First Computer Build

[Tomm]

Quite simple on sandy bridge. You just adjust the cpu multiplier in the BIOS (might be referred to as turbo ratio or something similar) as you can't (Well, technically you can but you should avoid it as it can cause serious stability problems) adjust the bclk.

The CPU ratio basically works like this: BCLK x CPU Multiplier = CPU Frequency. The default bclk is 100mhz so a multiplier of 40 would give you a frequency of 4000mhz.

I'd recommend you set a (realistic) target frequency that you want, set that in bios then proceed to try and get it stable at that voltage. If you can't get it stable then you might want to rethink what frequency you're aiming for.

What you'll need to do once you have the frequency set at what you want is gradually increase the vcore voltage until you get it stable. Now, there is some debate as to the max voltage you should use but for 24/7 use on air cooling then I'd recommend you don't exceed 1.35V with sandy bridge. Depending on how high of a overclock you're aiming for I'd either work up to (for a smaller overclock) or work down from (for a larger overclock) this voltage. What your aiming for is the lowest voltage that gives you stability at your desired frequency.

Depending on what motherboard you have then you may have additional options to play around with. I've only really had personal experience with Asus boards where there are options like Load-Line Calibration, CPU Current Capability, etc. which are designed to enable you to push the overclock further. For example, load-line calibration reduces vdroop (How much the vcore voltage falls) under load and cpu current capability allows you to increase the allowed current to the CPU before it decides to throttle itself.

All of this will increase the thermal output of your CPU so you should keep a close eye on the temperatures and be sure to invest in some good cooling if you want to get a higher overclock. According to the build you posted originally you haven't, but don't considering skimping on the PSU as it can have a negative effect on your ability to get a stable overclock.

Also some motherboards have an automatic overclock feature that will quickly provide you with a overclock with minimal effort. However, this will more than likely not be anywhere near optimal as it typically provides a much higher voltage than is needed due to the silicon lottery and will probably not be near what frequency you could push out of it.

For measuring temps you can use something like CoreTemp and for testing stability you can use something like prime95 or intel burn test as these are designed to push your CPU beyond what it would normally experience even in the most demanding applications.

There are quite a few step by step guides on overclocking sandy bridge if you do a quick google. Plus, you might be able to find a guide specific to your motherboard which will give you some more information on the specific optionsavailablein the BIOS.

Oh, for a CPU cooler I'd recommend the Noctua NH-D14.

Thanks, maybe I'll get the i5 after all but how do you go about overclocking? Lol

[scottish]

If you go with the Noctua watch your RAM, as from what I remember the NH-D14 is a massive heatsink so if you have large sticks of ram then may cause problems.

[Matthew]

I've got that graphics card, its excellent and I would recommend it.