My mistake about the new TIM with the new Intel's and TIM. That IS the
internal TIM used
inside the CPU die package - not the user-replaceable TIM that sits between the die and heatsink mating surfaces. But it really has nothing to do with this topic - EXCEPT that it should make the OEM stock coolers even more efficient! :smile9:
So my advice remains the same. I recommend trying the OEM coolers first (the ones designed for
that line of CPUs) - before automatically plunking down more cash for an aftermarket cooler that is designed for "universal applications". Instead, use the extra money in the budget for more graphics horsepower, more or faster RAM, or a faster CPU - something that will actually
improve performance for your money! Or use the extra money for more, larger, and/or quieter case fans. Or maybe towards a larger or better (or 2nd) monitor or some
quality speakers.
On occasion I've seen them be less stable than doing the OC manually in the BIOS, and I think that'd be how I'd personally do it. However, the ease of use of software OC's cannot be ignored, and they are normally just as stable.
This is true with any overclocking scheme. Push it too hard in any one direction, and stability issues will occur. In fact, in overclocking circles, that's how you determine how far you can push it. Push until stability (or excessive heat) issues arise, then back it off until stable.
I'm 62. I got "into" (figuratively
and literally) computers in the mid-70s. 15+ years ago, I used to be an overclocking and super-cooling freak. Not as a gamer. And not even as a computer "enthusiast". But as a long-time electronics technician who wanted to see what my hardware "could do". In other words, "
been there, done that!". I've done extreme overclocking. And I've done water, refrigeration!, and Peltier cooling - all when there were no pre-made kits, wizards, menus or simple BIOS "settings" that you could easily back out of. Back when you had visit your local hardware store for parts, manually move and lay (solder in) new wire jumpers on motherboards to change clock settings and voltages. Updating the BIOS required swapping out PROMs - later "burning" EPROMs with UV light. I've cut holes in cases for cooling tubes and hoses, determined the best coolant formula (after discovering mold in system
) and more.
I even paid a small fortune for a 80mm hole saw to cut "blow holes" in the top of cases to mount top fans - way before any manufactured case came with top fan mounting.
Then I started to see all the problems caused by overclockers who failed to do their homework. These include warped and disfigured CPU sockets due to
sustained high temps, shorts from water leaks and ESD damage too. A common problem with alternative cooling implementers is they often forget other heat sensitive and generating devices in the computer and on the motherboard need cooling too - in particular, the chipset, RAM and graphics.
Lax and waning preventative maintenance is a recurring problem with water cooling users. In the beginning, they check for leaks and water levels, perhaps on a daily basis. But as time and the novelty wear off, these inspections become fewer and further between - when the reality is, inspections should
increase as the system ages, parts become fatigued and brittle (especially flexible hoses) and connections and fittings vibrate loose.
To be sure, overclocking issues has been good for my little computer repair business! :grin1: But I'm retired now and don't need the money. I would much rather teach users how to have a lasting, enjoyable, safe and secure computing experience. And that comes from making sound, AND INFORMED decisions.
Frankly, overclocking has become boring. Safer :smile9:, but boring
. Thanks in part to programs like Gigabyte's EasyTune and ASUS' AI overclocking utilities. I really see no purpose for it today - EXCEPT for bragging rights in benchmarks and at review sites (*). I feel it is MUCH BETTER (safer, more stable) to just buy more horsepower (noting the cost for more performance just keeps dropping significantly year after year). And it is not just that CPUs are becoming more powerful, they are also much more efficient - that is, they consume less power and waste less power (in the form of heat) than their predecessors, while providing much better performance.
Also, game developers have changed their methodologies too. They now realize that not all gamers are overclockers, computer enthusiasts, nor do all gamers have deep pockets. So they design their programs to provide good "game play" on lessor systems. Also, today's computing environment is MUCH MORE graphics intensive than it was 10 years ago. So the importance of a good graphics solution is greater than it used to be.
The more capable the graphics solution, the more tasks the CPU can hand off to the graphics solution - and it takes very little CPU horsepower to hand off tasks.
So yeah, I OC a little contradicting myself - but just because it was so easy (thanks to Gigabyte's EasyTune) and my temps are good.
And finally, I don't care if folks use aftermarket coolers or if they overclock - AS LONG AS they do their homework first, keep CONSTANT watch on temps, and maintain a disciplined preventative maintenance routine that includes regular (monthly, if not more often) visual inspections, and cleaning of heat trapping dust as necessary. And most important, that they understand ALL the consequences of using aftermarket cooling and/or non-default voltage and clock settings.
* As to benchmarking utilities and review sites - I am not a big fan - even with undeniably professional sites like AnandTech. They try, but the tests that measure performance are NOT representative of the real-world scenarios
most "normal" users will encounter. That said, I prefer the professional review sites to "user reviews" at sites like Newegg. With user reviews, it is important to note happy users don't complain and most don't come back to write good reviews. Also, users typically don't have comparable products to compare with for proper side-by-side (A-B) comparisons, nor do they have properly equipped testing facilities or the necessary technical training for a proper evaluation. So if I am considering a product, I read the user reviews but I don't put a lot of stock in them,
UNLESS there are several complaining about the
EXACT SAME THING.
