OC'ing the i7/x58 - Page 3

I only use eVGA and BFG cards. the MSI may cool the card better but it will dump hot air back into the case. Actually i haven't use any 275 at all. Most of my builds had been with 260's, 285's and 295's. None of those cards have excessive noise so far then what is norm for the fans to make. Now waiting for the GTX300 series that are suppose to be twice as fast as the 280.... Sorry couldn't be more help with the 275's.

No pics just info that Nvidia has the GT300 version of the chip taped and has the A1 version in their hands for testing. Looking like maybe late this year if everything goes right for a retail product. More then likely early 2010 for the GTX hi end variety IMO. But I hate to see what they are going to cost tho.

ADD: rumours that it will be 10.5 inches like the current 285/295 boards. Basiclly has to since Nvidia still want it to fit in most ATX cases.

Well I am finally getting an i7-920 D0 (no premium). Interesting to see what the results (OC/voltages/temps) when compared to the C0/C1 stepping. Now I just have to dismantle the CM V10 cooler , which is by no means a small effort to install the new CPU. Hopefully it can be done without having to remove the mobo using the opening in the mobo tray of the HAF case. Interesting week end coming for testing. Also waiting on the eVGA x58 SLI mobo to return from RMA so I can set up the test bench with a 2nd i7/x58 system and Win7 to do some quad SLI 295 testing.

ADD:What I tght was the limit of 3.9ghz with my current C0/C1 was wrong. It will do 4ghz non turbo with Vcore 1.4v. The temps just get over 80c. It failed OCCT testing because I left the default cut off temp at 80c when any core reaches it and didn't adjust accordingly. Realized it when I was able to run 3DM06 @ 4ghz many times with no issues. Prob can go faster but 80c+ is just pushing the temps a little to high for my comfort level. I seen many temps in the 83-86c when the i7-920 is OC'd in various reviews but i wouldn't be 100% comfortable running at those temps for too many hours.

Hope you got the eVGA mobo with A1 in the model number. If its a TR then it do not have a life time warranty. The TR are cheaper then the A1 (norm, but the A1 is actually cheaper right now at NCIX ?). This is only if you are intrested in the life time warranty. They also have a x58 LE version TR model. Maybe eVGA is discontinuing the x58 SLI A1 version since they have a cheaper Classified without the NF200.

ADD: It looks like the NF200 Classified has disappeared (limited edition or probm's?). Only one that are shown are the 141-BL-E760-A1 which are the non NF200 Classified mobo's. The NF200 Classified mobos have the part # 141-BL-E759-A1. All the x58's at the eVGA site are backordered with notify me except the 141-BL-E759-A1.

Well I picked up the i7-920 D0 today. Took a while to install it since the CM V10 cooler was a b@tch to take off. I had to take the mobo out since the opening on the tray was not located center to the backplate on the Revolution mobo. It was on the eVGA. I had to use a socket wrench to take the V10 off since I couldn't find the nut wrench adapter that came with it. Then I lost one of the washers (found later stuck to the socket wrench handle ). I had to take one from the CM GeminII cooler I had laying around. After I reinstalled the V10 the temps where high. Re did the whole process again and upon the removal of the V10 I notice I prob used too much TIM on the CPU and cooler. So f@ck that. I installed the TRUE instead with push/pull fans. Lot easier to install and move around.

The D0 went to 4ghz at Vcore 1.29 with the Bclk @ 200 and multi @ 20 (non turbo) and passed the OCCT test. Max temp on one of the core was 70c. Started OCing some more and thats when I started hitting various walls. Tried multi 21 to get 4.2ghz but did not pass the OCCT test. System rebooted, sign of lack of voltage on CPU. Started to increase the vcore all the way up to 1.35v (where it was at with the C0/C1 bclk 195 x20 for 3.9ghz) but one of the threads crapped out doing the OCCT run. Then start to adjust the bclk keeping the multi @ 20. System booted with bclk @210 giving 4.2ghz but failed OCCT. Temp got over 80c, my cut off. This was all done with all other settings on auto. Finally get a stable 4.1 @ 1.34v using bclk @205 and multi at 20 non turbo with max core temp @ 75c.

Bottom line is that if you already have an i7-920 C0/C1, its really not worth the upgrade to go to a D0, IMHO. But if your are getting an i7-920 then look for the D0 revision if possible.

It was announced that the i7-940 will be EOL (end of life) but it looks like the 920 will be EOL and maybe also along with the not yet release 950. Its rumour that INTEL will move the i7/x58 to a workstation platform and use the i5 for the rest of their consumer line in the future. Thats why some x58 mobo are coming up EOL.

For those interested:

My final OC stable was 4.2ghz (non turbo), vcore 1.42v, temp max core 83c as tested with OCCT. What I gain over all the other OC settings was a better 3Dmark06 score (~26600) . But really no noticeable real world gains for much of anything other then benchies. So I settle on 4ghz @ 1.30v and keeping everything at decent temps. When I get back my eVGA mobo from RMA and install it as my test bench, I will try some more OC'ing with my c0/c1 920 .

ADD: also notice that OCCT (built using CPUz tech) and HWmonitor (CPUz) reports the core temps higher then Coretemp or Realtemp apps. Whos right ????? is anybody's guess.

ADD2: OH...what the heck...prob put back the CM V10 cooler this week end. Haven't broken any thing this month yet . Make life more intresting since there is no real fun game out lately .

Note for those interested in an affordable i7 cpu. The 940 is EOL and 965 looks like will be EOL in Sept. Rumor that the 920 will also EOL soon, prob when the i5's are realesed (Aug/sept). The new 950 is going cost ~$600US. This making it the lowest cost i7 if the 920 EOL. So if if you want a cheap i7, now is the time to pick up a 920 while they are still available. The new extreme i7 975 will be ~$1100US.

Nice OC . Is that in turbo or non turbo mode. Makes a diff when OCing non turbo vs turbo, since turbo is just one core being boosted. Is it water or air cooled.

FWIW bind

Here are more info/rumors on why the i7 920 will be EOL by INTEL.

http://www.techpowerup.com/95603/Int..._920__940.html


A quote from the post:

"Internal analysis reportedly show that the high-end Lynnfield processors perform too close to the lower models of Core i7, and that could potentially affect sales of those high-end Core i5 chips."



http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardwar...920-940-cpus/1


I guess its all about the profit margin. Surprised ? so whats new...????

Thanks for info.

I am not using the eVGA mobo, its RMA'd. I am using an ASUS P6T6 WS Revo mobo. The ASUS BIOS is not as user friendly as the eVGA. Prob could get better OC'd if I played with the other settings, but for now until I get back the eVGA mobo I will just stick with the OCing that I gotten. I don't want to screw up the current setup...no backup.

BTW how is your Classified after return from RMA. How are the vreg temps now, I rem you were having issues with them. That was my major concern with my plain eVGA x58. The vreg temps were all over the placed. The NB also got toasty at 55-60c and then the PCIe slots started to act up. Now waiting for it to return. Hope I don't get a nasty custom ding at the border .

Its a hit or miss thing. I sent back a few items in the past (eVGA and others), most got back with no issues, but I had one that I got dinged (not eVGA) on because the returner put a full value claim on it even tho it was a repaired item and CDN custom wanted their pound of flesh. Just hope eVGA marks a return with no charge.

On going saga.

I did put the V10 back on just to see if it was just a fluke that it didn't perform well. I guess something did break last month . The V10 cooler, after I installed the 920 D0, it just refuse to perform as well as it did with the 920 C0/C1. Temps kept going over 85c when OC'd and it was being out performed by the TRUE with push/pull by ~10c. It was better performing before I changed the CPU. Not sure if the TEC is fried, no way to tell if its working or not, but the high temps leads me to think its toasted. Talked to CoolerMaster and they said to do a parts eRMA for the TEC unit. So I am now waiting on the TEC part...just wonder how I am going to install it since the current one has label seals that warns if broken will void warranty. I thght it was going to be simple replacing the TEC unit but it looks like its more complicated then I 1st thght. And if its the controlling module and not the TEC that is fried then its going to have to be a RMA for the whole cooler unit, bummer .

Isn't the BIOS of the eVGA nice to work with. No cryptic wording. I just wished my ASUS Revo's BIOS was as simple as my eVGA x58 was.

On another point I just went to the eVGA site and it shows my x58 RMA has shipped, expected delivery June 8/09 by FedEx. Check tracking number and it stated that it was brokered by FedEx...now just wondering what thats going to cost?

N8DOGG,

have you check to see if you have the latest Bios. That can help with the OCing. Its weird that you can get the multi to work at 20. Maybe your mem is not fast enuf (?) for the OC you wanted. I was able to use 20 @ bclk 195 with no turbo and got 3.9ghz with vcore 1.35v with no probms.

A trick you can try with the eVGA mobo is to disable vdroop in the bios.

I am still running XP so 6gb is more then I can actually use. I think I seen a review that for almost all common apps there was no benefit going more then 6gb at this pt. I didn't test with all the ram slots full tho. Never even occurred to me to even try. Even when I was playing around with Win7 64. Also with the fan setup with the TRUE, one of the ram slots would be a real tight fit for the RAM, if it can fit at all. Forget it if the RAM module have a semi tall heat spreader.

Question is why???

What are you using to test the usb ports. If its a known working usb device and if its the back mobo ports and the mobo powers up correctly and windows has loaded, then is prob a bad mobo. Also check the BIOS settings and see if the usb has been turn off or disabled. But sometime if you are doing an OS upgrade rather then a fresh new OS install, the usb drivers are not loaded and things like a usb mouse will not function during the installation of the OS. The usb driver is loaded only after other OS features has been loaded. Not sure if thats your probm. Just guessing since not much info was given. Other then that, then its prob more a hardware issue. Bad ports or bad usb device.