted, and I'm now testing it for stability at 3.7Ghz.

Everything else is unchanged. Memory is @ 824mhz.

[Madpistol]

Are all E8400's this easy to overclock?!?!?

3.8Ghz
Vcore=1.25V
Memory=846mhz, 5-5-5-15 2T
Vmem=2.00V

Unreal! Max temperature is up to 45C now, but other than that, there has been no changes since I began early this afternoon, bar loosening the timings once.

I guess that means I'm not stopping yet. 3.8Ghz @ 45C is well below where I thought I was going to be. I guess I'm going for 4Ghz now. :D

[Madpistol]

I'm stopping at 3.9Ghz. At 4Ghz, I was able to boot to desktop each time, but I couldn't keep the system stable. I even increased the voltages on the CPU to 1.275V and memory to 2.1V. Neither was enough to keep the system stable for more than about 5 minutes.

I think 3.9Ghz @ 1.25 Vcore and Memory at 868mhz @ 2.0V is pretty dang solid though. I'm impressed that the system was able to get this high on such low voltages.

I also think that it's not the processor or the memory. I think it's the motherboard (Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R). The northbridge is passively cooled, and it felt fairly hot to the touch when I had the system @ 4Ghz. Granted, for a $120 motherboard, this thing is kick ass! I wish my 680i SLI would do such an overclock this effortlessly.

I think that's it. Anyone have any suggestions as to what to do now? I want to fine tune it by tightening the timings one by one and pulling down the voltages little by little. Any other suggestions?

[Eliminator]

maybe get a better cooler and crank the voltage to 1.4-1.5V... im thinking at least 4.5ghz is doable

[Madpistol]

maybe get a better cooler and crank the voltage to 1.4-1.5V... im thinking at least 4.5ghz is doable

If you're talking about the CPU cooler, that's not the problem. The highest temperature I got from 3.9Ghz is 47C. That's not much higher than where my E6600 idles at 3.6Ghz. Temperature is not the problem here. I think the board may be the culprit, but I'm not really sure. :(

I'll test it more later, but as of right now, my fiance's computer is almost silent, and I think she wants to keep it that way. ;)

[ViN86]

Up to 3.6Ghz now. Amazingly enough, the settings are still exactly the same!

Opening up the case shows that the northbridge is pretty warm to the touch, but the HD4870 is still by far the hottest thing in this case.

Max temperature on the CPU is still 44C.
Memory is at 800Mhz 4-4-4-12 2T 2.0V
CPU is at 3.6Ghz, 1.25 Vcore (9x400mhz)

I'm starting to really love this CPU! :captnkill:

I wish my E6600 could do this... :(

pfft, that thing will do 4 easy.

only reason i dont have mine at 4 is my RAM/Mobo timings wont allow it :(

if you want higher OC's go with DFI. and yes, all of these E8400's OC like that haha. one reason i went with it over the Q6600.

[Retrolock]

Push that sucker to 4ghz @1.3v if necessary. I run mine at 4050mhz @1.45v (I have a bad batch) when I benchmark and it's still puttering along. I'm at 3.6ghz 24/7 @1.28v.

Check your cpuz, if it has an E0 stepping chances are it'll hit 4.5ghz with low voltage.

[Madpistol]

Ok... due to everyone pushing me to push the chip a little bit further, I'm now running the chip at 4Ghz @ 1.3V. I'm using Orthos to verify its stability right now. I've also pushed the memory to 890mhz @ 2.1V (5-5-5-15)

BTW, the chip is an E0 stepping. I assume that's a good thing for us. ;)

EDIT: it's been running Orthos for 10 minutes now, so this looks promising.

[CaptNKILL]

Don't be afraid of a little voltage. I've been running my E6750 at 1.5v @ 3.6Ghz for around 16 months and its rock solid. :)

[grey_1]

Nice! have you had to up the NB voltage at all?

[Madpistol]

Nice! have you had to up the NB voltage at all?

not yet. I just left it on Auto. I'll play around with it sometime in the future. for now, it's fine.

Anyway, she's playing on it right now, and it hasn't glitched once, so this could be a keeper! :D

[EciDemon]

Don't be afraid of a little voltage. I've been running my E6750 at 1.5v @ 3.6Ghz for around 16 months and its rock solid. :)

I hope to get similar results as you, just got my new kingston pc 8500 1066mhz ram in my hand. Gonna install when I get home from work.

Installed now is kingston value 800mhz with Fsb at 420 and 8 multi (3.36ghz) but can't go higher on that ram it seems.

I'm also using the CNPS9700 cooler.

[Bman212121]

Don't be afraid of a little voltage. I've been running my E6750 at 1.5v @ 3.6Ghz for around 16 months and its rock solid. :)

Yes, but he has an E8400 which is penryn based. The starting voltage is lower on them than the E6750.

E8400 should be max of 1.3625.
E6750 is 1.5V max.

[Toss3]

Don't be afraid of a little voltage. I've been running my E6750 at 1.5v @ 3.6Ghz for around 16 months and its rock solid. :)

Yup as long as you have the means to keep the temps down go higher! :thumbsup:

[hemmy]

why are you trying to keep it under 50c ???

Even 70 is a fine core temp (load) for an E8400

Ehh, thats bad wording - not fine, but will induce no harm I guess.

[EciDemon]

Got the pc 8500 ram installed and hit 3.6ghz without problems :)
vcore on my E6750 is set to 1.45, it drops to 1.42-1.43 during load according to HWMonitor (http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php)

I wonder if it's possible to go higher with the e6750?

[Quick420]

not yet. I just left it on Auto. I'll play around with it sometime in the future. for now, it's fine.

Anyway, she's playing on it right now, and it hasn't glitched once, so this could be a keeper! :D

If it starts getting flaky like mine did drop it to 3.6 and run the memory 1:1 for best possible memory bandwidth.Rock solid cpu's these are.

[mullet]

Up to 3.6Ghz now. Amazingly enough, the settings are still exactly the same!

Opening up the case shows that the northbridge is pretty warm to the touch, but the HD4870 is still by far the hottest thing in this case.

Max temperature on the CPU is still 44C.
Memory is at 800Mhz 4-4-4-12 2T 2.0V
CPU is at 3.6Ghz, 1.25 Vcore (9x400mhz)

I'm starting to really love this CPU! :captnkill:

I wish my E6600 could do this... :(


Perfect 24/7 setup dude. BTW I wouldn't push a 45nm cpu past 1.4vcore IMO.

[Quick420]

Perfect 24/7 setup dude. BTW I wouldn't push a 45nm cpu past 1.4vcore IMO.

Over 1.4 is asking for trouble,mine started acting up(even though temps were fine) so I backed off to 3.6 It seems intel should have released these as 3.6 cpu's since they will do it easily and are rock solid at that freequency,good luck have fun with the new toy:P

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL(nana2)

[hell_of_doom227]

I was wondering about swapping my q6700 for E8400 or something. 4.0+ Ghz clock speed on dual core is better then 3.6Ghz clock speed on quad...for gaming and that's what i do most.

[mullet]

no

[grey_1]

no

Might want to tone it down a bit there mullet. This is a family oriented site.












:D

Back OT, I'll shoot for 3.8 or more on my E8400 after I get better ram. As far as upgrading goes, my E8400 handles everything I hit it with just fine, no upgrade needed.

Doesn't mean I won't want to upgrade soon. :p

[Madpistol]

The E8400 is still running at 4Ghz @ 1.3V. Rock solid. The Wolfdale's are sick little chips! I can't believe how much better they are than the Conroe's!