What should be the stock/min voltage for the cpu @ 3.0 if set manually?

I will check when I get off work later today and post here as I have the same CPU. I will confirm but if not mistaken, ~1.41v.

Overclocking? post your progress when ya do. Be interesting to see how you make out.

I'm really hankering to do the 955 BE. They apparently overclock relatively well.

The 940 is highly overclockable. Reviews show 3.8 Ghz on stock cooler - but temps are higher than I would like them. I'm picky like that - after all I want the thing to last. I am looking into doing liquid to push it higher with lower temps. Got my eye on a simple yet effective kit someone has for sale that wasnt used.

My goal is to break 4Ghz which should be doable easily on liquid keeping the temps where I like 'em - so cool it gets nipply.

I picked up Skimans Coolit Freezone Elite and that is the best Liquid/Tec cooler I have ever used. And the most simple to hook up.

I think they are pretty cheap for 500 bones.

Also I hear you can unlock some Phenom II X2 955's to quads as well with the right model cpu and board.

May be a project.

I'm still a intel fanboi but well see once I have the cash.


But for the next while im kinda poor with house planning =(

B

Well I am thinking liquid is the way to go. The setup I am looking at is pretty decent and very well priced. Acrylic water blocks/pumps all that see thru jazz. Evening getting a rad thrown in. I have yet to look it up online to see how much water circulates per min to figure if its going to be much better than the 940 on air thru my V8.

I will have a looksee at my bios and check the volts at stock when I get home round 5pm and post back here with exact numberz.

Just for a note as well.

If you are BSODing or not booting any higher on your OC. You may just be at a wall of your overclock. So I would just be aware on how much you spend on cooling for a possible "minimal" gain.

A few hundred bucks just may not be worth it.

On another note. If you are an addict like I was. You'll probably spend alot and not give a rats ass. (Personally I like my method).

Just a heads up though.

Indeed, the price vs performance curve is non-linear.

Even running your cpu at 75C 24/7 will see it last beyond the product line lifespan.

I recall the lifespan for any silicon based juction was reduced by 50% for ever 10C rise above 25C.

The last data I ever found (or looked for) of a CPU's designed lifspan was the PIII at 150,000 hrs. I have no idea of what todays processors are designed for.

If based upon the 150k hrs span, that would equal 4687.5 hrs of an expected lifespan, or 195 days straight running at 75C

Backing that off to 55C should get you 781 days.

A middle of the road water system should eliminate all your concerns.

781 Days would be reasonable to be honest Or atleast it would be for me.

191 Days would be a bummer.

Good to see you're still alive Ski. I posted in another thread you should take a pic of your V8 with the extra fan for all the folks that are beginning to use them on here.

I would but all my parts are a gonner for now.

One thing. MB has a V12 Cooler that has a built in TEC. You can bypass the sensor on the TEC to make it run at a constant 100% which should keep things cool. The problem with the V12 though is you "should" have your mobo laying flat so it wont rip in half.

lmao@ rip in half. The v8's gotta bit of weight so I can only imagine the V12. Should come with optional guide wires

Stock voltage on the 940 is 1.41v any variant after the .41 would be fine.

came across cpu-world vcore volts are 1.225v - 1.425v

actually you are right. That is the volt range. If running stock you can simply set it to auto or find the vcore setting that allows you to boot and run normal between the given range on the previous post.

Actually Topsecret I wasnt BSOD'ing - just the temps were in the mid to high 50's and if memory serves ( prolly doesnt) the upper temp limit is about 62-5 degrees - tho I would have to confirm that to be sure.

Just weighing the options. I will get the brand and specs of the cooler I am considering so that more season'd users in terms of liquid cooling can comment here.

the closest I came to liquid cooling myself was pee'in in the wind.

The missus would probably say me and my puter has something in common - both fulla hot air.

High 50's with a burn test or prime?

If that's the tempature on the listed or a comparable test I would not worry about further cooling to be honest. Just for the sheer fact that I don't think any applications really will compare to the stress levels.

If you are looking to get around 200 more mhz out of it or more you would probably need a good water setup. I don't think you'll get much more results from a bigwater setup. I do know dangerden had some good stuff available. Just google them.

Along with that my greatest success was with the Freezone Elite. It's all self contained so no mess, themoelectric coolers to chill and a warranty.

The reason I am stressing a freezone for you is the simple fact a monkey can hook it up. You dont need to zip tie a resivoir somewhere, you can have it pump and run the tecs from 1% to 100% constantly right from a software interface. If you lap the heatsink and cpu you will have lower tempatures and a opportunity to possibility squeeze out some more mhz.

I guess in conclusion. I personally think it's best to keep what you have and run it as is. You have a great clock rate and unless your going phase change (Which isn't a cost effictive way to go) I think you're just too close to a wall for comfort.

But at that. It's your money as well. And I can't tell you how to spend it.

And if you are looking for a phase change system I know of a few good ones out there now at competitive pricing.

Also on another note here is an example of something that is self contained cooling as well which is pretty nifty

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/news/video/bfg-announces-limited-edition-contained-liquid-cooled-graphics-cards/

Also I was looking for something if you wanted to try it.

Check out OCZ's Cryo Z

It's supposed to be aroudn a 500 buck phase change system.

There is a bit of question on it's build quality. But if they havent perfected the build quality it looks lkike everything in th eunit is easily accessable and easy to clean up yourself with a few zipties and some shrinkwrap if need be.

Buy this and i'll come over with beer to see this shit work!