FX-4300 overclocking

[ihatejava]

Hey guys, I'm interested in overclocking my AMD FX4300 cpu.
It's at stock sitting at 3.8Ghz, but I would love to have it at 4.5GHz when overclocked.
I performed a Prime95 test for 80 minutes, max temperature reached 50 degrees Celcius (122 F) with my stock CPU cooler.
I'm brand new to overclocking, so I don't really know where to start.

My equipment is:
CPU: AMD FX-4300 Quad-Core
Motherboard: ASUS M5A78L-M LX V2
Memory: GEIL 8GB 1333MHz

Would 4.5GHz be reasonable with my current equipment? Or should I wait until I have the funds for a Corsair Hydro H100i cooler?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Dr. McCoy]

I'd wait until you have the Corsair unit, then go for it.
Although these chips will clock up even on air, yours is hitting 50C at 3.8GHz under load according to your post.
Since running it at a higher clockspeed requires more voltage and the higher clockspeeds tend to generate more heat anyway, would be a good idea to hold off until you have the Corsair unit in place. No sense in killing the chip without the hardware to handle it's cooling needs to get there. Also, don't just slam it up to 4.5 right off the bat, get it there gradually so you can see what it's gonna take to run 4.5 without overdoing it from a tweaking standpoint - These chips are responsive to voltage and it doesn't take as much as you'd think to get there. Once you do, you'll have a nice OC going and a good setup for whatever you'd want it for.

 

[ihatejava]

Thanks for the reply, Dr. McCoy.
It might have sounded like it, but after reading all the horror stories, I never planned on jumping to 4.5GHz straight out, so there's no need to worry there.
Do you think it would be possible to go to 4.0GHz with my stock cooler? Or still wait for the Hydro?
Thank you.

 

[Dr. McCoy]

Yes, 4.0 should be doable, in fact very doable but be sure to watch load temps "Just in case".

My 4300 does well with 1.35v's or so used and can reach 4.0 without a problem running that voltage. Of course no two chips are made equal and you'd need to test yours to see if it's as capable with that voltage used, might take more, might take less but I know it should hit 4.0 with no more than 1.40v's regardless.
Just try it, watch temps and see if it passes stability testing.

 

[ihatejava]

Awesome. I think I'll try it out now.

Thank you, good sir!

 

[ihatejava]

Update: Just ran a 40 minute stress test at 4.0GHz, didn't change the voltage. All tests were passed and it still maxed out at 50 degrees, averaged at around 48 degrees.
I'll run another stress test once I have my H100i and see how it holds up.

 

[Johan45]

Looks good. I'm curious to see what your socket temps are. We typically use HWmonitor free version which will show the CPU/socket temp and the core temp. You are saying 50°, I assume that's the core temp but the CPU/socket temp is important as well. You have a 3 phase board with no HS on the fets so we should check that temp.

 

[RGone]

^QFT^ +1

 

[ihatejava]

Looks good. I'm curious to see what your socket temps are. We typically use HWmonitor free version which will show the CPU/socket temp and the core temp. You are saying 50°, I assume that's the core temp but the CPU/socket temp is important as well. You have a 3 phase board with no HS on the fets so we should check that temp.

I'm using HWMonitor for my temperatures, and the 50 degrees max is listed as CPU Package, the only other temperatures I can see listed are the TMPIN[x] listed under motherboard which I didn't actually record. I will run a stress test while I sleep and record these and post updates.

 

[trents]

"Package" temp is the new HWMonitor terminology for what we used to call core temp. Socket temp would be one of the TMPINx lines and it can be guess work to figure out which one.

It would be more helpful if you would capture the HWMonitor program interface in an image and then upload it with your next post. There is a built-in forum tool for this if you will click on the Go Advanced button and then the little paperclip icon at the top of the window that appears. First capture and save the image to disk, however. Snipping Tool is great for capturing screen images.

 

[caddi daddi]

Ihatejava, please post a snip of harware monitor after 20 minutes of prime 95.
this will help us help you aot.

 

[ihatejava]

I attached the snippet of HWMonitor to this post. Unfortunately I opened HWMonitor after I'd already started the stress test, but everything is still there.

I would also like to point out that TMPIN2 always stays on 128C, even at first start up.

 

[RGone]

TMPlN0 seems the cpu socket temp.

TMPlN1 seems the mobo/ambient temp.

TMPlN2 is usually the VRM or CPU_NB temp but since the reading is dorked on that M5A78L-M LX V2 acting like it is an AM3+ mobo but likely is 760NB and 710 southbridge chipset not a 9xx chipset.

So with those two temp readings the cpu socket temp and the core/package temp where they are, it seems okay for now.

 

[ihatejava]

Well that's good, RGone. At least I'm somewhat sure that my computer won't **** itself anytime soon. I won't be overclocking any more until I have upgraded my cpu/mobo to a mid-priced intel 1155.

 

[RGone]

Good luck man. With the current rig and the forthcoming one.
RGone...

Well that's good, RGone. At least I'm somewhat sure that my computer won't **** itself anytime soon. I won't be overclocking any more until I have upgraded my cpu/mobo to a mid-priced intel 1155.