Venice-core A64s kick butt.

[ddrueding]

So I've been playing with my day-old newest rig and have discovered that the venice-core A64 underclocking like a mofo.

This example is a 3500+, whose maximum multiplier is 11 and FSB is 200Mhz (therefore 2.2Ghz CPU)

I've been playing with CrystalCPUID to see what the processor can do and have made some really neat discoveries. First thing I did was OC the FSB to 228 to give a max clock of 2.5Ghz+.

1. At it's minimum voltage of 0.8v it produces virtually no heat at it's minimum multiplier (4x == 900Mhz+)
2. Still at it's minimum voltage (0.8v) it runs Prime95 100% stable at a 9x multiplier (2Ghz+)
3. It can run at it's stock clock speed (2.2Ghz) at 1v (default is 1.4v)

The thing that really blew me away was the 2Ghz+ clock speed running at only 0.8v. I'm not sure how much power this thing is actually drawing, but it is doing quite well completely passively! I'm quite thrilled.

 

[ddrueding]

So I've been playing with my day-old newest rig and have discovered that the venice-core A64 underclocking like a mofo.

Please excuse this sentence. I'm too tired to think up a good excuse right now, but I'll have a good one in the morning.

 

[Handruin]

Any performance difference when the CPU is running at 2 GHz @ 0.8v vs. 2GHz @ default 1.4v? That's awesome that you can run this chip passively cooled. Would there be any benefit to buying a less expensive chip and under-clocking it for the same speed? I realize the Venice core is supposed to have some temperature advantages (along with SSE 3 etc), but it also costs a bit more than say a A62 2800+.

What heatsink are you using passively?

 

[mubs]

Hexus.net claims to have successfully and very easily OCed a Venice A64-3000 (1.8GHz) to 2.8GHz. This would be the granddaddy of all overclocks.

 

[ddrueding]

I've had the opporunity to upgrade my system pretty much every month, running at least one sample of every core of A64 in the process (next up: San Diego).

The Venice I have is much better than the winchester cores I had before, and I think that the lowest clocked Venice is a 3000+. Keep in mind I'm running at a higher FSB and lower multiplier to achieve that speed, so it should be quite possible with any venice-core CPU that has at least a 9x multiplier (the 3000+ being the slowest that has this option).

 

[ddrueding]

What heatsink are you using passively?

The Scythe Ninja (SCNJ-1000)...it's friggin' huge.

It's replacing a Scythe NCU-2005 (not a small HS on it's own) and is easily 25-33% larger. 11cm (4.4in) on a side and 15cm (6in) high; this thing weighs 665g (1.4 pounds!)

It dominates my new motherboard (Gigabyte K8N Ultra-9) and even overhangs the DIMM sockets a little, though they still are all useable (mine even have HSs on them).

I think it'll be a great solution for the P180, as it isn't sensative to the direction of airflow, and the combination of the top and rear exhausts will both be able to pull air through this thing.

 

[Handruin]

That's awesome (and huge). Do you know if that heatsink is capable of cooling a default clocked & voltaged venice core with adaqute case ventilation? Or is it expected to undervolt and underclock with that style heatsink? I was planning to go with the thermalright XP120, but that heatsink doesn't require a fan.

Like you, I'm going to be buying the P180, and most likely the same Gigabyte K8N Ultra-9. I had originally decided on the Venice 3800+, but now I'm debating the X2 4400+.

 

[ddrueding]

In a P180 with both exhaust fans running at sufficient speed (Nexus @ 7v?) I can't see this beast NOT keeping any A64 cool. When I was first messing with this setup I upped the core voltage to 1.6 and got it up to 2.65Ghz on the first try. Even at this OC/OV a single 7v Nexus leaning against my GPU kept it under 40C.