New Motherboard? Or Video Card?

[Playtime747]

I am up against a wall making this decision and want to get some feedback on what everyone else thinks. I am OC to 4.4 now and thought about getting another MB "Asus" for my Aurora so I can push this CPU even Higher. I am confident that I can get close to 5GHz with this CPU. Or, should I get another GTX 780 and run SLI with the default MB? What would be the closest aftermarket 780 to the OEM from Alienware? Do you guys think the stock 850 PS will be enough for dual 780s? I know my Corsair TX750 can handle a 1000W in my custom system but not sure about this Alienware PS. Hate to sound like such a newb but, it is hard to find specs on Alienware hardware. Thanks!!!

 

[sway]

150+ on new mobo for higher oc isn't worth it for a frame or two, that's if you don't hit a wall an can oc higher.

tappin from the neXus 5

 

[Playtime747]

Thanks bro!! It is the overclocker coming out in me...lol This is the first system I have bought and not built "not counting my laptop" that I can't up the vcore in the bios. I don't think the readings in CPUZ are reading the V in the bios right. Under full load @4.4 with the default V from Alienware, I never see above 51C with this little cooler it has. I have seen guys with this same system getting 5.5GHz with this chip with the factory MB and how they are doing it, I wished I knew!! The only specs they are giving is the FSB speed. I know they had to up the VCORE to get those speeds out of it weather by FSB, MULTI, or both... I have a Corsair H100 I can use and do a case mod to fit it in the Aurora case if need be. I play some older games that are major CPU dependent and the more I can get out of the CPU the better. My old machine was a AMD 965 OC 4.4 and it just bites that 3 years later that is all I can get out of this I7... I hate having my hands tied with the limitations of this bios...

 

[sway]

You don't wanna run 5ghz plus 24/7, unless you plan on upgrading your cpu within a year. Running at that speed will make it degrade quick. If you could get even close to 4.8 that'll be perfect as long as temps aren't crazy. I run my 3770k at 4.8ghz @1.5v 24/7 bc my chip sux azzz, but it's under water and delidded with temps only getting high 60's.

tappin from the neXus 5

 

[MattyB]

You'll have a hard time with that PSU with an overclocked CPU and dual 780s. Well, only if you want to overclock the GPUs. I was running my stock 875 PSU with a 3770K @ 4.4-4.5 and dual 670 FTWs overclocked and it couldn't handle it. I had to put the 670s back to default to stop random crashes.
The Aurora's aren't great for heat when using SLI. My 670s had very high temps. Especially the bottom card. It ran 20C higher than the top one. That was sorted once I watercooled.

 

[Playtime747]

It really depends on V and temps. Over the last 18 years I have never lost a CPU to OC'ing. I hit a brick wall with my 965 @ 4.5. Even tho the temps were good "under 60C" no matter how much more V I gave it, it would not budge past it. So my 24/7 clock was set to 4.4. I have retired it and dropped it down to 4.0 and using it for a media server now. I have messed with some of the settings in the Aurora bios and even tho none of my software is reporting any changes to the vcore, I believe it is because the cpu temps are going up when I was able to get it to boot and run stable @ 4.5.. I set things back to 4.4 due to not knowing what the actual VCORE is. I figure it out will let everyone know. Main reason I went with this machine instead of building a 4770 was because of the overclock potential being better and for 1600 bucks could not have built one with the same specs and have this awesome case. Clock for clock the 4770K & 3770K is faster but, this chip doesn't need to be delidded and should be able to clock higher "if not a POS" and have the benefits of the faster quad channel ram and extra pci-e lanes. I do alot of video editing which it comes in handy. If I was going to use it for just games, I would have went with 4770K. The last Intel I had was a Pentium 4 back in the 90s... AMD took the lead over Intel back then and went back to AMD. Now Intel is competing with its self...lol Anyway, thanks for the input bro!!!

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You'll have a hard time with that PSU with an overclocked CPU and dual 780s. Well, only if you want to overclock the GPUs. I was running my stock 875 PSU with a 3770K @ 4.4-4.5 and dual 670 FTWs overclocked and it couldn't handle it. I had to put the 670s back to default to stop random crashes.
The Aurora's aren't great for heat when using SLI. My 670s had very high temps. Especially the bottom card. It ran 20C higher than the top one. That was sorted once I watercooled.

Thanks MattyB.. I will just keep the cards clocked down till I get a better PS. At this point looks like I won't be OC'ing much till I get a new MB. Will the EVGA 780 work well with the dell 780?

 

[sway]

Im crashing my corsair ax860 I got recently, apparently my 780 classy @1.45v draws over 600w, I was shocked!!! Time for a 1500w psu.

tappin from the neXus 5

 

[MattyB]

I bought the AX860 too. great PSU but poor choice for my needs