Overclocking - compared to standard clock

boleyd

Well-known member
I have been running my i5500k at 4.1 ghz for years. I assumed faster is better. I was curious if a lower speed would be a problem. No reason, just curious.So I went to lowest speed available 3.4 ghz No Turbo.Trainz ran at 30fps locked, no problems. No stops, no stutters. Next I added a live TV window, Added Trainz with the same route. No visual impact. Monitoring CPU usage it was max 80% with two active windows open. Checking GPU it was at 40%.
No visual impact on TV or Trainz.

Counter-intuitive. The load and the clock speed monitored with separate programs. The only explanation
I can come up with is that the CPU is probably not an explanation. Thousands of the some-what old variety out there. I suspect the ASRock motherboard. The master clock signal has to be distributed at various speeds to various pieces of hardware. I suspect the distribution system. While the clock shows a high speed not every hardware subsystem is getting the fastest clock. To cut expense some clock bus(s) may be dropping some pulses to allow cheaper components down the line. I know the CPU is getting max clock since it does hit thermal max 98.6c.:confused:
 
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Overclocking components is a circular thing. By this I mean if you increase the frequency, you increase the heat, and in order to drive the components faster, you need to increase the voltage, which increases the heat and eventually this causes instability.

There are many factors here that can cause poor performance when systems are overclocked. Among them is age, revision, circuit design, and component quality. Older components don't overclock well. This can be due to wearing out as in age-related failures, or because the components themselves are first generation, or step-versions. Earlier runs of CPUs and video chips, for example are not as reliable when run outside of their spec'd range. As time goes on, however, the later generation of revisions are more stable due to refined manufacturing processes. This is why the higher revision numbered, the step numbers, are more sought after with over-clockers, aka the ones who like to burn out their expensive PC components as they push them to the maximum to eek out the tiniest speed increase. While components may allow for pushing beyond their base spec, but within their tolerances, some components overclock better than others, and some can't. Finding components that all work together is quite expensive.

As a former electronics technician who worked with design engineers, manufacturing, quality-control, and field service, I would go with works the most stable. If you are seeing great overall performance not overclocked, I would continue to use that rather than push the components because you are not going to see anything worth the effort and the downside is running the components at their maximum all the time does degrade them. This is no different than running a car engine at full bore all the time, eventually the components wear out.
 
I prefer to NOT overclock on my secondary PC that has a video card, as I don't want any excessive heat on my system.

As I do not have a video card at all, my integrated graphics Windows desktop PC, gets pretty darn good framerates (@ 20-30 FPS).
 
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There is one set of adjustments that can improve performance, and not necessarily significantly increase heating. That is memory timing. Although most bios now use SPD, performance gains can still be had by tweaking.
 
TS19 and Game both use the GPU quite hard, and the CPU is less stressed...
My i5 runs at 4.2 (overclocked and liquid cooled), but it's the GPU that runs at full capacity.

Earlier Trainz versions did stress the CPU - I lost one motherboard/CPU due to overheating.

Colin
 
When I ran at 4.2ghz (could have gone higher K-version) I would guess 1/2 of the time it was at thermal max 98c. I was ready to drop $1k for some new components when I tried the lower clock. I thought about turning on Turbo but could not justify it . Right now (full screen) 45% load 45c with a map of a large route.
 
I use the Motherboard BIOS settings to make sure that my desired temperatures aren't exceeded.

That's the same BIOS that lets me set the overclock frequency.

Similarly, I'm overclocking my GPU, but adjusted the settings to increase the cooling fans' rpm to make sure that the temperature isn't exceeded.

Colin
 
I never run my CPU's above 80 degrees C
Which is 176F

This winter I will be installing my desktop PC in a cold back bedroom, that gets down to 50F, with a small desktop fan blowing on the exposed open PC innards, and long cable it into a distant heated room where I sit, I prefer 72F. :cool:
 
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My system doesn't get any warmer than 58 C. When it's warm out, I crank up the fans.

When it is 100 Deg F outside, with the window opened, and PC room at 90 Deg F inside, it runs around 49 C, with the fans on CPU and GPU in auto. GPU temps are around 78 C.
 
When it is 100 Deg F outside, with the window opened, and PC room at 90 Deg F inside, it runs around 49 C, with the fans on CPU and GPU in auto. GPU temps are around 78 C.

I crank up the fans on the GPU as well and the temps are about 63 C max.

This is one of those huge Corsair cases that they don't make anymore that I got for the space inside for the airflow which is so critical for PC components.
 
I think overclocking is more of a hobby than a necessity - just to look at the abilities of your iron. With a good computer optimization, you can achieve great results without overclocking.
 
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