Best MB/CPU/RAM for Overclocking

[earwicker7]

I've got a bug up my ass, and I'm thinking about upgrading my rig. You can check my signature for what I've got right now... I'm thinking about keeping everything as it is now, except for changing the motherboard, CPU, and memory to something more cutting edge. Of course, I'm looking for something to overclock

I really don't have a limit budget-wise. Keep in mind that I'll need something that can be watercooled... current setup has watercooling on the motherboard, CPU, and GPU, and I'd like to keep it that way. Memory is currently air-cooled with strap-on fans.

 

[PP Mguire]

Only step up from that is the 3930k or 3960x. Best boards for OCing would be the Asus Rampage or the ASRock Extreme 9 or 11. (Gigabyte X79 are terrible).

You will have to get a new water block or block mount most likely. Just for the record, your current setup is well above plenty in terms of performance.

For RAM, G.Skill Ripjaws, Kingston Hyper X, Corsair Dominator. The usual. Not much has changed. Performance is diminishing returns after 1600 on quad channel, but if you prefer the fast speeds you will want to stick to a 4 stick kit. 8 sticks requires a good board and a CPU capable of handling 8 sticks at 1866 or above. I had that problem myself.

Water on the board isn't needed, and if you get a motherboard with the chipset fan I would turn it off.

 

[tastegw]

Have you thought about upgrading monitor? Put those 2 beastly cards to better use at higher resolution.

 

[earwicker7]

Have you thought about upgrading monitor? Put those 2 beastly cards to better use at higher resolution.

D'oh! Just recognized I have my old monitor on here! I need to adjust that.

 

[earwicker7]

Only step up from that is the 3930k or 3960x. Best boards for OCing would be the Asus Rampage or the ASRock Extreme 9 or 11. (Gigabyte X79 are terrible).

For RAM, G.Skill Ripjaws, Kingston Hyper X, Corsair Dominator. The usual. Not much has changed. Performance is diminishing returns after 1600 on quad channel, but if you prefer the fast speeds you will want to stick to a 4 stick kit. 8 sticks requires a good board and a CPU capable of handling 8 sticks at 1866 or above. I had that problem myself.

Couple of questions...

1. What about the 3970X? I think that's the newest.

2. On the diminishing returns, I have mine currently set at 1600, but if I recall correctly, the default state on my motherboard was 1333. Is the current default still 1333, and that's why it's hard to take it above 1600, or is it that 1600 is the new default, and you're just saying that the higher you get over that, the more the diminishing returns? Hope that made sense lol.

 

[PP Mguire]

1. For 10 dollars more sure (if buying on Newegg). They are the same chip though.

2. The default is 1600 and XMP profiles let newer RAM modules run at 1866, 2133, ect without too much hassle. The problem is you wont see any results past 1600, which is why I say diminishing gains or returns. Reason I say that is you are wasting away at the silicon for higher frequencies (requires more IMC volts for the higher speeds) and you will need to buy a much more expensive board to do this. I had an Intel DX79SI which would not do 2133 or even 1866 on my 64GB Kingston HyperX Beast setup. Not even with XMP profiles. The higher speeds also barely make for an increase in benchmark performance unless you are running a very high CPU speed under LN2 or DICE. With my 3960x I just ran my RAM at 1600 because anything else really is pointless.

 

[earwicker7]

The problem is you wont see any results past 1600, which is why I say diminishing gains or returns. Reason I say that is you are wasting away at the silicon for higher frequencies (requires more IMC volts for the higher speeds) and you will need to buy a much more expensive board to do this.

What kind of difference in price are we talking? I have no problem with dropping a couple hundred dollars extra if it makes a substantial difference.

 

[PP Mguire]

We are talking the difference between a board that costs less than 250 and one that costs damn near 500. It's really not worth the extra cash.

 

[earwicker7]

We are talking the difference between a board that costs less than 250 and one that costs damn near 500. It's really not worth the extra cash.

I was looking at the ASUS Rampage IV Extreme; it has normal support for up to 1866, and OC support up to 2400. I can't remember... if I want to overclock from 1866, would I get sticks rated at 1866, or ones from the next highest level (2133)?

 

[PP Mguire]

You would need to keep it limited to 4 sticks total so you don't have to use a ton of volts on the IMC. Doing this should grant an easy use of XMP for 1866, but I can't guarantee 2133. Keep in mind, my Intel board I had also said the same thing and it wouldn't even do 1866 without a ridiculous amount of tweaking. The Asus wont do this I'm assured by a fellow review person, but I still say 50/50. He also says the 3970x should also be easier to deal with RAM. I can't speak for that as I only have a 3960x.