Hi guys, I have two machines, one with a 3930K (3.2GHz) on a X79 Sabertooth board and the other which is in my sig. The Sabertooth is used as a ArmA 3 server and anyone familiar with the game knows that CPU speed is key above anything else. I'm looking to overclock both but want to start with the X79 as a practice run first and also because I don't want to risk my main gaming machine. Am I right in that overclocking from X79 onwards is pretty much automated by the BIOS? If I overclock the CPU do I have to do the same with the RAM? My game machine is using CMK32GX4M4A2666C16 RAM. Therefore hoping to get more out of it! Just wondering if anyone's overclocked either CPU+Mobo combo?
Overclocking X79 and X99 is actually really boring because it's so easy. I came from X58 and getting my 5820K to run at 4.6GHz was pretty much a matter of changing the CPU multi to 46x and bumping up the core voltage to whatever's needed (for me it's 1.25v in BIOS). Despite previous experience with an X79 build for a friend, I was very much a novice with the new architecture so I just followed the X99 overclocking tutorial on Linus Tech Tips. You can overclock the RAM independently from the CPU but IMO it's added strain on your system that's totally unnecessary; if you can run it at stock then just do that, and it means your CPU voltage can be lower too (in theory, at least). As for auto overclocking that most board partners offer, the general advice is to leave well alone because the voltages are ridiculous. It's so easy to manually overclock on X79/X99 that there's almost no point even considering the auto avenue. There are many people here who have X79 or X99 systems who'll be more than happy to help you out - just share your progress and ask for help when you need it.
I had a RIVE which is pretty similar to the Sabertooth (X79) and it was as Lenny says, just up the voltage to a safe level and then see what it can do by adding multi. I did go the hard way on my MSI X79 board (strap, FSB etc) but found it all to be a waste of time, given it preferred multi any way.
It's very hard to actually damage anything as a newbie to overclocking nowadays - it's pretty much only the pro's that are pushing hardware to the limits that can do that. Jump in, play with some settings, learn what your boards and chips like and don't like, don't panic if Windows fails to load or you get some BSOD's - as long as you're doing everything incrementally you'll be fine, and learn a lot on the way. EDIT: As a side note, I miss the old days of FSB overclocking... I know it's technically still a thing, but good luck trying to get any meaningful gains from it.
