Idle/Gaming Settings?

J

JayisunJ

n00b
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
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After buying an AthlonX2 3800+ (and selling it), an Opteron 165 (and selling it), and finally an Opteron 170 (my precious!), I have a processor that I am in love with. The first processor wouldn't go over 2.3GHz and the second would do 2.6GHz, but at 1.5Vcore. When I popped the 170 in and bumped the FSB to 260 without touching the Vcore, I knew I had fallen in love. 48 hours later, after Dual Prime95 + 3DMark2001SE looping at high res, I reached 2.75GHz at 1.425 Vcore and decided that I was content. However, I soon became paranoid with thoughts that my wonderful chip would burn up, so I came up with an idea to help prolong the life of my chip.

In my DFI motherboard's BIOS I used the CMOS Reloaded feature to create BIOS settings for my system differing depending on what I would be using the system for. For gaming, I created BIOS settings that allowed my chip to run at 2.75GHz at 1.425Vcore. For day to day web browsing and word processing (what I use the computer for 90% of the time), I created BIOS settings that held my chip back to 2.5GHz at the stock Vcore. Feel free to slam me if you think this is a rediculously overprotective and stupid idea.

My questions:

1. Am I being overly paranoid in worrying that my chip will burn up because of the slight bump in voltage?
2. Are there fluke cases where a reasonable bump in voltage has burned up a chip?
3. I realize that most users find 1.425Vcore on any dual-core Opty or X2 to be well within the realm of reason for overvolting, but if I decided to constantly run my processor at 2.75GHz, how much electron migration would occur?

I am well aware that ANY overclocking reduces the overall life of a chip, but I want this processor to last at LEAST 2 years. BTW, my CPU runs at 26-28 degrees Celcius idle and 39-43 degrees Celcius under maximum load at 2.75GHz. Please help put my mind at ease as last night I had a nightmare about my Opteron burning up (Saw a giant "Motherboard Monitor 5 CPU temp display" flying through the night sky showing rapidly rising temperatures, then, nothingness - - NOT kidding). :eek:
 
Those temps sound very nice and that voltage isn't anywhere near excessive, I'd dare say that constantly rebooting it to throttle it back and forth is a waste of time and the chip should last you well past 2 years... But I obviously can't give you any guarnatees, heh.

With temps that low I wouldn't sweat it at all though.
 
well wut u could do is enable cool and quiet, just make sure the cpu/ram ratios 1:1, that you dont change the vcore but the add% instead [ie +110%,+113%,+120% etc] and that u dont change the cpu multiplier (i give credit to eclipse for me knowing this :))

that way whenever u use the pc for browsing the web and such <25% load the voltage level would be minimal and would only go up if u game

but becareful sadly i fucked up my 3rd set of ram for not setting the cpu/ram ratio 1:1 and enabling CnQ :(

oh and vcore at 1.43s nothing to worry about! i think electromigration only happens with high voltage and heat i dont think higher clocks are a factor :) but i could be wrong

edit: oh wait im not sure if the opt has cnq, well if it doesnt ignore my post :p
 
I think it's excessive. The extra couple 100mhz increase in processor speed is negligable with performance in games with newer processors. 2-5 extra fps is not much. Honestly, it's more work than it's worth with that processor. I run the 175 opteron and I haven't overclocked yet because it performs beautifully with everything. Games included. I even do graphics design with it and it blazes through applications.

I just wish it would make a massively noticeable difference in windows boot times. But I know that's windows on its own.
 
Fill me in here, electromigration?

As far as your voltage goes, you should be all set. Plus, with temps in the high 20's that chip should live a long healthy life.
 
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