NCIX FORUMS - Looking to upgrade Mobo to OC

VIEW CART

Welcome

Buy a PC

Hot Deals

PC Builder

Notebooks

Forums

Hot Topics | Latest Postings | View Unreplied | Forum Bookmarks

My Drafts

General Topics

Tech News

What's New

NCIX.com Q&A

Important Notices

General Discussions

Suggestions/Feedback

Site Bug Reports

PC Builder Workshop

NCIX Gaming Community

NCIX Tech Tips

Linus Tech Tips

NCIX Esther

Manufacturer Support

CPU Discussions

Video Cards

Power Supplies

Folding @ Home

Moderated

Off Topic

Overclocking

Product Requests

PC Modding

Software Topics

Operating Systems

Linux

Freeware/Shareware

Open Source Projects

Driver Updates

Broadband Topics

Shaw Cable

Telus ADSL

Speed Test Reports

FAQs

NCIX FAQs

Hardware FAQs

Overclocking FAQs

Other FAQs

Software FAQs

Top Categories

Blu-Ray Drives

Bundle Deals

Camcorders

CD & DVD Drives

Computer Cases

CPU Heatsinks

DDR2 Desktop Memory

DDR3 Desktop Memory

Digital Cameras

External Hard Drives

Fans & Cooling

Hard Drives

HTPC Accessories

Inkjet Printers

Internet Routers

Keyboards

Laser Printers

LCD Monitors

Mice & Pointing Devices

Mobile Phones

Modding

Motherboards

Multi-Function Printers

Netbooks

Network Adapters

Network Storage NAS

Network Switches

PC Games

Power Supplies

Processors (CPUs)

PS3 Games

Scanners

SD Secure Digital

Solid State Drives - SSD

Speakers & Audio

UPS/Power Management

USB Flash Drives

Video Cards

Water Cooling

Webcams

Wireless Accessories

XBox 360

Search

Hot Searches: ultrabook, Ivy Bridge, Zenbook, windows8, ssd solid state, gtx titan, office 2013, galaxy note

LATEST TOPICS | FORUMS » OVERCLOCK » LOOKING TO UPGRADE MOBO TO OC...

Subject: Looking to upgrade Mobo to OC
Share this:

Author

Date Posted

Tools

Peter_M

Oct 28, 2011 12:07 PM

Reply | Bookmark
Like | Top | Bottom

I currently have a MSI 770-G45 mobo and am running an AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Quad Core Processor. I also have a Gigabyte Radeon HD 6850, 2x4 gb G.SKILL F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL Ripjaws PC3-12800, Coolermaster 212, and Thermaltake TR2 600W ATX12V V2.2 24PIN Power Supply...

I have tried using the "Easy OC" switches on this board and It will oc to 3.8 but not stable... I think it has to do with the RAM Timings??

Anyway, I was thinking of upgrading to a better board and would like to get some advice... Sub $200 for sure...

Thanks!

P.S. Will probably want to invest in a ssd soon too so want to keep that in mind when choosing a mobo...

This message was modified by the poster at 10 28, 2011 12:17 PM

Topic URL: http://forums.ncix.com/forums/topic.php?id=2425440

Tip Posting | My Postings (65) | My Reviews (1) | View Source

Q-Ball 7

Oct 28, 2011 01:37 PM

Reply | Bookmark
Like | Top | Bottom

So you've tried manually overclocking it? Because auto-overclock isn't the best and if you're only upgrading for the Auto-OC, you shouldn't be.
My take on Automatic is that if you can't do it manually with a BE processor, don't do it at all.

And there's no real excuse not to overclock manually because the multiplier is unlocked. It's super easy (not that regular-style overclocking isn't).
Just do that instead and save yourself some money- perhaps you will get 3.8GHz stable after all.

By the way- 3.6 to 3.8 GHz is what you can usually expect out of a 955BE if you're not going to boost the voltages. You can get a bit more when bumping the voltage.

But if you still want to do this:

You'll have to get an AM3+ board. I'm not sure how well Piledriver will perform (Q3 2012, but if history repeats itself...) but it's not a bad idea to keep your options open for that.

Anyways.
The top motherboard out there right now is the Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3. It's not super top-of-the-line but what AMD platform is nowdays (don't say Bulldozer)? It's the lowest-end high-end board out there.
But I'd suggest the 990X-UD3. It's not the FX chipset but you're probably not going to CF/SLI. The important difference between it and 970-based chipsets is that 990 ones support SLI.
Anything above that is just wasting your cash (i.e. Crosshair, UD5/7, GD80) except if you want the 5-year warranty in which case the ASUS Sabertooth is your best bet. But even that's a waste because if you don't update to Piledriver, you'll just go to FMx with Steamroller or whatever Intel has to offer at that time.

My advice is not to spend more on the mainboard than you do on the processor. Putting a 120-dollar processor on a 200-dollar board is a waste. A 120-dollar processor on a 100 to 150-dollar board, though, is just right.

And that's all I can recommend. Anything else below that isn't an upgrade. 970 and 770 are pretty similar.

Tip Posting | My Postings (1019) | My Reviews (4) | View Source

Peter_M

Oct 28, 2011 03:27 PM

Reply | Bookmark
Like | Top | Bottom

Great advice, thanks!

I have tried to manually oc but i am struggling with the ram timings... maybe I just need to have a closer look... My goal is 3.8 and I know I should be able to get it easily from this cpu...

Tip Posting | My Postings (65) | My Reviews (1) | View Source

Somebody69

Oct 28, 2011 03:31 PM

Reply | Bookmark
Like | Top | Bottom

With an unlocked multiplier, RAM timings don't matter. You can run your RAM at stock and just push the multiplier up to achieve the CPU frequency you want.

Edit:
Rule of thumb: CPU price exceeds or matches board price.

This message was modified by the poster at 10 28, 2011 03:32 PM

Tip Posting | My Postings (2349) | My Reviews (33) | View Source

Peter_M

Nov 10, 2011 04:51 AM

Reply | Bookmark
Like | Top | Bottom

Gigabyte GA-990XA-UD3 AMD 990X AM3+ ATX DDR3 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 2PCI SLI SATA3 USB3.0 Motherboard
Price: $138.99 CAD

Select all

So I may have actually damaged my current motherboard. I was in the bios making changes then the pc would not boot. So I powered down, switched the jumper to clear cmos, switched it back, tried to power back up and nothing... Left the pc unplugged all night and tried again this morning and nada :-(

I will have to check all the connections carefully tonight I guess...

Anyway, I am still considering an upgrade and I would like to futureproof as much as I can so I was looking at this board...

Any thoughts on this one? I would like something in this range that will OC well and has crossfire, etc...

Tip Posting | My Postings (65) | My Reviews (1) | View Source

Spork™

Nov 10, 2011 07:23 AM

Reply | Bookmark
Like | Top | Bottom

Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3 AMD990FX ATX AM3+ DDR3 4PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 1PCI SLI SATA3 USB3.0 Motherboard
Price: $169.99 CAD

Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 AMD990FX ATX AM3+ DDR3 5PCI-E16 1PCI-E1 1PCI SLI SATA3 USB3.0 Motherboard
Price: $199.99 CAD

ASRock 990FX EXTREME4 Motherboard ATX AM3+ DDR3 3PCI-E16 2PCI-E1 2PCI SATA3 USB3.0 SLI CrossFireX
Price: $186.98 CAD

ASUS Crosshair V Formula AM3+ DDR3 ATX AMD 990FX 4PCI-E16 1PCI CrossFireX 6 SATA 6GB/S Motherboard
Price: $238.98 CAD

ASUS Sabertooth 990FX AM3+ DDR3 4PCI-E16 1PCI-E1 1PCI SATA3 SLI CrossFireX USB3.0 GBLAN Motherboard
Price: $189.99 CAD

Select all

If you want to upgrade to OC then I would suggest a different board.

Tip Posting | My Postings (9267) | My Reviews (83) | My Profile | View Source

Call Queue

Now Serving

139215

Avg. Response Time

Estimate: 24 mins

Request Call Back
(Web Orders Only)


Follow us on:

Widgets Magazine Widgets Magazine

Recent Experts

1. Greg * NCIX.com (31277)

2. Saberon (12083)

3. DJZ (5379)

4. AEO (5303)

5. d2frm (1127)

All Time Experts

1. Mr. Friendly™ (51387)

2. The Wizard (39824)

3. death_hawk™ (35144)

4. Not An Expert (26343)

5. Lance W (25246)

Hardware Canucks
Latest Reviews

Seagate Desktop HDD.15 4TB Hard Drive Review

Intel 525 Series 120GB & 180GB mSATA SSD Revie...

Cougar Spike Mini Tower Review

Your Order

Company Info

Memberships

Services

Hotlinks

Order Status
RMAs (Merchandise returns)
F.A.Q.

NCIX Rewards
Premier Partner Reseller Program
VIP Memberships

Express Coverage
Express RMA
Express Shipping Service
Express Exchange and Care Coverage Plans
Gift Cards & Balance Checker

NCIX Newsletters
NCIX Forums
Folding @ Home Team

International Sites:

Canada

Get the best discount computers online for online computer shopping and discount PC computer components as well as notebook computers, laptops and Canada custom computers for the best deals on computers.

NCIX.com provides Canada the best priced computers in the country for computer components and computer parts and computer accessories with the best online computer store in Canada for your personal and business computer needs.

At NCIX you can build your own computer online as well as search for the cheapest and best video cards, computer processors and CPUs, motherboards computer memory RAM, ssd and hard drives with the fastest shipping in Canada and the US.

So for discount computers online NCIX provides the cheapest digital cameras, printers, motherboards, flash memory, PC speakers and computer electronics with the best Canadian computer and Canadian online computer shopping website in the world.