Identification (Cont.)

OK, you've made sure that you have a new E0 stepping, but let's look at how we can possibly improve our overclocking potential.  This next part is just a theory, it has not been proven so I won't present it as fact.  You can try it and see how it works for you or you can completely ignore it.

We are going to be focusing on the notch in the IHS.  In that notch you will find two lines of numbers.  The bottom line is where we want to focus.  Actually, it's just the last two numbers that we are concerned with.  Some theories say it's the last four numbers, but the one I'm spreading is just the last two.  Obviously, the last two digits have a range of "00" to "99".  The theory is that the closer these numbers are to "00" the better overclocker you will have.  The reason behind this theory is the position on the wafer.  "00" represents the closest to the center of the wafer and "99" the furthest away from center.  The center of the wafer represents the better of the batch.  Now in my very limited experience with this theory, the few CPU's that I have looked at have actually had a lower VID with the lower number and have actually overclocked better.  But as I stated, I have limited experience with this and have tested fewer than 20 CPUs.  So, my results could have been purely coincidental.  It's a theory, so you can try it for yourself and see how it works.

Overclocking

Of course this is the best.  This is the part that I've been thinking about ever since I first saw the new E0 stepping.  First the test system.

Alright, let's start off by looking at the CPU at default settings.  Then we'll move up to 4Ghz and then finally to the max I could get.  The cooling that I'll be using for the testing will be the Corsair Nautilus 500 water cooling rig.  This is a nice entry level water cooling kit.  Being that it's entry level, you can probably get the same results on good air. 

Default

You really have to love that low voltage.  The motherboard that I'm running likes to bump up the voltage on its own.  When left in auto the board set the voltage to 1.22V.  This is way more than it really needed so you may have to play around with your voltages to see what you can set yours too.  Don't forget to test it for stability once you have decided on a voltage.