Overclocking, FSB Vs Multiplier

[jseber1982]

I have always been one to take the easy way out go and buy the extreme versions of processors. I have always just overclocked with the multiplier and have not bothered with the fsb.

I am sure that if i bump the multiplier down and crank the fsb up so that i am back up at the same speed, i might see a performance increase.

Has anybody here benchmarked both and documented whether there was a perfomance increase?

Also i know that a lot of people here use the 680i boards. When you guys crank your fsb up, do you change out the bridge heatsink? I am sure that some of you WC the bridge.. just not sure if it really needs it. And how much higher do you usually need to raise the voltages?Besides the mem and cpu.

 

[thirdshiftdj]

You always want to run higher FSB. Try running super pi at the same clock speeds. One w/ multiplier and other w/ high fsb. FSB will speed the whole system as oppose to the cpu by raising the multi

 

[commandercup]

You always want to run higher FSB. Try running super pi at the same clock speeds. One w/ multiplier and other w/ high fsb. FSB will speed the whole system as oppose to the cpu by raising the multi

thats not true at all? (I might be wrong... don't flame me)

most components in the PC can't handle the increased FSB unless its minimal... thats why people run the highest multpliers they can... if your components (RAM/PCI) can handle the increased FSB, thats the better way to go, but in most cases... (unless overclocking minimally) you won't be able to increase the FSB as high as you would like without setting RAM/CPU Ratios and/or limiting PCI bus speeds.

 

[thirdshiftdj]

ram would be the only issue if your shooting for a high fsb, in which case you could just downclock it. I have my ram @ 996mhz from 11--mhz when I oc'ed my cpu to 290. You find a happy median. Let's say my cpu had an unlocked multi. It won't be faster if I uped the multi to 2.9 speeds and left the ram at 800 or the rest of my system at default. It would be communicating w/ the NB and ram at default FSB

 

[mgcook]

most benchmarks show little to no difference.

 

[Nagasama]

running a higher fsb vs a high multiplier WILL make a positive difference, IF you dont have to clock your ram too low to achieve the high fsb, which is often the case.
as mgcook says, the difference is negligible. superpi likes high cpu and ram speed (obviously), and it is noticable in some benchmarks. not many, though.
FYI....increasing the FSB to its highest clock is considered the "correct" way to overclock, vs raising the multi. lol...it obviously takes a bit more work.

 

[dario03]

I've been wondering about this to. I figured higher ram fsb would be better but a lower ram fsb could allow for tighter timings. When I get my new system I was going to check if it offered a option for lowering the multiplier and upping the fsb. So far every site I've seen says its better but I haven't seen any benches or anything.

 

[jseber1982]

I did some tests last night. I had my baseline set at 3.5ghz using only multipliers.
I scored 16,434.... I upped the fsb a bit to 350(1400) and lowered the multiplier down to 10... scored a 17,900. I left the memory at 1066.. There is still room to go, but i proved to myself that the fsb does work better.

I guess the multplier(unlocked) is just good to do a quick run and see what the cpu itself is capable of... then just tweak the fsb to try and get it as close to that as possible.

 

[thirdshiftdj]

anybody can up the multiplier but overclocking w/ fsb takes some more skill and patience. Your getting 17,900 w/ Gtx's in sli?

 

[Nagasama]

ram would be the only issue if your shooting for a high fsb, in which case you could just downclock it. I have my ram @ 996mhz from 11--mhz when I oc'ed my cpu to 290. You find a happy median. Let's say my cpu had an unlocked multi. It won't be faster if I uped the multi to 2.9 speeds and left the ram at 800 or the rest of my system at default. It would be communicating w/ the NB and ram at default FSB

it actually will be faster, and you will see it in benchmarks.
it just wont be as fast using multiplier as it would be if you overclocked to the same speed using clock speed instead.