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Is it safe/worth overclocking 8320 with this motherboard and setup?

584 views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  chrisjames61 
#1 ·
I am wondering if I should or if it is even safe to overclock my CPU due to my motherboard/setup.

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.50 GHz Eight-Core AM3+ CPU 6MB L2 Cache & Turbo Core Technology
Motherboard: GIGABYTE 970A-DS3P AMD 970 ATX w/ Ultra Durable 4 Classic, On/Off Charge, GbLAN, 2 PCIe x16, 3 PCIe x1, 2 PCI
PSU: 750 Watts - EVGA SuperNOVA 750B1 80 Plus Bronze Modular Power Supply
RAM: 8GB (4GBx2) DDR3/2133MHz Dual Channel Memory (ADATA XPG V3)

I also have:
Asetek 550LC 120mm Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler - Dual Standard 120MM Fans (Push-Pull)
Maximum 120MM Case Cooling Fans

If I can, what should I overclock it to? Thanks.
 
#3 ·
That motherboard has four power phases, so unless you want some fireworks in your case, you shouldn't be overclocking.
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobtran12 View Post

I figured as much. What motherboard would you suggest that isn't too expensive and should go well with this setup?
The cheapest one I would recommend is the ASUS M5A99FX PRO R2.0.
If you are willing to spend a bit more, you could get the ASUS Sabertooth 990FX R2.0. This motherboard is the gold standard of 990FX motherboards (only the Crosshair Formula-Z beats it) and it can handle any CPU you can throw at it (even the FX-9590).
 
#6 ·
Worth it? It always is.

Safe? Probably not. I don't think you'll be breaking any records but I would at least try to get a higher clock without touching the voltage. Keep an eye on socket temps and look for CPU throttling. I mean the worst that can happen is you blow a 50 dollar board and youll end up buying a 100 dollar board.

It seems as though nowadays no one suggests ocing on anything less than a saberkitty. Back in my day you over clocked first then asked questions
 
#7 ·
"It seems as though nowadays no one suggests ocing on anything less than a saberkitty. Back in my day you over clocked first then asked questions"

That worked until the 8xxx came out and people started burning their computers up when the motherboards caught on fire. I heard a rumor that someone burned his house down doing that.

The Sabertooth has the best VRMs which gives it an edge when going for maximum overclocks, but beside that is a very average board. The Gigabyte UD5 seems to run a little bit cooler but can't match the OC potential of the Sabertooth. Personally for everyday use I prefer the MSI GD80. It can't match the OC potential of the Sabertooth but it runs much cooler and "feels" snappier to me. The cooler running means the fans are running slower so it is quieter too. That also means it is the best board for air cooling.

Then there is support. A noob asking for help with an MSI board will get almost no help. There is a small Gigabyte community that can help out. A noob asking for help with a Sabertooth will have a crowd of people falling all over themselves giving help. That has to count for something.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by miklkit View Post

"I heard a rumor that someone burned his house down doing that.
Actually it was about half of my trailer park, but it wouldn't have been so bad if the grass wasn't so tall and so much trash in the yard.
 
#11 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sadmoto View Post

The gigabyte 970a UD3P is a good budget mobo for am3+

8+2 phase and decent vrm heatsinks.

I've gotten my 8320 to 4.5 stable, I haven't gone further because of temps. But that's because I have a tx-3 (worse then a 212)
tongue.gif
this ^
 
#12 ·
970a-ud3 is legit. used that for my 955 when I had one... the phases are so beefy... and it costs like $70 on sale $90. I'm guessing the UD3P is the next iteration.
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Gigabyte is the one manufacturer that skimps on phases LAST of all things as you go down the price scale.
 
#13 ·
Gigabyte 970A-UD3P is decent and definitely the best option for the money.

However for few more bucks there are better options available; ASUS M5A97 EVO R2.0, M5A99X EVO R2.0 and M5A99FX PRO 2.0.

These boards have true 6+2 phase digital VRM with the exactly same components used in high-end models (Crosshair V and Sabertooth).

Gigabyte board has a doubled 4+1 phase digital VRM which is fine but simply not as good as the one in ASUS boards.
Doubling (when done properly) works well but is never as efficient and precise as a true phase solution.

Also when it comes to the bios functionality ASUS is miles ahead of all the other vendors.

For AMD platforms I would strongly recommend everyone to stay away from other than ASUS solutions.
There are some exceptions such as Gigabyte FM2 ITX boards, however in general none of the vendors can match ASUS neither in quality or functionality.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Stilt View Post

Gigabyte 970A-UD3P is decent and definitely the best option for the money.

However for few more bucks there are better options available; ASUS M5A97 EVO R2.0, M5A99X EVO R2.0 and M5A99FX PRO 2.0.

These boards have true 6+2 phase digital VRM with the exactly same components used in high-end models (Crosshair V and Sabertooth).

Gigabyte board has a doubled 4+1 phase digital VRM which is fine but simply not as good as the one in ASUS boards.
Doubling (when done properly) works well but is never as efficient and precise as a true phase solution.

Also when it comes to the bios functionality ASUS is miles ahead of all the other vendors.

For AMD platforms I would strongly recommend everyone to stay away from other than ASUS solutions.
There are some exceptions such as Gigabyte FM2 ITX boards, however in general none of the vendors can match ASUS neither in quality or functionality.
My sample size is small but I have found that using the same cpu's boards my AM3, AM3+, FM2 and FM2+ I get better overclocks in my ASUS boards vs my Gigabyte boards.
 
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