GTX580 vs GTX780Ti OC.

[Revvin]

Yeah I did think about leaving it on high performance settings but thought it may be best to let it do its thing and perhaps prolong the life of the CPU, just wondered what other users did

[dburne]

Yeah I did think about leaving it on high performance settings but thought it may be best to let it do its thing and perhaps prolong the life of the CPU, just wondered what other users did

 

I always run with the power saving feature set in the bios for my motherboard.

It steps down both the cpu speed and the voltage to the cpu when it is not needed, normally at idle desktop my I7 4820K runs around 1.2 ghz , then full on I am at 4.50 Ghz.

 

Same with my video card, I just don't need or want these items running full bore constantly, only when I need them - ie for gaming namely.

[FuriousMeow]

I run full speed all the time for the CPU. Removing the C-states for my particular system has led to far better stability and higher headroom to overclock. All systems are different, so up to the end user. I also modded my case, as in cut open several port holes to add additional fans on the side of the case, to allow far more air flow. The GPUs remain in prefer max performance but only clock higher than default when needed, but they never underclock.

 

So far no heat issues since I went SLI, and considering the Windforce 3X doesn't throw the heat out the back like the reference design then I think I'm good.

[FuriousMeow]

Running your CPU at full speed all of the time has the potential to burn out your CPU. If you intend to keep your CPU for more than 5 years and run your system 24 hours a day 7 days a week, have insufficient circulation and a stock cooler. I don't, I turn it off when I'm not using it and have great air circulation with one of the best air coolers on the market and I frequently open my case up to clear it out with compressed air. My last CPU was an i7-870. I ran that at 4GHz with an aftermarket air cooler until I upgraded to this i7-4770k when it was released last year. That CPU is still running a friend's computer. It's not currently overclocked because he's using a stock air cooler, but its still going strong without a single issue. That will be 5 years later this year, and if it goes out - oh well. He paid nothing for it and I had years of amazing performance/entertainment out of it.

 

A power spike has a higher percentage chance for destroying your CPU or mobo than running max performance with an overclock.

Edited April 6, 2014 by FuriousMeow

[Revvin]

Ok interesting, this setup is going to have to last me quite some time. I am on an air cooled solution at the moment but not stock - it's an Alpenfohn K2 Mount Doom cooler but I'm thinking of changing that to a Corsair H80i water cooler as the Alpenfohn one is huge and it's really really close to the back of my GPU although the fans push the air in the opposite direction I think the smaller water block would help air flow through the case. The case itself has good cooling. It's a Cooler Master Storm Trooper with 2 x 120mm fans pulling air in through filters at the front and then 1 x 140mm at the back drawing out air in line with the CPU fans and then 1 x 200mm drawing out air at the top through a filter. The 140mm on the back would be replaced by the Corsair H80i 120mm fan and radiator assembly if I went down that route.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Revvin

[Panzerlang]

I'm using a Corsair water-cooler and have both the side-panels off my case. Even when the ambient temp of the room is high I have no issues.