Overclocking AMD Phenom X4 945 and 955 Black Edition

[Ground 0]

A Black Edition processor is really perfect for overclocking. Although the level of a 3.2 GHz model pretty fast from each current application, yet it is the free multiplier makes it very easy, in increasing one or two steps. But, as it has all year, we are selecting our samples in this discipline is not particularly successful. 4.1 GHz with sorrow and distress, we create a so-called "Kill Shot", a stable operation was not permanently, even at 3.8 GHz with an impressive 1.50 volts possible. 3.7 GHz eventually had to meet at reasonable 1.45 volts.

500 MHz bring more in these areas highly clocked hardly an advantage. Only 13 percent in some applications cross won by the bank, which is also compared with a 17 percent increase in power consumption of the entire test system, not to mention the higher temperatures all over again. In the end, so once again questionable whether overclocking is a 3.2-GHz processor really necessary.

[Fragman]

As already known from our previous processor tests, we try a new test subjects with a slightly reduced voltage to operate. With 1.35 volts from the factory, the new Phenom X4 955 operates at 0.05 volts more than the 810/805, but just like the first Phenom X4 in the form of the model 940/920. That had us test the undervolting let down when, for a stable operation was possible only at 1.3 volts. The hope is therefore on the two new models. Optimistic we reduced the voltage promptly by 0.2 to 1.15 volts to quickly determine that this was not even the short walk down to the BIOS. Up in Windows, it was with 1.20 volts on the other hand easily, but a second after the start of Prime came the blue screen. At 1.25 volts, we could ultimately do all work without problems, also ran through Prime stable.

[spuff]

The very low 0.1 volts appears to do surprisingly well noticeable. The lowered by eight percent voltage reflected quasi 1:1 result in lower power consumption and temperature. The capacity of temperature takes place in analogous to measure the power consumption. The system will charge one hour, while the room temperature is bizarrely warm 21-22 degrees. The demonstrated temperature is always the relevant maximum value that was with the unit cooler Noctua NH-U12P unwavering with a matching 120mm Noctua NF-12P-premium fan. As anticipated, the considerably reduced power consumption beats down on the temperature. All under test processors assistance from the powerful CPU cooler, humiliating exceptions remain the Hothead Intel Core i7 and the old flagship Core 2 Extreme QX6850 in the older 65-nm production.

[Aabheer]

With the Phenom X4 955 sends AMD OverDrive, the new 3.0 into the race, which holds some surprises. On paper it looks first of all exciting. Special memory performance profiles to one with a Phenom X4 955-equipped system by up to an eight percent increase, with the "Smart Profiles" is even a method similar to Intel's Turbo mode introduced. This system allows to optimize overdrive special applications, since a large part of the current software is simply not designed for four cores. If an application uses more than two cores, with the software are core 1 and 2 of the processor multiplier to step up and the cores 3 and 4 the same time adapted to a step down. Similar to the Intel processor will not exceed its specified TDP of 125 watts. AMD expects the measure supported applications performance gains of up to five percent and this shows using Far Cry 2. The first beta versions of the new OverDrive 3.0 had no built-Smart Profiles. Quasi at the last minute but we have made a number of profiles available so that we could try ourselves to the tool. At the end of the test, we were (in beta status) profiles for the following applications / games ahead: 3DMark05, 3DMark06, PCMark05, Mirrors Edge, Blazing Angels 2, Fear, Fear 2, Call of Duty: World at War, Unreal Tournament 3 , Dead Space, Quake 4, GTA IV, Company of Heroes, Stalker: Clear Sky Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, Left 4 Dead, Call of Juarez, Hawx, Crysis, Far Cry 2, Race Driver GRID and Fallout 3 Retrieved from "time to time," AMD plans to make new profiles available online.

[Amma-Watson]

The first step is loaded into overdrive the appropriate application (in this case 3DMark05), which can be enabled or disabled at any time. Then - point 2 - you can either use the supplied profiles of AMD have, or create it yourself. Since we all want to show the available options, we choose "Custom". In the field labeled 3, the process priority is set, similar to the familiar Windows Task Manager. Under item 4 will be held the assignment of processor cores. If you definitely know that a program only uses two cores, do you choose just exactly two of these nuclei. The theory sounds very very good and easy, but under Windows Vista 64 bit, we have to fight promptly with some diseases, which ensure that we can not deal with the profiles. The alleged pre-profiles were not found. Although we were able to determine an application and create a custom profile for it, but you could not set the hook in the nuclei, or they will not appear. So we will try our luck with a shot in the dark, the first two nuclei are to +2 (3.6 GHz), the other two to -2 (2.8 GHz), the voltage to 1.55 volts for safety. And lo and behold: it is, CPU-Z and the overdrive Status Monitor confirm the settings made, you can not see. High time for a benchmark run.