Intel i7

Well actually it is "topped" at 1066.
And not all i series are locked processors. The Extreme models are unlocked.
Intel's locked processors do not allow users to individually clock the cores in a CPU. So overclocking is done by other means.

Overclocking does not damage the components of a computer directly or immediately, but overclocked components, running faster, run hotter. It is the heat that damages components. Overclockers need better cooling solutions to make their systems run smoothly.

Overclocking can also cause instability problems. It's a test and see process. If the system shows strange behavior with a particular overclock it is then necessary to "throttle down" to a more stable speed.

TVeblen said:

So if you were not going to overclock at all you would buy 1066 memory and save some money.

Again, with everything at defaults, enabling the XMP mode for my memory will have it running @ 1600 without the processor being overclocked! You can also do this manually and still not overclock the processor.

Here's what i'm saying....


Here's my processor at idle speeds. No overclocks.


Here's my processor running at stock speeds with loads - Turbo mode enabled


Here you can see the available settings for my memory. Notice the XMP Column.


This tabe shows what speed the memory is actually running at. 800x2=1600MHz

These images are from a non-overclocked processor.

Corsair's recommended BISO settings for my memory - Gigabyte EX58-EXTREME BIOS Settings for TR3X3G1600C8D and TR3X6G1600C8D - The Corsair Support Forums. Though I have an X58A board, the BIOS settings are similiar. Incidentally, XMP mode is disabled and the memory is set manually. Which I've also done in my case.

Spec sheet for my memory - http://www.corsair.com/_datasheets/TR3X6G1600C8D.pdf

sygnus21 said:

Again, with everything at defaults, enabling the XMP mode for my memory will have it running @ 1600 without the processor being overclocked! You can also do this manually and still not overclock the processor.

You are correct, of course. I did not mean to say that we were overclocking the processor. But we are overclocking the memory, mostly by changing the BCLK frequency.

This is how Asus does it:

Win7User512 said:

I guess what I'm getting at is I haven't seen any reports of anyone damaging their hardware by running an i7 at 1600. And it doesn't seem you need additional cooling.

That would be correct!

Win7User512 said:

I guess what I'm getting at is I haven't seen any reports of anyone damaging their hardware by running an i7 at 1600. And it doesn't seem you need additional cooling.

Somehow you are getting the memory mixed up with the CPU.

Let's look at an i7-930....

The 930 runs at a default speed of 2.8GHz. Your memory can be run anywhere from 1066 to 2000+ MHz

With regards of these two items and for the sake of simplicity, megahertz is your memory speed, while gigahertz is your processor speed.

These two items run independant of one another to a certain point. Example - you can have your processor run at 3.5GHz and still have the memory run at 1600MHz or you can have your processor run at 2.8GHz and have the memory run anywhere between 1066 and 2000+MHz.

Gigahertz is significantly higher than Megahertz. To simplify - If Gigahertz is a dollar, Megahertz is a penny.

If you have a processor running at 1600MHz you are back in the stone ages

Win7User512 said:

Nah, just didn't word it correctly. Shorthandedly, I meant having an i7 and running the memory at 1600. Just left out some words.

Again, I'm running like that without issue. And you don't have to be overclocked to run like that. Read the posts.

Good luck.