Build Advice Pete J's massive system overhaul discussion

Whelp, I've decided to follow @GeorgeStorm 's advice and stick to 64GB. Trying to achieve stability at 4800MHz was basically impossible, let alone any higher. In fact, the Corsair RAM (that I've returned today) was better performing in this regard, being able to hold its latency values from the 6600MHz profile.

I'm currently stress testing one set of RAM with Prime95. Unfortunately, its 6400MHz CL32 profile had one core fail after 50 minutes (even when trying the alternative EXPO profile, which actually failed pretty much immediately); the 6000MHz CL30 profile has lasted an hour. Going to swap out the other set and see how that performs.

 

The other set of RAM passed 2 hours or Prime95 testing. So, on to the next thing...

Whilst waiting for the stability test to do some decent time, I read a bit more of the Techpowerup article about RAM speed and latency performance I linked earlier. In some cases, it was better to have lower latencies than higher frequencies. Curious, I ran Cinebench (R23.2) a few times with the two profiles. Here are the results:

• 6400MHz 32-39-39-84
  • 23513 mean
• 6000MHz 30-36-36-77
  • 23565 mean
• Common factors
  • Standard deviation (sample) of 11 for both.
  • At least 5 tests done.
  • Test done until result stopped increasing.
  • Highest three results used.

Since the Cinebench performance correlates with gaming performance (admittedly making a fraction of a percent difference), I'm going to use the 6000 MHz profile. Also, I must update the OP with details later.

 

Nothing really's going to happen until the 5090 turns up. However, in the meantime, I'm fiddling with the AMD Curve Optimizer. So far I have it down to -10 and have noticed that clock speeds run a little better under extreme test conditions.

 

I found that way more fascinating than I ought to.

 

Still waiting for the 5090 to turn up, although starting to feel a tiny bit of buyer's remorse, what with all the bad news articles coming out: melting power connectors, missing ROPs, dropping 32 bit PhysX support etc.

Anyway, this weekend, I was intending to do long duration stress tests on the CPU. This has got off to a bad start as settings that were relatively stable a fortnight ago suddenly aren't . On top of that, even though I didn't have the wifi aerial plugged in, previously, the PC could still pick up wifi. Now I've had to plug the aerial in to make it work.

So, I reset Curve Optimiser to do a quick stability test (seems fine), installed all Windows updates, and am once again twiddling. I've done a test with all cores at -20 curve offset and that seems fine, so will work from there. Again. Next is -25, then I'll start tweaking the cores individually.

Just a bit puzzled as to how the system went from stable to unstable. A decade ago, when I was doing overclocking, once I had values reasonably dialed in, that was that.

 

No change on the GPU front, but am only 4 weeks in to the vaguely promised "2-12" week delivery estimate. Oh well, plenty of time for the super early adopters to find solutions to the ugly issues that have plagued the 5000 series launch. Although this GPU is intended to last a decade for me, it may be the case that I trade it for the 6000 series in...3 years time?

Anyway, I'm still playing around with the AMD Curve Optimiser, and I think I'm going to give up on individual core tweaking: it's proving to be a pain in the bum and the benefit over a CPU wide values is arguably insignificant. Funnily enough, one of the stability issues I encountered was simply leaving the PC on at the login screen, which crashed within 90 minutes or so. I put this down to the Curve Optimiser also affecting things at the bottom end of the CPU power state, Here's my overclocking testing methodology:

Stage 1: CPU Baseline Stability:

1. Increase negative offset.
2. Run CineBench R23 benchmark.
   • If benchmark passes, go back to 1.
   • If benchmark fails, go to 3.
3. Decrease negative offset.
4. Run small scale stability testing subroutine.
   • Small scale stability testing subroutine.
     1. Run Cinebench R23 benchmark.
     2. Run CPU-Z stress test for ≥10 minutes.
     3. Run Prime95 mixed blend stress test
        • ≥10 minutes required.
        • ≥25 successful passes per core required.
     4. Run CPU-Z stress test for ≥10 minutes.
     5. Run Cinebench R23 benchmark.
   • If subroutine fails, go back to 3.
   • If subroutine passes, go to Stage 2.

Stage 2: CPU Extended stability:

1. Run large scale stability testing subroutine.
   • Small scale stability testing subroutine.
     1. Run Cinebench R23 benchmark twice.
     2. Run CPU-Z stress test for ≥20 minutes.
     3. Run Prime95 mixed blend stress test
        • ≥12 hours required.
     4. Run CPU-Z stress test for ≥20 minutes.
     5. Run Cinebench R23 benchmark twice.
     6. Restart PC
     7. Leave at login screen for ≥12 hours.
   • If subroutine fails, decrease negative offset and go back to 1.
   • If subroutine passes, go to 2.
2. Decrease negative offset by 1.
3. System is considered stable.

 

I finally took the plunge and put all the new hardware in place, though I'm still waiting on the 5090 to turn up:



So, so happy! The TV has exceptional image quality: not only is it much more uniform than my old TV, the image holds even at crazy viewing angles. And oh my God, the black levels. Can't wait to see it operating at 144Hz since at the moment the 9800X3D's onboard GPU is only capable of 60. I haven't use my new calibration tool yet, but colours seem pretty accurate.

Now, you may ask: why is the Halo splash screen on there? That's because I'm listening to the intro theme after having calibrated my subwoofer cut-off, which is something I didn't know existed until yesterday.

I have never heard sound so beautiful.

The speakers deliver excellent sound, and then when the bass drum hits, thanks to the subwoofer, it's like actually being in front of an orchestra. Absolutely no regrets. The thing that scares me though is that the system delivers more than enough volume, when I have it about a fifth of the knob. I know the amp output is less than the speakers can handle, but still, how loud do people need their music?!

And yes, the middle stand is bowing under the TV's weight. Might have to do a little carpentry .

 

That looks awesome. Can't believe that you're still waiting on the 5090!

Have you got another GPU that you could use in the meantime other than the onboard GPU?

 

Not really. Doesn't matter as I have plenty of other hobbies and house stuff to get on with in the meantime. Easter is going to be busy!

In other news, I've also set up the two new Dell 27" side screens. Annoyingly they don't have an option to keep the hotport on, so the windows shift round every time I turn them off.

 

This turned up way earlier than expected today:



ISSA BIG BOI:



Banana for scale.

Unfortunately I needed to be a grown up and do some household chores in the afternoon, but got it put in the system:



I've been fiddling with calibrating screens and installing things. Hopefully I'll do some benchmarking tomorrow.

 

Finally! Congrats on the arrival of your new card

Here's hoping your 12V HPWR connection doesn't melt. Can you undervolt it?

 

Highly recommend undervolting. Can drop 100W off the power draw with no meaningful performance difference

 

For now, I just want to play the games I've specifically bought to play with it!

To be fair the GPU is whisper quiet (I have it on its silent mode), and even turns off its fans when not gaming. Basically, it's working as intended, and I don't feel the need to tinker.

 

The benefit of these massive coolers is that they are very silent even in use. It is nice that fan stop happens. I have done the undervolt/overclock thing, not because I need to but because I have an natural addition to fiddling with stuff

I have a stack of new things to play, what have I been playing, CyberPunk.....which is a bit old.

 

I undervolted just because I don't need an extra 100W on the energy bill and heating up my small room like a space heater in this weather

 

Well, I am working at home on Friday and could leave the system to do stability testing during the day...

 

Dammit @hamza_tm , you sent me down a rabbit hole!



Definitely going to be fiddling on Friday whilst working from home...