X3 720 -> X4 20 BE

[Waco]

Well Bluepanda got her X3 720 from Yuridude in today - but she doesn't want to run it in her machine (since it won't do 3.6 stable no matter the voltage) so it's going to be staying home in my rig until I get Bulldozer (assuming it's good).

 

The good news is that it does unlock to 4 cores! The somewhat crappy news is that it won't do anything over 3.4 GHz no matter what I do to it...3 or 4 cores...up to 1.55 volts.

 

 

Any tips I don't know about? I do have the northbridge speed up to 2.4 GHz since it helps quite a bit with memory and cache latency but I've tried running with it stock as well.

 

Here's my current CPU-Z:

[potatochobit]

you need to increase the VID voltage and u can try to tweek the HT a little

make sure your ram is not at max before trying to overclock

[Waco]

you need to increase the VID voltage and u can try to tweek the HT a little

make sure your ram is not at max before trying to overclock

Reading is fundamental.

[potatochobit]

fyi, I'm not the stupid one here, dont think because you raised the northbridge 2 notches unicorns are going to fly out of your computer

now stop crying and go do it

and I better tell you to raise the NB voltage too, because I dont want you to assume CPU voltage magically changes all the stats in your bios

 

edit:

oh, and if this is used, why dont u just ask the guy who owned it previously for his settings

Edited May 10, 2011 by potatochobit

[Waco]

fyi, I'm not the stupid one here, dont think because you raised the northbridge 2 notches unicorns are going to fly out of your computer

now stop crying and go do it

and I better tell you to raise the NB voltage too, because I dont want you to assume CPU voltage magically changes all the stats in your bios

It's just not worth talking to you.

[El_Capitan]

You two are too funny.

 

It's been known that an unlocked 4th core won't overclock as well. To be sure, are you sure the unlocked 4th core is 100% stable? I was able to unlock two of my three 720BE's a long time ago and boot into Windows and run light applications, but they weren't stable under full load.

 

One thing you might try doing is lessening the ACC % of the unlocked core to see if that works. You could also try to lower your HT to 1800MHz and see if that helps your overclock.

[Black64]

Another thing you could do is just be happy it unlocked and got to 3.4Ghz. Not every X3 will do that.

[JBags]

I have an X3 720, and I couldn't get it past 3.6 either. And it wasn't even stable at that, no matter the voltage, HT, or NB settings. It was stable enough to pass IntelBurnTest, but not prime95 or any demanding game. 4th core didnt unlock for me, though, just laughed at me with a blank screen and no POST.

 

I think I did get it stable at around 3.4ghz, but the voltage and temps weren't worth keeping it.

[Waco]

It's been known that an unlocked 4th core won't overclock as well. To be sure, are you sure the unlocked 4th core is 100% stable? I was able to unlock two of my three 720BE's a long time ago and boot into Windows and run light applications, but they weren't stable under full load.

Pretty sure - it's passed quite a few runs of IBT and prime95 for quite a while as well.

 

I'm just kinda surprised it won't go any higher even with the 4th core not unlocked.

 

 

I'll keep screwing with it - though even if it doesn't go any higher a Phenom II quad at 3.4 GHz will certainly outrun my old Core 2 Quad at 3.4 Ghz.

 

I have an X3 720, and I couldn't get it past 3.6 either. And it wasn't even stable at that, no matter the voltage, HT, or NB settings. It was stable enough to pass IntelBurnTest, but not prime95 or any demanding game. 4th core didnt unlock for me, though, just laughed at me with a blank screen and no POST.

 

I think I did get it stable at around 3.4ghz, but the voltage and temps weren't worth keeping it.

True - this is actually the first X3 I've had (we have 2 others) that will unlock at all and run stable. Voltage and temps aren't a problem with this thing under water though - all Phenom IIs run so ridiculously cooler than my Q6600 it's not even funny.

[Waco]

Hmm...seems like ASRock is doing their homework. The newest BIOS update (the 3rd in like a week) has me booting to Windows and running IBT at 3.5 GHz with all 4 cores. I'll keep pushing it, naturally.

[Speedway]

I'll keep screwing with it - though even if it doesn't go any higher a Phenom II quad at 3.4 GHz will certainly outrun my old Core 2 Quad at 3.4 Ghz.

 

IDK, it has been awhile since I researched the C2Q vs the Phenom II, but from what I remember clock for clock they were very similar in performance! I know they both bested the other in different tests, benchmarks, and games. But, by no means was the PII dominating when both were clocked the same. So your Q6600 OCed @ 3.4GHz is right on par with a PII @ 3.4GHz if I am remembering correctly But, you do get the huge drop in temps with the AMD

[Waco]

I remember seeing MASSIVE differences in minimum frame rates in games in various reviews. I know at least that my minimum framerates went up quite a bit in DoW2 even with BluePanda's X3 versus my old Q6600.