DNAB... Definitely Not A Banana Intel Core i7 950 ( yay! )

[BenchZowner]

Since the first episode of this brand new... internet overclocking series is necessary and it wasn't posted here, I'll post it now:

I can't believe this is true, but fortunately ( for me :p: ) it is :D
A few days ago... ok, ok! 2 days ago, I tested a Core i7 950 that did 4.8GHz SuperPi 32M on ice ( the regular one, not dry ice ) [ CoreTemp 37C/35C/36C/33C ] and the results were very encouraging ( 5.4GHz-something SuperPi 1M, 5.3GHz AquaMark 3, 5.16GHz Pi32M @ -58Cpot_temp, wPrime at 5.05GHz ).
Today I had a few liters of LN2 ( 12 to be precise ).
Yesterday I started preparing some Windows images with Norton Ghost ( something that made me waste a lot LN2 today :shakes: ) and then recovered the HDD to an all-around Windows XP Pro SP3 installation.

I wanted to test the CPU, but I got tempted to do some AquaMark 3 with a LN2 cooled 5870, so I prepped both the mobo & the VGA for LN2.
I started with CPU on LN2 and an empty Tek-9 3.0 "Fatbody"-cooled 5870 @ stock to check the overclocking capabilities & the "coldbug/coldboot" of the CPU.
I didn't try hard, neither really paid any attention ( I had an old friend here and we had some good laughs during this benching session :D ) so there might be more or even more than a lot of OC headroom left ( we shall find out soon :D )

After fooling around in Windows XP I decided to load the Windows 7 x64 image to get some higher AquaMark 3 & 3D Mark03 numbers, but that wasn't the best of ideas I must admit :p:

Norton Ghost 14 had problems restoring my image, and after 2 tries and lots of waiting, I decided to give Windows Backup a go.
Finally, after 3 minutes or so the image was finally restored and we were ready to go.

Well... that's when I realized that I lost a few scores & screenshots because I forgot to transfer them from the HDD to my USB stick...

I was bored and didn't mod the 5870, so it was SmartDoctor & Afterburner.
Well, the result was 1287MHz / GDDR5-5224 AquaMark 3 @... -179C ( -180C = coldbug :p: ) @ 1.45Vsomething.

I didn't push the UnCore, nor the RAM ( slacky 8-8-8-28 80 tRFC and 2/8 divider, B2B 12(!) ) just the CPU clock :D

I lost a nice 393k AQ3 with the card at 900/1200 and 5.54G CPU while saving the screenshot ( damn GPU-z lol and lack of LN2 :( ).

I also benched SuperPi 1M @ 5.5GHz / DDR3-2400 8-8-8-28 Triple Channel just for fun :D

I really need a cascade to spend some time testing the CPU and finding the best clocks/timings & settings :(

I'll leave you with a few screenshots ( well... some of the saved ones :D )

One of the cb lost screenies
http://i50.tinypic.com/2h7mi5y.jpg

A cr*ppy AQ3 ( full screenie, yay :D )
http://i49.tinypic.com/345d8pw.jpg

A... not so tweaked ( just LSC ) SuperPi 32M on dice
http://i50.tinypic.com/2rq2iyt.jpg

5.57GHz 4cores/8threads CPU-z validation ( pending, x86-secret is down :D )

I shall be back soon :D

[BenchZowner]

Episode #2, Today somewhere on earth:

Had a short session today ( didn't went really well, stupid kneaded eraser insulation on the VGA didn't work well :p: ), the scores aren't tweaked at all, so don't give me a lecture about the efficiency.
I had to tweak the CPU settings from the beginning since I can't remember the settings I used the other time :p:
I'm BCLK limited ( and NB temp limited probably, 69C @ boot lol ) and got lots of stuff to check ( ideally on a -130C cascade :p: ) to see if I can get past that stupid BCLK wall, check the settings & stuff affecting the CBB & CB ( Cold Boot Bug & Cold Bug ) and tweak the RAM sub-timings & cool the RAM with LN2 as well.

The CPU can do 5300+ 3D Mark06, 5500+ AquaMark 3 & Pi 32m, so unless someone can hook me up with a 5.7GHz+ 32m / AquaMark 3 - 5.5GHz 3D Mark06 chip, I'm fine :D ( somebody ?! )
Will come back soon with proper scores with CPU + VGA/s + RAMs @ LN2 ( maybe LN2 on teh chipset too )

http://i49.tinypic.com/mb0pc8.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/nzfwvd.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/2i9mo2t.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/2w37wps.jpg

[The Duke]

very nice!

5500 is nice .. how much more are you planning on pushing it?

[BenchZowner]

To the very limit, until it starts yelling at me "No more sir, please!".
With the current settings the Cold Bug strikes at... -145C, which makes me confident that this CPU can bench AquaMark 3 at 5.6++ once I get past the stupid BCLK wall.

[Neuromancer]

Hahhah sweet man!

Bclock wall is a bitch, if I had not hit that, I probably would have been a lot more reticent to sell my i7-920 setup. MSI board hit and my E758 :( Both I could hit with a little cool air blowing through my Thor's Hammer *sigh

Once I went water I though for sure I would pass it but no.. all I managed was seriously lower temps and banging my head against the same 4.62+ GHz hardwall (oh and LOTS less noise of course)

Finally going extreme cooling myself sometime here shortly. (another week or two probably)

[EnJoY]

To the very limit, until it starts yelling at me "No more sir, please!".
With the current settings the Cold Bug strikes at... -145C, which makes me confident that this CPU can bench AquaMark 3 at 5.6++ once I get past the stupid BCLK wall.


Not a bad chip there Bill. 5.6 is pretty nice, sucks about the bclock wall. :(

How do you plan to get past it?

[BenchZowner]

A few things that I haven't tried ( tweaking PLL voltages, chipset temperature [ load temp exceeds 70-75C with the stock or the swiftech ], HyperThreading off, RTL & sub-timings relaxing, LN2 @ NB ) or more "aggressive" measures ( another mobo, maybe try out some HW mods )

[Neuromancer]

What board you on? If its a Giby there are some simple hardmods you can do... most boards just require upping the PCIE freq, but I am sure you already knew that. I was stuck at the 222 wall :(

[BenchZowner]

Modified eVGA X58 Classified.
I have a few boards that might help but I don't think they'll be as efficient as the classified is ( Foxconn BloodRage & Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5, both modified ).

[EnJoY]

Modified eVGA X58 Classified.
I have a few boards that might help but I don't think they'll be as efficient as the classified is ( Foxconn BloodRage & Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD5, both modified ).

You can't get much better than the Classified for bclock, that's for sure.

[BenchZowner]

Well... that is partially true :D
I had great success with my ex X58 love ( Foxconn BloodRage, now part of my cousin's rig :p ).

I'm thinking of digging the BR off my cus' rig and give it a try.
And maybe drop some cash on a second X58 Classie.

[Neuromancer]

Might just be the chip. Kal (supes from Xtremesystems) and his brother darkN8 hit 300 BCLK on a 920 and a classified.

[BenchZowner]

Yes, there's always a chance of the chip being the limiting factor, but I hope it's not the case this time :p

[BenchZowner]

I picked up some dry ice today ( 15.5 lbs / 7kg ) to do some VGA pretesting as a preparation for the next LN2 session.
I decided to use an i7 920 just to grab a few more HWpoints for the sake of it :p:
I started with low CPU clocks and did some VGA OC digging, hitting 1355MHz GPU @ AquaMark 3 at... hold on... 1.672V ( probably stable with less voltage, I was just rushing and wanted to be ok in terms of ext. param. that could affect the stability ), 1300MHz GPU @ 3D Mark 03/05/Vantage at -60C to -65C.

Then I pushed the CPU a lil' further, and tried some 3Dm03/05/Vantage just for fun.

40069 3D Mark05 - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=5135996
104126 3D Mark03 - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=6262310
P23075 3D Mark Vantage ( Performance Preset ) - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1858927

I think I'm ready for my next LN2 session now :D

[EnJoY]

I picked up some dry ice today ( 15.5 lbs / 7kg ) to do some VGA pretesting as a preparation for the next LN2 session.
I decided to use an i7 920 just to grab a few more HWpoints for the sake of it :p:
I started with low CPU clocks and did some VGA OC digging, hitting 1355MHz GPU @ AquaMark 3 at... hold on... 1.672V ( probably stable with less voltage, I was just rushing and wanted to be ok in terms of ext. param. that could affect the stability ), 1300MHz GPU @ 3D Mark 03/05/Vantage at -60C to -65C.

Then I pushed the CPU a lil' further, and tried some 3Dm03/05/Vantage just for fun.

40069 3D Mark05 - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm05=5135996
104126 3D Mark03 - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=6262310
P23075 3D Mark Vantage ( Performance Preset ) - http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dmv=1858927

I think I'm ready for my next LN2 session now :D

WOW! Those are some SICK VGA clocks Bill! :eek:

I wonder how they'll do under LN2? :D

[BenchZowner]

I think we'll find out tomorrow ;)