Overclocking / FSB Vs Multiplier

srdb20

Hi Lads,

I was just wondering, when overclocking does it make any differnece whether you have a higher multiplier and a lower FSB, or a Higher FSB and a lower multiplier to achieve the same overclock.

E.g

10 * 266 = 2.66 (Rounded up)

8 * 333 = 2.66 (Rounded up)

Will you see the same results with both or will one be better overall.

I keep thinking a higher FSB will be better....

Just wondering if anyone knew for sure if there is any differnece.

Cheers

Anti

No matter which you cpu speed will be the same, but the lower multi, and a higher fsb will mean you have a faster memory speed, and there for more memory bandwidth.

srdb20

Sweet ill stick with the higher FSB then!

Higher FSB will mean more voltage through the CPU and hence more heat, is that right?

Khannie

No, total cpu speed will be the same. You shouldn't need more voltage through the cpu if the megahurts (omg! the hurts!) are the same.

srdb20

Cheers Khannie, ill go with the higher FSB and lower multiplier and see how much i can squeeze out of her at the stock voltage

TonyM.

No its the other way higher multiplier lower fsb is better for everyday use ,not synthetic benchmarks, if you raise the fsb you will have to rise the voltage as well producing more heat for your little chipset fan to deal with, and your memory controllers are also in there.

A higher fsb is not the only way to speed up your memory if it is unlinked you can set it manually.

RussianHAXOR on the Evga forums explains it better below.( its better to overclock the cpu not the mainboard )

#1 Mutipliers. I see no reason with this motherboard for anyone to be lowering their multiplier; you paid for that CPU’s performance. If you want, I’ll swap you chips, mine is a 7x and I wish I had coughed up the extra $40 for an 8x everyday. The official FSB support on this board is 1333. The closer you stay to that the better off you will be. That being said, you could make an argument for dropping the multiplier on the e6700 or e6800and maybe the e6600, but only under some extreme over-clocking circumstances. At the end of the day I feel it is better to over-clock the CPU, not the motherboard. The northbridge is probably running hotter than your CPU on this motherboard. Every Mhz in FSB you squeeze out just furthers its stress. Remember this is an Intel chip, the memory controller is where? Inside that blistering hot little northbridge that's where, and that is why I suggest leaving your multiplier alone. Faster CPU, slower FSB and Memory Mhz if possible. Two different paths to one goal, performance and stability.