Hello everyone, I have an Intel QX6700 @2.66 GHz and was thinking about OCing to 3.0 GHz if possible on stock cooling. I have had it since 2007 and really dont want to kill it because then I would need a new MOBO, CPU, and RAM. Here are my system specs
Antec 900 Case
Thermaltake Smart M750W PSU
Asus P5K Deluxe/WiFi-AP
WD 500gb Caviar Black HDD
6 gb DDR2 800 RAM
Intel QX6700 @2.66GHz
EVGA GTX 260 Core 216 896mb Superclocked Edition
Creative SB X-Fi Xtreme Gamer Sound Card
If you are wondering why I have such an overkill PSU it is because my old Antec 550w PSU died about a month ago so I bought a nice Thermaltake for my future build which hopefully I will have the money for by mid July this year. I am just looking for a little boost if at all possible. If you guys/gals think it's too risky then I will not try the OC. Also I will not be able to try any OCing until Sunday because I am away from home for the week. Also sorry for the wordy post :)
bumping the multiplier up to 11 - 11.5 (11.5 * 266 = 3059MHz) should do the trick. As long as you don't mess with the voltage, OCing on stock shouldn't be too bad, provided you have cool ambient temps and keep the voltage down. However, I'm unfamiliar with OCing Core 2's, so you might not be able to get that OC stable without a voltage bump. I'm in the process of OCing my Athlon II, and going from 2.8 to 3.2GHz doesn't really require a voltage bump, but I'm not sure if Intel Core 2 Quads are as flexable at stock voltage.
Personally, I'd see how fast I push it without chaning the voltage. Alternatively, you can invest in a CPU cooler and see how far you can push it. Most modern CPU coolers are also LGA 775 compatible. If you like the performance from a hefty overclock, then all you really need is a new GPU and you have solid system. And in either case, you can carry over the CPU cooler to the new system.
Thanks for the info. However I do not wish to buy a new CPU cooler due to the fact that I would have to remove my motherboard to mount it. But I will try bumping the multiplier up to 11 when I am home. Thanks :)