Athlon II X4 620 OC to 3.2 GHz w/ stock cooling! - Overclock.net

Quantum Reality · 4 Weeks Ago

As the subject says, though I note I am using the stock cooling with the stock TIM and not with Arctic Silver or MX-2.

Here's my CPU-Z validation with all-stock parameters: 2.6 GHz.

I took the "FSB" up in stages from 200 to 245 MHz with about 15 minutes of prime95ing and a 3dmark06 run to get a feel for whether the system would crash early on. I backed off the RAM multiplier from 6.66 to 5.33 in order to remove any possibility of RAM being the problem with my overclock. I also made sure the North Bridge and HyperTransport link speeds were circling about 2 GHz, whether a little above or a little below.

At the moment it's prime95ing at 3.2 GHz, has been for an hour.

Preliminary CPU-Z validation under those conditions: 3.2 GHz

CPU temps as reported by HWMonitor are TMPIN1 62 C, at the cores it's 54 degrees C all the way across. I don't know if AMD has a TJMax like Intel does, but if so I suspect HWMonitor's is 10 degress off, so I could be seeing 64 C at the cores which is kinda on the high side for my comfort. I don't know what AMD's temperature spec is for these guys, though I would assume 70 C is the maximum safe operating temperature under load.

Will report back when Prime95 (it is currently on the maximum FFT mode to stress everything) has passed 6 hours then 24.

[ EDIT: Apparently AMD's maximum safe temperature for a 95W Athlon II is 73 C. So I'm fairly OK, but should look into a better heatsink sooner or later. ]

scaz · 4 Weeks Ago

Very good! I was able to get to this speed and not much higher.

Quantum Reality · 4 Weeks Ago

Prime95 is still moving along. Looks like I have a stable OC, but the 24-hour test will verify that for sure.

Chilly · 4 Weeks Ago

Nice

Those aftermarket coolers will work perfectly fine since AM/AM2/AM3 has the same socket holes

If you can, get some gaming benchmarks too

Quantum Reality · 4 Weeks Ago

I was figuring on a Scythe Ninja Mini since the really big one is kinda heavy.

Chilly · 4 Weeks Ago

lol yeah, a 1 1/2 pound cooler on a "Light" CPU might not be worth it, if you're not going to overclock as far

Weedvender · 4 Weeks Ago

The stock cooler is pretty crappy though. But it will perform MUCH MUCH better on a 3rd party TIM. I remember that I tried using my windsor cooler for my 720BE and @ 3.6 Ghz the fan was a full throttle (*). But it was much MUCH better than the stock cooler it came with. Honestly, you dont really need much for these Athlon chips. Any low end cooler will do the job. Im thinking about the OCZ vendetta or something else that you can find for cheap new/used. ~ 20$

*edit- the fan was full throttle and temps were kept in check.

NameUnknown · 4 Weeks Ago

I put that same chip in my uncles rig, good to see i can OC it ever if the need arises. How well does it perform OC'd compared to a stock 955? some benches would be pretty neat to see.

I actually used my 955s stock heatsink on the Athlon II in my uncles rig. The heat piped AMD coolers are pretty darn good from everything I've heard. But If you are looking aftermarket, personally Id just so go for the best, why skimp on something so critical? Get a megahalems or a true or a xiggy, of course im preferential to the megahalems since i have one and its a beast of a cooler. It keeps my 3.8GHz OC on my 955 at a max temp of 49C using a push/pull of 2 CM R4 90CFM fans and OCZ Freeze TIM.

terence52 · 4 Weeks Ago

not bad bro,
my limit was 3.2ghz with unlocking my l3

Weedvender · 4 Weeks Ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by NameUnknown

I put that same chip in my uncles rig, good to see i can OC it ever if the need arises. How well does it perform OC'd compared to a stock 955? some benches would be pretty neat to see.

I actually used my 955s stock heatsink on the Athlon II in my uncles rig. The heat piped AMD coolers are pretty darn good from everything I've heard. But If you are looking aftermarket, personally Id just so go for the best, why skimp on something so critical? Get a megahalems or a true or a xiggy, of course im preferential to the megahalems since i have one and its a beast of a cooler. It keeps my 3.8GHz OC on my 955 at a max temp of 49C using a push/pull of 2 CM R4 90CFM fans and OCZ Freeze TIM.

You'd use such a beast of a cooler on a poor little Athlon....

I'd run it fanless

Quote:

Originally Posted by terence52

not bad bro,
my limit was 3.2ghz with unlocking my l3

Thats the thing though, you can't expect it to perform as its sold. But congrats, you have a 955