Where does CPU speed step down?

[Computer-Ed]

You know we all talk about CPU overclocking and many of us have done it. For a few tweaks we can push up the speed of our CPU and see a nice bonus in speed. However I have been looking at some numbers and question if we really need the speed we are striving for.

Let me explain, I was looking for some info for a firend and have been looking at reviews of the E6600 that compare game performance to stock and overclocked speeds.

Now in low resolution the overclock made a really impressive difference but as the resolution and the detail level climbed the difference became smaller. So small in some cases, between a stock 2.4 and an overclocked to 3.0, that you had to wonder if it was worth the trouble.

So my question is, since the higher detail is much more GPU than CPU limited, is overclocking really in the end a big deal, since we after all want the best detain and hence remove the CPu from the major role in the speed equation.

Now before the knee jerk reactions begin think about this from the view point of 99% of the users out there. To get a good overclock you need to spend $40 for a good CPU cooler, spend extra to buy a better mainboard to overclock with, say an extra $30, buy better quality RAM, another $30 and worry more about case cooling so another $50 for a better case.

To achieve the overclock and make it the best you can you have to spend based on these numbers $150. Now the typcial gain at high resolution for the testing I was reading was around 3% to 5%.

Does a 5% boost justify the extra cost when that same money could have bumped a system from 2 gig to 4 gig of RAM? How about when it could have taken the video from an 8600 to an 8800GTS?

For a 5% bump for the way we want to game is this cost worth the return over other options?

I am putting this up for discussion not for flaming or arguing, but a logical look at this.

[screwballl]

I myself tend to get a slightly better cpu over video card since my gaming has never gone over 1280x1024 or 1440x900... I am also not an OC'r but in a case like mine the cpu OC should yield a slight gain... You don't need more expensive memory and mobo to do all this... with my system mentioned below (similar to yours), even with the stock Intel cooler has seen 2.8-3.0GHz Oc's... I have gotten mine to easy 2.8GHz testing... but I prefer not to burn stuff up so fast.... especially with the chance ofr daughter or cat or both bumping my system when running and dropping the cooler off the board

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

None of your specs are necessary at all. With an E6600, you can overclock to 3.0GHz on the STOCK cooler. You don't need kickass RAM either or the best mobo either. The one we recommend majority of the time, the Gigabyte DS3, is hella cheap. Most people building a rig for performance, beg you, ones who overclock, aren't going to skimp on the motherboard.

Cliff Notes: You can have a budget rig and still overclock to 3.0GHz without a problem.

EDIT: Some people overclock not for game performance BTW. If I overclocked, I would do it for CPU performance, where it's needed (i.e., video encoding since I do a hell lot of it).

[PC_destroyer]

Originally Posted by wtcnbrwndo4u

EDIT: Some people overclock not for game performance BTW. If I overclocked, I would do it for CPU performance, where it's needed (i.e., video encoding since I do a hell lot of it).

And for Folding@Home...

[wtcnbrwndo4u]

Originally Posted by PC_destroyer

And for Folding@Home...

Ahh, yes, this too... :)

[PC_destroyer]

Over clocking my CPU from 2GHz to 2.5GHz made my production increase by 75ppd on certain WUs and on some others (patty melts) there isn't any difference.

[polobunny]

You down right assumed that every graphic application with higher details was more GPU intensive in your first post, though.
I overclock for fun. And at the same time it helps my F@H production, where's the problem mate? :P

Also would you see a difference from 2GB to 4GB of RAM? Or upgrading from a 8600 to a 8800 GTS? Everyone has his limits and needs, you just don't want to get in a "my rig is better than yours" thing or it will never end. Get what you need, be happy, don't push your hardware too far if you can't afford new one. :)

[Dread]

I got into oc'ing soley as a means to increase folding production.
Experiencing about a 40% increase in ppd on the rigs that are
overclocked to between 2.8-2.9 GHz. So oc'ing really has it's
benefits :) BTW, no extra money spent on the oc's since I had
purchased everything prior to making the decision, so I would have
had it anyway.