CPU or motherboard bottleneck

[GMtheBest]

I realize that this is a DFI forum so everyone will be pro DFI motherboards but I need an objective opinion. I currently have an ASUS mobo (see sig) and I am wondering if it is limiting my OC or if it is my processor. Everyone says the 3700+ SD should be able to hit 2.8Ghz on air, but I am not getting there. I am using an XP120 heatsink with 120 mm fan. My Vcore is at 1.485 (read 1.52 in CPUZ) I cannot seem to push my OC further even with the max 1.55 volts that this motherboard allows (read 1.6 in CPUZ) Temps are 44 degrees under load. It fails the prime torture test after 2 hrs @ 246 FSB I have set the memory at 1/2 divider so that is not the issue. Do guys believe that a new mobo would help me reach higher speeds or have I hit my CPU ceiling ? I do not really want to spend extra $ for no reason.

 

Thanks

[Brandon_34]

it most likely youre motherboard.I had a asus-sli and i could'nt get past 2.6 with my sandy i run 2750 pretty easy but with 4 sticks its harder to overclock.2 sticls you should get 2.8 easily with a dfi board.

[jimbob277]

You might have just hit the ceiling. Just because people say you *should* reach a certain speed, it doesn't mean every chip will get there.

 

In your case spending money is gonna be a total gamble. It might make it faster, but it very well may not.

[GMtheBest]

You might have just hit the ceiling. Just because people say you *should* reach a certain speed, it doesn't mean every chip will get there.

 

In your case spending money is gonna be a total gamble. It might make it faster, but it very well may not.

 

 

Thats what I thought, guess I didn'g get a great OCer. Others with the same stepping as my CPU have hit 2.8+ on air.

[jimbob277]

The best thing would be try and convince one of your friends to get a dfi board

 

My chip cost a fair bit more than the 3700+ and I couldn't get it faster than 2.82. It's stable at that speed at 1.45v, but refused to pass any tests at 2.83, no matter what voltage it gets.