Overclocking

[pendragon1]

Yeah I was assuming he meant air cooling. 30% is pretty good, although "the best water setup" sounds pretty expensive.

it can be. i went "cheap" with my setup and it still was about $200 all in, for only 360 worth of rad....

 

[sram]

what happened to the 92% OC?
30-40% is probably about right and yeah, you NEED a good water setup to reach it, air and aios will not cut it.

The 92% was done with LN2. 100% is simply doubling your speed, and that's what they almost did if you compare the overclocked freq with the base one. Well I was thinking about this the other day and was trying to convince myself that a great AIO will suffice. They are cleaner, much easier to install and require no maintenance. Very practical and much cheaper. I'm saying this although I did little to no maintenance to my last two custom loops (one of which is in my sig). I just add more water. The previous one lasted 10 years with almost no maintenance. This and I got scared when somebody said using a custom loop in a ~7k build is a bad idea because of the possible leak. Imagine losing a threadripper build because of a leak!!! I'm just giving myself excuses.

 

[Below Ambient]

Is it worth it nowadays ?

For lets say a lot more performance ? Like it has been in the past.

it most certainly is, if you can cool it is the question you should be asking

 

[sram]

it most certainly is, if you can cool it is the question you should be asking
View attachment 622786

What is it that you want to show with this screenshot? Is the cpu heavily overclocked? Its turbo frequency is 5.6 GHz and what I see in cpu-z is 5.7GHz. It will outperform others in multi-thread because it has more cores.

 

[Below Ambient]

What is it that you want to show with this screenshot? Is the cpu heavily overclocked? Its turbo frequency is 5.6 GHz and what I see in cpu-z is 5.7GHz. It will outperform others in multi-thread because it has more cores

yes

 

[sram]

Google Bard answer is frustrating but I still enjoy talking to AI bots

While a very expensive water cooling loop can certainly help you achieve higher overclocks on your AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X, pushing beyond the 5-10% range comes with increasing risks and diminishing returns. Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:


Potential benefits:

• Higher overclocks: A top-tier water cooling loop with multiple radiators and high-flow pumps can potentially provide you with 15-20% overclocks in certain tasks, although sustained stability might be challenging.
• Lower temperatures: Efficient heat dissipation can prevent thermal throttling and allow for higher sustained clock speeds even at stock voltages.
• Pushing boundaries: For enthusiasts, achieving the absolute maximum performance from their hardware can be a rewarding experience.

Significant drawbacks:

• Cost: High-end water cooling loops can be very expensive, often exceeding the cost of the CPU itself. Consider the financial implications before investing.
• Complexity: Setting up and maintaining a complex water cooling loop requires technical expertise and ongoing maintenance. Leaks can damage sensitive components.
• Diminishing returns: Beyond a certain point, the performance gains from further overclocking become smaller and harder to achieve, while the risks and instability increase significantly.
• Warranty voiding: Extreme overclocking can void your CPU and motherboard warranty.
• Noise: Powerful pumps and fans can generate significant noise, potentially impacting your environment.

Alternatives to consider:

• Moderate overclocking (5-10%): This is a safer and more reliable option that still offers noticeable performance gains without the risks and complexity of extreme overclocking.
• Precision Boost Overdrive 2 (PBO2): AMD's built-in PBO2 can automatically boost clock speeds based on thermal and power limits, providing a performance boost without manual tweaking.
• Upgrade other components: Investing in faster RAM or a better GPU might offer more impactful performance improvements for various tasks compared to extreme CPU overclocking.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to pursue extreme overclocking with a high-end water cooling loop depends on your individual priorities and risk tolerance. Consider the potential benefits and drawbacks carefully before making a decision. If you're unsure, a moderate overclock or utilizing PBO2 might be a more suitable and balanced approach.


Remember, it's always wise to prioritize stability and longevity over chasing the absolute highest clock speeds. Enjoy your powerful Threadripper 7970X!