Where to start with this FX-8120!!!

[bulldog1963]

yeh, it still gets hot. Given that I only have a 92mm Heatsink with push/pull config, its not that bad of a cooler. Not meant for the FX series, but it worked wonders on an Athlon II. I did however put some elbow grease on it and wet sanded the base with very very very fine car sandpaper. So it's pretty smooth on the bottom w/o all those machine marks they mail it with.

The 8120 comes in 2 flavors: 95 watt and 125 watt. I have the 95 watt and it never gets to about 50 c (48 under load) oc'd to 4.0. I can push it further then I have to take one of my display cards to do PhysX. That is where the 8120 chip dies, for me at 4.2.

 

[GamerMagnet]

yeh, I think i've reached my limits with a Hyper TX3. im happy to see 4ghz with a setting of 1.2v in BIOS. I'd go for more just to see if the computer would turn on. I'd like to keep my voltage down. I think once I get my RMA back I'll be able to push harder.

After christmas time, will hopefully have the 4370 or 8370 by then, i'll find someone around these parts to build me a nice custom loop.

 

[bulldog1963]

the 8120 OC'd to 4.0 with my SLI 480's oc'd to 825 I get a 3DMark Vantage of over 29000 and a 3dMark 11 of over 9800. So, I'm pretty happy with my chips' performance. Plus, it overclocks like crazy. I've seen over 4.7. I just don't have the patience for than and, as someone mentioned, once you hit 4.5 you are kinda home free for pushing it further. The piledrivers should be significant improvement if they turn them out as they promised. So far the only CPUs for piledriver AMD has announced are FX-8350, FX-8320, FX-6300, and FX-4320.

 

[GamerMagnet]

yeh, meant to right 8350. Somewhere I read that the 4170 is being replaced by the 4370 at 4.2ghz stock. idk. but i think i remember that somewhere

 

[GamerMagnet]

okay, so I got my Kuhler 920 up and running. Everything is good with connection and all, but I am kinda confused.

When I had my TX3 cooling this chip, I was running 225x18 which came to be 4.05ghz and my max temp was 54c on the core, 62c on the socket temp during my stress test. So once I hooked up the kuhler 920, my max temp only dropped to 52c on core, 60c on socket. I've reseated the water block, have the Push/Pull drawing air from outside the case. I figured I'd get a good 10c drop in load temps with this Antec.

It could be the TIM I use. I've been an AS Ceramique2 user for a good while. I guess I'll give it a few days and let the heat cycles go through since they say it takes a few days for this stuff to break in. Idk.

@ Rgone: On the FX cpu you have, do you use a custom loop to cool it or some other form of all-in-one Water cooling solution?

 

[bassnut]

I am not too familiar with the AS 2 Ceramic ...... there is a comparison thread kicking around somewhere I'll see if I can find it after I eat. Generally the trusted brands here are AS5 ..... MX2 & 4. There are better but these 3 have stood the test of time. When I had the 920 on my PII 1090T I got about a 10*C difference from my Coolermaster V8 but am not sure if you will get that kind of improvment on an FX CPU. I did have mine on my 8120 but can't remember how high I had OC'd it that was when I had decided to go with a custom loop. I might have some old screen shots kicking aorund ..... maybe.

 

[GamerMagnet]

i've had pretty decent results from ceramique. I just put it in about 2 hours ago. So i'm hoping what normally happens with my TX-3 where 3 days down the road the temps go down a good 7c under load at the same setting.

 

[RGone]

Have they changed Ceramique from the original to #2?

I have used the original Ceramique for about 8 years now. Keep it in the 'big' tube size, for when I had to build up and tear-down 7 to 10 builds per week of the same cpu and ram. Boards were what changed out.

The older tests of the Ceramique I have used for years now, showed that it was within 1 or 2 degrees of being as good as AS5 back then. The Gianormous difference for me was NO real burn-in time versus AS5 from their website says it is not fully good for 200 hours. That is with AS5 and Ceramique thru early 2011. I have not checked since.

That said Ceramique was ready to go on a board that might not run 20 hours and was not conductive nor capacitive. Another big plus for me was that Ceramique did not run all over the place. Little stiffer than AS5 and AS5 if you got it on clothes could leave a stain and Ceramique did not usually do so. What can I say? Ceramique for me.

Another that was simply great was FREEZE by OCZ but they quit selling it. No burn-in and always good contact and low temps based on heat sink compound. Shame that quit making it. Back to Ceramique for me.

RGone...ster.

 

[bassnut]

Good to know. thanks RGone...ster

 

[bulldog1963]

Me, I like to use a wad of Trident chewing gum. it is really cheap and tastes good.

Actually, I looked at a ton of reviews on thermal compounds, and I found one by Cooler Master that is considered in all the reviews it showed up in as quite excellent: ThermalFusion 400. Easy to use and no burn-in time. and it was 13 bucks locally and it is a BIG tube. I looked at the silver stuff, but I really don't have the patience for a couple, maybe, degrees improvement. It isn't like I push my CPU anywhere near the limit (48 c full load, about 35 c idle).

I hear the Zalman ZM-STG2 (not the 1) is actually quite good, too. Plus it has a handy brush applicator. I used the STG1 (adequate) to put my aftermarket heatsink on my VGA card and the brush was the BEST thing next to sex on those teenie chips.

 

[GamerMagnet]

well, after all that Fuss about Chill Control with my last Kuhler 920, I'm not even gonna use the software so i unhooked the usb and tucked it behind the mobo tray. lol, go figure.


I went and picked up 2 120mm Scythe "Ultra Kaze" fans and 2 120mm Scythe "Slipsteam" fans at the computer store down the road. I have the Slipstreams on the push/pull config and the Ultra Kaze's are my front intake and side intake for gpu's. I'm gonna get a Fan Controller once I get paid on the 1st, but for now when i want to game and have my cpu at max clock I just turn off the green stuff so the fans hit there max RPM. So now with that same clock my temps are down to 45c under load. The Ultra Kaze are about as loud as the Antec fans that came with the Kuhler.

I do have a question though. When I power my computer on and the fans start turning they sound really funny. The only exhaust fan I have is 1 140mm top fan. Well, the psu and my 2 gpu's exhaust air as well. But it takes about 5 seconds for the noise to go away. For the first 5 seconds it feels like my top vents are sucking air in and once they get to max rpm I can feel a boat load of air blowing out the top.


Long explanation, but here is my question. Would it be better to have my Kuhler 920 push/pull exhausting air? I have Front intake(100 cfm), side intake(100cfm) rear intake (the slipstreams in push/pull). Can only connect 1 140mm fan up top because there isn't enough room with the Kuhler 920 in the way, to small of a gap. Also have an 80mm Delta blowing air directly onto my VRM/NB all in one heatsink.

@RGone
Do you use a custom loop with your FX-8120 or one of the all in one water coolers. The TIM I use is Ceramique2. Some people say not to use the white TIM on copper because it can tarnish and get into your TIM, is that true? Should I go and grab AS5 or the MX kind.

 

[bassnut]

allot will depend on your temps inside the case but concidering how much air the ultra kaze push you should be fine. Have you concidered the possibility of using the ultra kaze with your 920? I had a pair screwed on my H70 way back ..... Noisy as hell but used the fan controller on my Phanom case for them. I picked up 10*C doing that.

That being said ..... they are thick what you can do if you deciide to try this is put one on the outside of your case I had modded my phantom to allow me to put the whole cooler outside, mind you you might be able to get away with just using one. I have no idea if the fan controller in the 920 will handle them so I wouldn't advise you to try hooking them to the built in controller as it could burn out the complete unit.

EDIT ....

I do ask though, have you given the antec 920 a fair chance.

 

[RGone]

W/Block I use...

I find it hard to say how many HS Compounds I have used but primarily, the early type Ceramique, since I like how it works even with the DT (direct touch) type air coolers with the heatpipes touching the cpu lid. The consistency of Ceramique is very good to me with the exposed heatpipes.

 

[GamerMagnet]

I use my computer for 2 things basically. Playing games and watching movies. Im gonna use the 920, just not use the chill control software. When I game I'll have my fans at max rpm, when I watch movies I turn on a few green tech and smart fan to run the cpu at around 2.5ghz and barely any noise from the fans.

The reason I didn't use the Ultra Kaze in push pull was the thickness. I was gonna do what you said and mount 1 fan outside my case but I decided not to and just use the Slipstreams. They seem to push the same amount of air as the Antec fans that came with the kuhler.

Once I get the fan controller I might do a case mod and open the 2 holes on the back of my case a little larger so that I could fit the water block through it and mount the Kuhler on the outside of my case. My boards VRM heatsink is directly behind the Radiator, so I have to angle my 80mm Delta in a weird way to try and get a breeze to it.

This NZXT M59 isn't the best case in the world. It's decent for the price with all it features but they didn't pay attention to detail. In order to have a fan on the first top vent you can't put you cd/dvd/blu-ray player in the top slot. I can't fit a Fan on the 2nd top vent with the Kuhler because there isn't a large enough gap. And many other issues with it. Drives me crazy, should of just spent the extra money and got the Phatom.

 

[caddi daddi]

I run the chill control software and it's just fine.
one of the things to keep in mind with it is that it controls the fans in relation to the liquid temp and not the cpu or core temps.
I set the ramp start temp 1 degree c above idle temp and max fans at 41c.
this is on a quad core at 4.0ghz.

 

[GamerMagnet]

So i've been playing around with this thing trying to reach that 4.5ghz but wow..This 8120 is producing some heat.

Few questions to ask though:

1) Does raising the FSB but keeping the same clock give a higher temp? example...
a) FSB= 240, Multiplier= 15, Frequency is 3.6ghz
b) FSB= 200, Multiplier= 18, Frequency is 3.6ghz

Would that come to about the same Prime Load temp. Just asking before I actually test it out incase anybody has done this before. Sorry I'm lazy!!! lol

2) With my FX-8120, it seems once I start pushing past 1.3v this thing starts pumping out tremendous heat even with this Kuhler 920. While doing all my OC I have all fans running at Max. I've reseated this thing 2 times but I have noticed when I pull the water block the imprint in the TIM only seems to be getting full contact on the right side of the CPU. which leads to another question.

3) When seating the Kuhler 920 on the cpu, how tight should I twist the screws? Should it be tightened all the way until the screws stop turning? Should I just turn the screws one full rotation with a screw driver? And what is the best method of applying TIM to the Water Block and cpu? I removed the TIM that came with the Kuhler, just seemed like way to much. So when i reapplied it, I put a thin layer on both the water block and cpu. Then put a 3 small dots in a triangle fashion on the center of my cpu. Gave it a full 180 both ways and then screwed it in. Is there a better method with these things?

This doesn't have anything to do with my cpu, but figured I'd ask since most you guys help out in most of the sub-forums.

4) So I'm looking in HWmonitor at the voltages and my 12v rail reads 12.35v. It fluctuates from 12.22v to 12.35v when I run Prime95 or Intel Burn test. It's an XCILIO Goodpower 650w 80 bronze PSU. Now, when I had my Corsair CX600 on it the 12v rail read 12.16v and went up to 12.24v when doing any stability testing. Is that a bad thing? btw it also shows over 12v in BIOS and did with both the PSUs. Just want to know if this motherboard is powering my computer right.

5) Last but not least, what in the world is the -12v rail. When I was trying to push my computer last night I got up to about 4.4ghz before the heat was to much for this Kuhler 920. The -12v rail had a max at -13v. Is that normal?

okay, sorry for pouring out all those questions just had a lot to get out. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[caddi daddi]

gamermagnet, with the khuler, set and twist the waterblock into place tighten all four screws till it just holds in place, then tighten the screws one or two turns each using a crissy crossy patern till they are drawn tight.

sounds like way to much tim. try a blob about the size of two bb's, when you twist the block to lock it then tighten it down it will spread itself out.

attached is a pic of the amount i use and it is just a little to much as it's a mess when i remount.

also attached is a pic of my other block and the results.

 

[caddi daddi]

also the fx 8 core makes a ton of heat, just get used to it, 8 cores at high voltage is just going to make heat.

just run the bus at 185-200 and clock with the multi on this cpu, it's happy that way.

 

[bassnut]

I have found using the FSB will help with the higher OC's a bit ..... I don't think you will be pushing those limits as much as I, caddi daddi or RGone have so like caddie Daddie said stick to just using the Multi. Later if you ahve some room with your temps to OC higher you can try adding som FSB. Asfor your question you will generate the same kinda heat either way you OC.Your PSU has a couple different rails .... think of them as designated cirquits that supply your different voltages you will need. As for the fluctuations I have no idea ..... mine are rock steady but then I spent a lot more for a PSU with gold certification for that reason, I had a cheap mod extream which was causing some issues when really pushed. I always tightened my block down all the way with my 920 and H70 in a criss cross patteren slowlly going from corner to corner 1 or 2 turns at a time untill it was tight. But if you tighten it all the way down be carfull not to put too much pressure on those screws some people have broke them off. Though like caddi daddi said good and snug is good as well.

 

[caddi daddi]

the mounting bracket is spring steel so when it's snug any more will just distort the plastic stops and break stuff.

clocking with the buss speed will only come into play around 4.6ghz, playing with it at this point will confuse things because when you change the buss speed it automagicly makes other changes.