Intel Q9400: How much can I expect?

[GreatUSA]

Read this guide bud... it will tell you everything you need to know. It has enough information to get you started surely: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/...lock-C2Q-(Quads)-and-C2D-(Duals)-A-Guide-v1-1

1156? 2013-3? 1156 is old (though newer than s775) and 2013-3 doesn't exist (2011-3)?

I'm reading that link now. Thanks!

 

[GreatUSA]

I just came across this.

Is this a good way to overclock? Does it work by overclocking my CPU when Windows boots up? Link: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24075/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-

 

[Mjolnir]

No, don't use software based utilities for overclocking, especially on your platform.

 

[GreatUSA]

Thanks!

I just came across these Intel aps, but I don't know which ones are helpful for my CPU...: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/873/Processors

 

[wingman99]

Overclock in Bios it is the safest.

 

[GreatUSA]

Thanks, but are any of those Intel apps useful even if I don't use them directly to overclock them like for testing CPU stability?

This was the link: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/873/Processors

 

[wingman99]

For testing CPU stability I would use Pime95 and to check voltage use HWmonitor.

 

[GreatUSA]

Thanks! I've now got Prime95, HWMonitor and CPU-Z all installed.

 

[wingman99]

Post back if you have any other questions.

 

[GreatUSA]

The Q9400 CPU is 2.66Ghz at stock speeds.

What's a safe overclock I can do that'll give me some performance increase but also remain stable?

 

[wingman99]

I would try for 3.2-3.5GHz.

 

[GreatUSA]

Wow, really? That seems like a major overclock...

Let's say I was cautious and I only went to 3.0Ghz. How much of a performance increase would I get from my CPU with this kind of overclock?

Thanks!

 

[wingman99]

A little improvement. Link http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/76?vs=49

 

[GreatUSA]

Thanks, but is that accurate? It's comparing the Q9400 to a Q9650 which has much more L2 cache...?

 

[wingman99]

Thanks, but is that accurate? It's comparing the Q9400 to a Q9650 which has much more L2 cache...?

Yes it is. Cache does not make that much difference in Benchmarks and Gaming.

 

[GreatUSA]

Thanks!

So, I'd be looking at about a 10% general improvement by overclocking the Q9400 from 2.66Ghz to 3.00Ghz?

I'm guessing that by overclocking the Q9400 from 2.66Ghz to 3.2Ghz would give about a 15% general improvement?

 

[wingman99]

Thanks!

So, I'd be looking at about a 10% general improvement by overclocking the Q9400 from 2.66Ghz to 3.00Ghz?

8.8%

I'm guessing that by overclocking the Q9400 from 2.66Ghz to 3.2Ghz would give about a 15% general improvement?

13.2%

 

[GreatUSA]

Thanks so much for sticking with me!

Could you please explain how you got those numbers?

 

[wingman99]

With finding the Percentage Q9400 to Q9650 Encoding and Gaming Benchmarks of real world work at Anandtech.

 

[GreatUSA]

Sorry, but could you explain a bit more? I'm not understanding you?