How to find out if the multiplier is unlocked. We overclock the athlon xp blocked in the substrate by a multiplier

Introduction

Our readers are probably familiar with the overclocking potential of AMD Phenom II processors. We have published many tests, reviews and comparisons, various detailed guides that allow you to get similar results at home (for example, "").

But for our tests on Socket AM2+ or AM3 platforms, overclocking AMD processors with extreme liquid nitrogen cooling we used Black Edition Phenom II models, and for good reason. These unlocked processors are specifically aimed at enthusiasts who want to get the most out of their purchased CPU.

But this time we will pay attention to overclocking a processor with a locked multiplier. And for our task, we took a three-core AMD Phenom II X3 710, which costs about $ 100 () and operates at a frequency of 2.6 GHz. Of course, this is not to say that the processor lacks performance in normal mode, and three cores provide good potential. However, the processor multiplier is locked, so overclocking is not as easy as Black Edition models (the unlocked Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition runs at 2.8 GHz and costs from 4000 rubles in Russia).

What is a locked multiplier processor? You will not be able to increase the multiplier above the stock value, and also, in the case of AMD processors, also the CPU voltage VID (voltage ID).

Let's look at the standard formula: clock speed = CPU multiplier x base frequency. Since we cannot increase the CPU multiplier, we will have to work with the base frequency. This, in turn, will increase the frequency of the HT (HyperTransport) interface, northbridge and memory, since they all depend on the base frequency. If you want to update the terminology or frequency calculation schemes, we recommend that you refer to the article " Overclocking AMD Processors: THG Guide ".

For cooling retail version Phenom processor II, we decided to abandon the "boxed" cooler in the package and took the Xigmatek HDT-S1283. However, in the hope of overclocking the processor as much as the Black Edition model, we wanted to find a motherboard capable of delivering a high base frequency. As a result of our comparative testing of motherboards for AMD processors The winner in this area is the MSI 790FX-GD70, so it should take us to the limits of AMD's air-cooled processor.


In this article, we will take a detailed look at different ways overclocking of a processor with a locked multiplier, including normal overclocking through the BIOS, through the AMD OverDrive utility, and through proprietary function MSI OC Dial on 790FX-GD70 motherboard. We will consider in detail all three methods, compare their ease and the results obtained. Finally, we'll run some small performance tests to evaluate the gains from overclocking the CPU, Northbridge (NB), and memory.

In each overclocking scenario, we first disabled Cool'n'Quiet, C1E, and Spread Spectrum in the BIOS.

This is not always required, but when determining the maximum base frequency, it is better to disable all these functions so as not to understand the reasons for unsuccessful overclocking. When increasing the base frequency, you will probably have to reduce the CPU, NB and HT multipliers, as well as the memory frequency, so that all these frequencies do not reach the limit value. We will increase the base frequency in small increments, after which we will conduct stability tests. In the 790FX-GD70 BIOS, MSI refers to the HT base frequency as "CPU FSB Frequency".

That was our plan, but first we wanted to see what the "Auto Overclock" option in the BIOS with the stock 200 MHz base frequency could do. We set this option to "Find Max FSB" and saved the BIOS changes. The system then went through a short reboot cycle, and within 20 seconds it booted up to an impressive base frequency of 348 MHz!




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After successfully confirming the system's stable operation at these settings, we realized that the base frequency value would not be a limitation for this combination of CPU and motherboard.



Now it's time to start overclocking the processor. In the Cell menu, we set the values ​​​​back to standard. We then set the 8x multiplier for "CPU-Northbridge Ratio" and "HT Link speed". The FSB/DRAM divider has been lowered to 1:2.66, memory latencies have been manually set to 8-8-8-24 2T.

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Knowing that the CPU would run stably at 3.13 GHz (348 x 9), we immediately jumped to the base frequency of 240 MHz, after which we successfully passed the stability test. Then we began to increase the base frequency in 5 MHz steps and test the stability of the system each time. The highest base frequency we got at stock voltage was 265MHz, which gave us an impressive 3444MHz overclock without increasing the voltage.




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Reducing the HT multiplier to 7x did not allow for more overclocking, so it was time to turn up the voltage. As we mentioned above, the CPU Voltage ID value is locked and cannot be raised above 1.325 V, so in the BIOS you can set the CPU VDD Voltage from 1.000 to 1.325 V or set the automatic value to "Auto". However, the CPU voltage of the motherboard can still be changed by setting an offset relative to the CPU VID. The offset (offset) is set in the MSI BIOS by the "CPU Voltage" parameter, there for a processor with a VDD of 1.325 V, values ​​\u200b\u200bof 1.005-1.955 V are available.

We set the CPU voltage to a fairly modest 1.405 V and then continued to increase the base clock in 5 MHz increments, reaching a maximum stable value of 280 MHz, which gave a processor frequency of 3640 MHz, an HT Link frequency of 1960 MHz, a northbridge frequency of 2240 MHz and 1493 MHz for DDR3 memory. Quite normal values for continuous use of the system 24x7, but we wanted to achieve the best.

We continued testing by lowering the northbridge multiplier to 7x, after which we increased the CPU voltage to 1.505V. The actual CPU voltage dropped to 1.488V during load tests. At this voltage, the Phenom II X3 710 reached a stable frequency of 3744 MHz with a base frequency of 288 MHz. In our open bench, the CPU temperature during Prime95 stress testing was around 49 degrees Celsius, which is 25 degrees above our room temperature.




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If you are not familiar with the AMD OverDrive utility, we recommend that you read the article " Overclocking AMD Processors: THG Guide". Today we'll go straight to the Advanced mode to the "Performance Control" menu.

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Overclocking the Black Edition processor through the AOD utility (AMD OverDrive) is quite simple, but now we are dealing with a locked multiplier. First we need to lower the NB and HT multipliers, as well as the memory divider. The "CPU NB Multiplier" parameters on the "Clock/Voltage" tab, as well as the "Memory Clock" parameters on the "Memory" tab are highlighted in red, that is, they will change only after the system is restarted. Please note that the HT Link frequency cannot be higher than the northbridge frequency, and changes to these "white" multipliers are not automatically performed after a reboot, unlike the "red" values. We avoided this problem by making changes to all of these values ​​in the BIOS beforehand.


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We quickly discovered that changes to the base frequency using the AOD utility are not carried out even after pressing the “Apply” button. This can be seen by comparing "Target Speed" and "Current Speed".

To start overclocking, you must first change the base frequency in the BIOS to anything relative to the default 200 MHz. Any value will do, so we just set it to 201 MHz.



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Having made the mentioned preparations for overclocking, we began to increase the frequency of HT using AOD in 10 MHz steps. Everything was great until we suddenly hit the 240 MHz threshold. After that, the system either "hung" or restarted. We did some fine tuning, after which we found that the problem starts after 238 MHz. The solution was to set the base frequency to 240 MHz in the BIOS. Then we raised the HT base frequency in 5 MHz steps, after which we again hit the 255 MHz level. After setting the BIOS to 256 MHz and booting, we were able to get the same maximum frequency at the standard voltage as before.


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Note that the CPU VID engine is already set to a maximum of 1.3250V due to CPU lockup. To raise the CPU voltage, you need to use the CPU VDDC engine to set the offset voltage. In addition to setting the CPU VDDC to 1.504 V, we increased the NB VID and NB Core voltages to 1.25 V. This allowed us to increase the HT base frequency to 288 MHz without any problems.


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In addition to the rather rich multiplier and voltage settings in the BIOS, the MSI 790FX-GD70 motherboard has other features that are friendly to overclockers. Pay attention to the keys and the OC Dial knob located on the bottom of the board. The power and reset keys will be useful for those who test the system outside the PC case, and the pressed-in clear CMOS key (Clr CMOS) is also more convenient than a regular jumper. The MSI OC Dial function consists of the OC Drive knob and the OC Gear key. They allow you to change the base frequency in real time.



The OC Dial function is activated through the "Cell" menu in the BIOS. The OC Dial Step can be increased if needed, but we used the default 1MHz step. The "OC Dial Value" indicates the changes made with the OC Drive knob. The "Dial Adjusted Base Clock" value indicates the current base frequency, that is, the sum of the FSB Clock + OC Dial values.

Again, we prepared for overclocking by lowering the NB and HT multipliers in the BIOS, as well as the memory divider. The OC Drive knob can be turned while on the BIOS screen, but under operating system the OC Gear key serves as a toggle. After holding the OC Gear for a second, the indication will appear and the OC Drive will start working. The knob has only 16 positions, which allows you to increase the base frequency by 16 MHz with one turn. After the adjustments are completed, pressing the OC Gear again turns off the function, which is recommended in order to protect stable operation.

We started overclocking by turning the OC Drive knob and monitoring the base frequency and other frequencies in CPU-Z. However, after another change, the system automatically rebooted. Entering the BIOS, we found that the reboot occurred after the same 239 MHz base frequency setting that we had problems with in AMD OverDrive.

After this small glitch, the system booted into Windows without problems at the base frequency of 239 (200 + 39) MHz. We continued to increase the OC Dial value up to 65 MHz, then a voltage increase was already required.

We raised the voltages and lowered the multipliers. Under Windows, we controlled the OC Dial in 10 MHz increments. The system started to "crash" after reaching the base frequency of 286 MHz, while the OS refused to boot when the "OC Dial Value" was greater than 86 MHz.

After setting the CPU FSB frequency to 250 MHz, we loaded the OS again. This time we were able to increase the base frequency with the OC Dial up to our maximum stable level of 288 MHz.

Squeezing out more performance: fine tuning

With the Phenom II X3 710 running at a respectable 3744 MHz, it's time to squeeze some more performance out of the system.

We started by overclocking the northbridge, which improves the performance of the memory controller and L3 cache. By setting "CPU-NB Voltage" to 1.3V and "NB Voltage" to 1.25V, we were able to increase the northbridge multiplier from 7x to 9x, resulting in a northbridge frequency of 2592MHz.

Further increase in voltages still did not allow Windows to be loaded with a 10x NB multiplier. Remember that due to the base frequency of 288 MHz, each increase in the NB multiplier results in a 288 MHz increase in the northbridge frequency. The chipset's heatsink remained fairly cold to the touch, but hitting 2880 MHz at the northbridge would certainly require a higher CPU-NB voltage increase than we wanted. In this regard, Black Edition processors certainly offer a lot of flexibility. Using a combination of a multiplier and a different base frequency, we could get a higher northbridge clock speed with a similar CPU overclock. For example, at a base frequency of 270 MHz, the system worked completely stably with a northbridge at 2700 MHz, but without the possibility of increasing the multiplier, CPU overclocking dropped to just over 3500 MHz.

Of course, you can get a small performance boost by increasing the frequency of the HT Link interface, but 2.0 GHz already provides enough bandwidth for similar system. Here, increasing the HT multiplier to 8x will give a boost clock frequency HT Link interface at 288 MHz, which will result in 2304 MHz - higher than we usually set, and certainly stability will be lost.

Instead of wasting time on increasing the frequency of HT Link, we decided to overclock the memory. In this case, a 1:3.33 divider would cause our Corsair DDR3 modules to run at an overclocked 1920 MHz, so we decided to tackle delays. We found that 7-7-7-20 latencies gave completely stable performance in Memtest 86+, Prime95 and 3DMark Vantage. Unfortunately, the Command Rate 1T setting gave a stable four cycles of Memtest 86+ without errors, but led to a loss of stability in 3D tests. The result of our fine overclocking is shown in the following screenshot.

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Although we manually set memory delays for the current overclocking test, additional tests showed that the "Auto" settings did not affect the result. With a memory divider of 1:2.66, setting DRAM Timing delays in the BIOS to "Auto" resulted in a 9-9-9-24 mode. Interestingly, "Auto" delays with a 1:2 divider led to a 6-6-6-15 mode, and at this frequency the 1T Command Rate parameter gave stable operation.

In the benchmarks, we'll take a look at our overclocking efforts separately. First, we'll look at how much performance gains can be gained from increasing the frequency of the northbridge alone, then we'll examine the impact of memory frequency and latency on performance.

Test configuration

Hardware
CPU AMD Phenom II X3 710 (Heka), 2.6 GHz, 2000 MHz HT, 6 MB L3 Cache
Motherboard MSI 790FX-GD70 (Socket AM3), 790FX / SB750, BIOS 1.3
Memory 4.0 GB Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D, 2 x 2048 MB, DDR3-1333, CL 8-8-8-24 at 1.65V
HDD Western Digital Caviar Black WD 6401AALS, 640 GB, 7200 rpm, 32 MB cache, SATA 3.0 Gb/s
video card AMD Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5, 750 MHz GPU, 900 MHz GDDR5
power unit Antec True Power Trio 550W
cooler Xigmatek HDT-S1283
System software and drivers
OS Windows Vista Ultimate Edition, 32-bit, SP1
DirectX Version Direct X 10
Display Driver Catalyst 9.7

Tests and settings

3D games
World In Conflict Patch 1009, DirectX 10, timedemo, 1280x1024, Very High Details, No AA / No AF
Applications
Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 Version: 11.0, Rendering Dragon Image at 1920x1080 (HDTV)
Synthetic tests
3D Mark Vantage Version: 1.02, Performance Preset, CPU score
Sisoftware Sandra 2009 SP3 Version 2009.4.15.92, CPU Arithmetic, Memory Bandwidth

Overclocking modes
Stock (regular) Stock VCore OC (regular without raising the voltage) Max OC (maximum with voltage boost) Tweaked OC (maximum after fine tuning)
CPU core frequency 2600 MHz 3444 MHz 3744 MHz 3744 MHz
Northbridge frequency 2000 MHz 2120 MHz 2016 MHz 2592 MHz
HT Link Frequency 2000 MHz 2120 MHz 2016 MHz 2016 MHz
Frequency and memory delays DDR3-1333, 8-8-8-24 2T DDR3-1412, 8-8-8-24 2T DDR3-1546, 8-8-8-24 2T DDR3-1546, 8-8-8-24 2T

Performance Results

This article was planned more as a guide to overclocking, and not as a performance test. But we decided to run some tests anyway to show the performance gains after our overclocking efforts. Please refer to the table above for a detailed breakdown of each test configuration.

In the Sandra Arithmetic arithmetic test, the results increase after increasing the CPU clock speed, and fine-tuning overclocking (Tweaked OC) did not show any advantage from the overclocked northbridge.

On the other hand, overclocking the northbridge gives a significant increase in memory bandwidth. Thin overclocking (Tweaked OC) is in the lead, and a slightly lower frequency of the northbridge at maximum overclocking (Max CPU OC) gave lower results than overclocking with the nominal voltage (Stock Vcore OC).

Overclocking our Phenom II processor resulted in a noticeable increase in CPU benchmark results in 3DMark Vantage. Additional throughput due to the acceleration of the north bridge, it noticeably raised the result.

The game World in Conflict is very dependent on CPU performance. We tested it at low resolution without anti-aliasing, which allowed us to set very high details, but at the same time we did not hit the performance of the Radeon HD 4870 GPU. It is not surprising that as the CPU frequency increases, we get an increase in the minimum and average frame rates (fps). But note the significantly better minimum frame rate after overclocking the northbridge. The performance of the memory controller and L3 cache is very important for this game, since overclocking the northbridge gave the same 6 fps increase in the minimum frame rate as overclocking the CPU at 1100 MHz.

Overclocking the CPU severely reduced rendering times in 3ds Max 2009. Memory bandwidth is not that important here, as overclocking the northbridge only gave a one-second gain.

All tests were performed after setting delays 8-8-8-24 2T in the BIOS. In the diagrams, we used "Tweaked PC" thin overclocking settings with 3744 MHz for the core, 2592 MHz for the northbridge and 2016 MHz for the HT interface. We tested the four stable memory modes that we talked about in the article.

In the CPU arithmetic test, we see no difference. However, low latency turned out to be slightly better than high frequency work.

Here we can see that the throughput has increased after increasing the frequency of the memory. With a divisor of 2.66, we see very little difference between "Auto" (CAS 9), CAS 8, and low latency CAS 7 modes.

Here, our two manual modes are the leaders, although the difference in the 3DMark Vantage CPU test is negligible.

The scaling in World in Conflict seems almost perfect, with minimal latencies leading the way, giving a 1 fps boost in both the minimum and average frame rates. Notice the noticeable drop in the minimum frame rate as the memory frequency drops.

Tighter memory latencies on an overclocked system did not improve rendering times in 3ds Max 2009.


Overclocking without increasing the voltage gives a nice performance boost compared to the stock settings and at the same time much better efficiency than with the maximum overclocking (with increasing voltage). Also, note that the performance gain from increasing the frequency of the northbridge is not "free".

Some readers like to overclock without increasing the multiplier, which allows you to enable Cool'n'Quiet technology without noticeable loss of stability.


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Conclusion

The Phenom II X3 710 processor delivers impressive bang for its $100 price (). However, locked multiplier and Voltage ID values ​​result in a loss of overclocking flexibility compared to Black Edition processors. However, if you get motherboard, which is overclocking friendly (eg MSI 790FX-GD70), the X3 710 can achieve the same core frequency as other air-cooled Phenom II processors.

Of course, your overclocking results may vary. This is especially true for overclocking a processor with a locked multiplier by increasing the base frequency. If you are planning on overclocking a locked down Phenom II processor on a tight budget, we recommend that you choose your motherboard carefully so that it allows you to add bias to the CPU VID voltage and can handle a higher base frequency. However, if you are planning to overclock the processor on an inexpensive motherboard, or want to get the most out of the CPU on an enthusiast motherboard like ours, it is better to pay another $20 and take the Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition processor (from 4000 rubles in Russia), work with which is much easier.

The AMD OverDrive utility has been quite useful in the past for overclocking Black Edition processors, but in this configuration it is no longer so ideal. Of course, none of the problems we encountered are critical, but we would not recommend doing any serious overclocking with AMD OverDrive on our motherboard with a locked processor. However, the utility is still useful for monitoring voltages and temperatures, or even for preliminary testing of small changes in the base frequency, in order to then enter them into the BIOS.

MSI's OC Dial technology isn't perfect either, but it performed better than AMD's OverDrive in our case. In addition to the "Auto Overclock" option to find the maximum value of the base frequency (Max FSB), MSI OC Dial technology can save a lot of time if you need to quickly change the base frequency value. The biggest problem will be how to get to the MSI OC Dial settings after installing the board in the case, since systems with a bottom-mounted power supply and with several video cards will be quite crowded.

As a result, if we consider overclocking a blocked processor, then it is impossible to bypass or replace the adjustments through the good old BIOS. Thanks to easy navigation and a wealth of multiplier and voltage adjustments, the 790FX-GD70 proved to be the best. Whether you use the OC Dial feature or the AMD OverDrive software utility, overclocking a locked Phenom II processor will still start and end in the BIOS.

How to unlock the multiplier yourself?

Master's response:

To unlock the multiplier in the process of overclocking the processor, it is necessary not only to have a certain set of knowledge on this topic, but also the ability to apply them. In general, it is not recommended to engage in independent overclocking without experience or control from those who have an idea about this process.

Open the lid of your computer and find your processor. Take it out and take a close look. appearance, bridges should be located on it. Between them, find an opening with a thin coating of copper. Because of this, you cannot close the contacts with solder or a pencil, in which case your computer will not be easy to recover. The most important thing here is to close them in such a way as not to touch the very copper coating.

Fill the connector with a dielectric material, such as superglue, which must under no circumstances come into contact with the contacts. The socket must be completely filled for the best insulation. Mark them with adhesive tape, after cleaning the surface of the substrate using medical alcohol. Stick centimeter strips of adhesive tape along the bridges, which should not affect the connectors, but at the same time cover the area with the contacts. The space formed between the slots should not exceed two millimeters.

Hide the connectors with additional strips of adhesive tape, which must be glued perpendicular to the existing ones. At the same time, it should not swell, and its contact with the surface should be as strong as possible, otherwise the adhesive may leak. The adhesive tape peels off only after it has completely dried.

The remaining adhesive must be cut off with a scalpel. Level the surface using a liquid conductor, while using the same system as last time, with tape. Repeat the procedure for the existing bridges on the processor. Next, all tracks must be checked with a multimeter. All of them must be in contact with each other.

Next, proceed to overclocking, but do not forget about the features of closing the processor bridges, given parameter provided separately for various models devices. It is best not to overclock yourself, and do not proceed with the operation without first finding the instructions for your equipment.

If you have at your disposal a computer equipped with a modern AMD processor, then this means that you have a chance to significantly increase the performance of your PC without spending a penny on this goal. We are talking about a technology that is called "unlocking the cores of AMD processors." This technology allows you to increase the number of processor cores available to the system - usually from two to four or three.

Of course, such an operation is very tempting. Indeed, as tests show, in some cases the performance of the updated processor almost doubles. Moreover, for the successful implementation of this operation, you only need a little knowledge of the BIOS options, and, by the way, a little luck.

First of all, let's try to deal with the question of why AMD needed to "hide" the processor cores from the user at all. The fact is that each manufacturer of processors within a certain line has several models that differ both in price and in capabilities. Naturally, cheaper processor models have fewer cores than more expensive ones. However, in many cases it is irrational to specifically develop models with a smaller number of cores, so many manufacturers, in this case, AMD, do it easier - they simply disable unnecessary processor cores.

In addition, many AMD processors may also have defective cores that have a number of flaws. Such processors are also not thrown away, and after disabling unnecessary cores, they are sold under the guise of cheaper varieties of processors. However, the detected shortcomings of disabled cores may not be critical for their functioning. For example, if the processor core has a slightly increased heat dissipation compared to the standard one, then the use of a processor with such a core is quite possible.

It should be said right away that the success of the operation to unlock the cores largely depends not only on the AMD processor line and its model, but also on a certain series of processors. In many series, only the cores in individual processors can be unlocked, while in other series, almost all processors can be unlocked. In some cases, it is possible to unlock not the core itself, but only the cache related to it.

Unlockable AMD processors are from the Athlon, Phenom, and Sempron lines. Usually, unlocking is possible for cores 3 and 4 of the four available cores. In some cases, you can unlock the second core on a dual-core processor, and in some cases, 5 and 6 cores on a quad-core processor.

Features of unlocking different series of processors

Here are some examples of AMD processor series that can be unlocked, as well as their characteristic features of this process:

  • Athlon X2 5000+ - cores #3 and 4 (single instances)
  • Athlon II X3 4xx series (Deneb/Rana core) - core #4 and cache
  • Athlon II X3 4xx series (Propus type core) - core #4
  • Athlon II X4 6xx series (Deneb/Rana core) - L3 cache only
  • Phenom II X2 5xx series - cores #3 and 4
  • Phenom II X3 series 7xx - core #4
  • Phenom II X4 8xx Series - Only 2MB L3 Cache Can Be Unlocked
  • Phenom II X4 650T, 840T, 960T and 970 Black Edition - cores #5 and 6 (selected)
  • Sempron 140/145 - core #2

Which chipsets support unlocking processor cores?

It should be noted that not all motherboards support the ability to unlock AMD processor cores. You will only be able to unlock cores if your BIOS supports Advanced Clock Calibration (ACC) or a similar technology.

ACC technology is used in the following chipsets:

  • GeForce 8200
  • GeForce 8300
  • nForce 720D
  • nForce 980
  • Southbridge Chipsets Type SB710
  • Southbridge Chipsets Type SB750

There are also several AMD chipsets that do not support ACC technology, but instead support similar technologies. These chipsets include chipsets with southbridges like:

  • SB810
  • SB850
  • SB950

The methodology for unlocking cores on these chipsets varies by motherboard manufacturer.

Unlock Method

To unlock the cores, the user needs to access the BIOS tools. If the motherboard supports ACC technology, in most cases it is enough to find the Advanced Clock Calibration parameter in the BIOS and set it to Auto.

In the case of motherboards from certain manufacturers, some additional steps may also be required. On ASUS motherboards, in addition to ACC, you need to enable the Unleashed mode option, on MSI boards– the Unlock CPU Core option, on NVIDIA boards – the Core Calibration option. On Gigabyte boards you need to find the EC Firmware Selection option and set it to Hybrid.

On those chipsets that do not support ACC technology, the unlocking method depends on the specific manufacturer. We list briefly the options that must be used in the case of each specific manufacturer:

  • ASUS - ASUS Core Unlocker
  • Gigabyte - CPU Unlock
  • Biostar - BIO-unlocKING
  • ASRock - ASRock UCC
  • MSI - Unlock CPU Core

Unlock verification and core testing

In order to make sure that the unlocked AMD processor cores really work, it is best to use informational utilities like CPU-Z. However, even if you make sure that the unlock was successful, this does not mean that the unlocked kernels will work without problems. In order to fully test their performance, it is recommended to conduct a thorough test of all processor parameters. Also, the failure of the unlocking process may be indicated by computer malfunctions, and sometimes the inability to boot it. In the latter case, you will have to resort to clearing the BIOS memory and resetting it to the factory default state (we talked about how to carry out this process in a separate article).

In the event of a malfunction of new cores, the user can disable them at any time using BIOS options. In addition, you should keep in mind that the operation of unlocking processor cores works only at the BIOS level, and not at the level of the processors themselves. In the event that you put a processor with unlocked cores on another motherboard, they will still be locked.

And one more thing I would like to note. Although unlocking a processor is not equivalent to overclocking it, however, increasing the number of working cores of your processor will automatically increase the heat dissipation of the processor die. Therefore, perhaps, in this case, it makes sense to think about upgrading the cooler cooling the processor.

Conclusion

Unlocking the cores of AMD processors is a simple action, which, nevertheless, can help the user to realize the full potential of his computer equipment. This operation is carried out by enabling the necessary BIOS options. Although unlocking the cores is not always guaranteed to be successful, it is not associated with significant risk, like overclocking, and can be tried in practice by any user.

By a strange coincidence, only a few days ago we received from Intel representatives a description of the principles of the free multiplier of the Core 2 Extreme processor. It was the free multiplier that was the cherished key to the maximum overclocking of Conroe processors, because usually models of the Core 2 Duo family did not reach the maximum frequencies due to low maximum multipliers and limited capabilities of motherboards to increase the system bus frequency. Surely, many of you were ready to pay if not $1000, for which you can buy a Core 2 Extreme X6800, then at least half of this amount for the opportunity to install the same XE operation bit to the desired value, allowing you to increase the processor multiplier from motherboard BIOS fees.

Until now, such opportunities have remained dreams, however, today on the pages of the XtremeSystems.org forum a branch has appeared and has begun to grow rapidly, dedicated to the method of unlocking the upward multiplier on serial Core 2 Duo processors using the Intel D975XBX (i975X) motherboard. The author of the topic referred to the words of an employee of the marketing department of Intel, who, at the recent QuakeCon 2006 conference in the USA, not only swore love to overclockers, but also tried to show a little trick to unlock the multiplier on Core 2 Duo processors.

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More precisely, he preferred to play with a multiplier using the Core 2 Extreme X6800 (2.93 GHz) processor that allows it, and the ability to unlock Core processors 2 Duo just declared in words. It is alleged that the Intel D975XBX motherboard has a coveted "jumper" (more precisely, just two pads), the closure of which should open access to increasing the multiplier on Core 2 Duo processors. Here is where these pins are located on the motherboard:

Introduction Overclocking has long ceased to be an art for the elite, today it is a mass phenomenon, which involves not only computer enthusiasts, but hardware manufacturers and sellers. The army of overclockers is so numerous that even such giants as Intel cannot ignore it. As a result, over the past few years we have had the opportunity to observe how various companies producing components not only actively adapt their products for overclocking, but also master the production of specialized overclocking products. In particular, in the processor market such specialized products are primarily processors with an unlocked multiplier. They provide an easy way to increase their clock speed, which eliminates the additional requirements for the rest of the platform and can eventually lead to record overclocking peaks.

Until recently, AMD has especially shown its disposition towards overclockers. In its assortment there are several processors of the Black Edition series (with an unlocked multiplier) belonging to various price categories. Moreover, this company even offered specially selected TWKR modifications of processors capable of operating at a very aggressive increase in the supply voltage. Intel, on the other hand, was more conservative in relation to overclockers: the company's specialized offers for several recent years were limited to extremely expensive $1,000 unlocked CPU models.

But realities and massive interest in overclocking made the microprocessor giant toss and turn. About a year ago, in order to study demand, Intel conducted an experiment and offered an inexpensive LGA775 Pentium E6500K processor with an unlocked multiplier to the regional Chinese market. The experiment appears to have yielded positive results, as a decision was made within the company to expand this initiative. And in the very near future, and more specifically at the upcoming Computex, Intel intends to announce a pair of widely available overclocker processors with an unlocked multiplier for the most current on the market. this moment platform LGA1156.

Will be presented - quad-core Core i7-875K and dual-core Core i5-655K. From the point of view of formal characteristics, these CPUs will become analogues of the long-delivered Core i7-870 and Core i5-650, but unlike them, they will offer a freely variable multiplier, opening additional features for their acceleration. What is especially pleasant, Intel is not going to consider overclocker models as exclusive offers, and they will have a very democratic price, which differs from the cost of "regular" models by no more than 20-25%.

As a result, enthusiasts will get a very wide range of processors with an unlocked multiplier, which will now be available for almost any current platform.

As you can see, the novelties quite organically fit into the structure of existing overclocking offers. However, the release of the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K is unlikely to cause any major changes in the market: so far, overclockers have successfully used the Core i7-860 and Core i5-650 to overclock, and new models are more expensive. Yes, they can be overclocked simple change multiplier, but overclocking by increasing the frequency of the base clock generator in most cases gives quite normal results. In other words, the release of the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K is a great fashion step, which can really please record enthusiasts who are engaged in extreme overclocking and really face motherboard instability due to excessive increase in the frequency of the base clock generator. But are these processors really needed in conventional overclocked systems?

Specifications Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K

From the point of view of formal characteristics, the new overclocking processors cannot boast of any features that distinguish them from their counterparts. Clock speeds, number of cores, cache sizes, proprietary technologies, calculated heat dissipation - everything is exactly the same as in the well-known Core i7-870 and Core i5-650 processors.



It is also difficult to notice differences from existing models from the screenshots of diagnostic utilities. For example, in CPU-Z, new processors are distinguished only by an identification line with a name.


Note that the Core i7-875K is based on the B1 stepping core, while the Core i5-655K is based on the C2 stepping core. This means that these processors use the same versions of semiconductor chips as conventional conventional models. Consequently, new overclocking processors are unlikely to be able to offer their owners any special frequency potential, and their only distinguishing feature is a free multiplier.

However, the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K are products of a special kind, they do not replace, but complement the existing the lineup LGA1156 processors. To emphasize this, the new items will be delivered in a special package, on which the word “unlocked” will be highlighted.



By the way, overclocking processors will be sold without a traditional cooler in the kit. Intel rightly judged that enthusiasts purchasing an unlocked processor would prefer to choose their own cooling solution.

Intel representatives promise that the new processors will not have any compatibility issues with existing motherboards. Which, in general, is not at all surprising, because there is nothing really new in them. However, in order to get full access to the possibility of changing the multiplier, updating the BIOS on the motherboard may not be superfluous.

Overclocking experiments

Although the new unlocked Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K processors do not promise any breakthrough in overclocking, it is still interesting to look at their frequency potential. For practical acquaintance with the novelties, a test system was assembled consisting of:

maternal ASUS board P7P55D Premium (LGA1156, Intel P55 Express);
Memory 2 x 2 GB, DDR3-1600 SDRAM, 9-9-9-24 (Kingston KHX1600C8D3K2/4GX);
ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card;
Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS hard drive;
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme CPU cooler with Enermax Everest fan;
Power supply: Tagan TG880-U33II (880 W).

The purpose of our testing was to determine the maximum frequency that can be achieved when overclocking the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K processors using a change in the multiplier.

Core i7-875K

When this processor was installed in the test system, the metamorphoses that occurred with the BIOS of the motherboard immediately attracted attention.

The CPU Ratio Setting, which is responsible for setting the multiplier, began to allow the choice of any value from 9x to 63x, but this was quite expected. A much more interesting event was the appearance additional options TurboMode x-Core Ratio Offset for full control of Intel technology turbo boost.



These settings make it possible to control the limits for changing the frequency of the processor within Intel technologies turbo boost. That is, for a processor with an unlocked multiplier, you can manually set the scale of the increase in clock frequency in turbo mode with 1, 2, 3 or 4 cores active.



Unfortunately, that's where the pleasant surprises ended. It does not provide additional multipliers for setting the DDR3 memory frequency, nor the ability to change the operating frequencies of the Uncore part of the Core i7-875K processor. This means that the Uncore frequency is tightly coupled to the base frequency (BCLK) and, using its nominal value of 133 MHz, is equal to 2.4 GHz. The choice of memory frequencies at the default BCLK value is limited to 800, 1066, 1333 and 1600 MHz.

Let's go directly to overclocking. Core i7-875K provides full access to the multiplier, and its increase does not entail any changes in the operation of any subsystems other than computing cores. So the overclocking algorithm is quite elementary, it does not require changing the memory frequencies or increasing the voltage on the Uncore part of the processor. It is enough just to increase the multiplier and raise the processor voltage.

When the processor supply voltage is increased to 1.35 V, which can be considered a completely safe level when using air cooling, we managed to achieve stable operation of the CPU at a frequency of 4.0 GHz.



This is quite a normal, but not outstanding overclocking level for processors based on the Lynnfield core. However, we did not expect anything else, because the Core i7-875K is just another representative of a well-known family. So, only one thing is noteworthy in the result obtained - to achieve it, we did not increase the frequency of the base clock generator BCLK, and, therefore, did not impose any additional load on the motherboard.

Core i5-655K

An unlocked dual-core Clarkdale, like a Lynnfield, provides full access not only to the "base" multiplier, but also to Turbo Boost technology, allowing you to use different arbitrary multipliers selected by the processor depending on the load of its cores. That is, in this respect, the possibilities are the same as when using the Core i7-875K. However, unlike the quad-core, the Core i5-655K also offers advanced memory frequency settings.

Conventional, non-overclocking Clarkdale processors, when using the stock base clock frequency (BCLK) of 133 MHz, allow the memory to be clocked as DDR3-800, DDR3-1066 or DDR3-1333. Lynnfield processors, including the Core i7-875K, add DDR3-1600 to this list. In the Core i5-655K, the coefficient that forms the memory frequency turned out to be completely unlocked, thanks to which the memory controller of this processor can clock the memory as DDR3-1866 or DDR3-2133 without increasing the BCLK frequency.



As for the actual overclocking, when the voltage was increased to 1.35 V, the Core i5-655K processor was able to operate at a multiplier of 33, that is, at a frequency of 4.4 GHz. The system in this state retained full stability, which was confirmed by a check using the LinX 0.6.3 utility.



And again, we see quite ordinary overclocking, despite the fact that a special overclocker processor was used in the test. This once again confirms that Intel does not select semiconductor crystals in some special way for the production of its unlocked new products. In terms of frequency potential, the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K are fully comparable to other Lynnfield and Clarkdale options. So apart from the free multipliers, these processors cannot boast of any other obvious advantages.

Therefore, the use of new Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K processors in overclocking systems can be justified only when overclocking by increasing the multiplier for some reason does not fully reveal the full frequency potential of the CPU. And this is possible only in two cases. Or when using a "bad" motherboard that does not have the necessary settings to change the BCLK frequency and voltages on the memory and Uncore. Or during extreme overclocking of the processor, when it comes to increasing its frequency by more than 50%, which requires raising the base BCLK frequency far beyond the 200 MHz mark, after which stability problems associated with the motherboard inevitably arise.

Which is better: BCLK frequency vs multiplier

The appearance on sale of the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K will lead to the fact that in the vast majority of overclocking LGA1156 systems, if we are not talking about using extreme cooling methods, overclocking can be performed with equal success both by increasing the clock generator frequency and by changing processor multiplier. Naturally, in this state of affairs, a quite reasonable question arises - which overclocking option is more profitable.

To be clear, we decided to test a Core i7-875K running at 4.0 GHz in two scenarios: when a boost of up to 200 is used to reach this milestone MHz frequency BCLK and when BCLK remains at the standard 133 MHz, and the multiplier increases. It should be noted that in the case of overclocking by increasing the frequency of the base clock generator, we even slightly lowered the multiplier to 20 (this action can be performed on any system, even with a non-unlocked processor) in order to achieve full compliance in the memory frequency. As a result, two similar systems participated in the comparison:

Core i7-875K processor at 4.0 GHz = 20 x 200 MHz, DDR3-1600 memory (9-9-9-24-1T)




Core i7-875K processor at 4.0 GHz = 30 x 133 MHz, DDR3-1600 memory (9-9-9-24-1T)




The screenshots show that the difference in approaches to overclocking entails a difference in the frequencies of Uncore and the QPI bus. An increase in BCLK above the standard 133 MHz leads to a proportional increase in the frequency of these nodes. It is these factors that determine the differences in performance observed in the tests.



As the test results show, the difference in overclocking methods really affects performance. And it turns out to be more profitable to overclock by increasing the BCLK frequency, and not by changing the processor multiplier. Which, however, is quite natural, given that the frequencies of the QPI bus, memory controller and L3 cache are tied to the frequency of the base clock generator. A particularly strong difference in performance can be seen in the example of a synthetic test that measures the speed of memory and L3 cache. However, in real applications, overclocking via BCLK gives a performance gain of the order of 1-2%. This, of course, cannot be called an impressive gap in speed, but for enthusiasts involved in fine-tuning systems, such an advantage may seem significant.

conclusions

In the announcement of the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K processors, which have an unlocked multiplier, the fact of their release is primarily of interest. Indeed, the appearance of low-cost LGA1156 Intel processors, purposefully designed for use in overclocked systems, is akin to a small revolution. Even if Intel recognized the existence of overclocking as a phenomenon, then no one should have any doubts that overclocking has finally and irrevocably left the computer underground and is now a generally recognized and global trend. His adherents got their hands on another ready-made and simple tool that will allow them, on the one hand, to conquer new heights, and, on the other hand, to attract new supporters to their side. And from this position, the release of the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K processors by Intel is a great marketing move.

At the same time, it should be understood that processors with an unlocked multiplier are more of a highly specialized product, and not a commonly used solution. Yes, the use of processors such as Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K greatly simplifies the overclocking process and removes the requirements for the rest of the platform. But on the other hand, in most cases, overclocking ordinary processors with a locked multiplier by increasing the frequency of the clock generator gives no worse results. And therefore, since all the differences between overclocking and conventional CPUs are limited only by the possibility (or impossibility) of changing the multiplier, it makes no sense to overpay and purchase unlocked models in the general case. Moreover, overclocking through an increase in the base frequency, all other things being equal, allows you to get slightly higher performance.

However, there are also private situations in which unlocked processors like the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K can become really necessary components of the system. First, without a doubt, these processors will become heroes of extreme overclocking. A serious increase in the frequency of the processor, which becomes available when using advanced cooling methods, often rests on the capabilities of LGA1156 motherboards, which are unable to ensure stable operation of the platform when the clock generator frequency is greatly exceeded. In this case, the free multiplication factors offered by the novelties are a kind of panacea. Secondly, the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K can be safely recommended to novice overclockers who do not want to master all the intricacies of fine-tuning the system when overclocking by increasing the BCLK frequency at the very first steps. And thirdly, the unlocked multiplier can be useful in systems based on motherboards, which do not provide the user with the necessary tools for decent overclocking.

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