Athlon 64 x2 model 5200+ was positioned by the manufacturer as a mid-range dual-core solution based on AM2. It is on its example that the procedure for overclocking this family of devices will be outlined. Its margin of safety is quite good, and with the appropriate components, it was possible to get chips with indices 6000+ or 6400+ instead.
The meaning of overclocking the CPU
The AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor model 5200+ can easily be upgraded to 6400+. To do this, you just need to increase its clock frequency (this is the point of overclocking). As a result, the final performance of the system will increase. But at the same time, the power consumption of the computer will also increase. Therefore, not everything is so simple. Most components of a computer system should have a safety margin. Accordingly, the motherboard, memory modules, power supply and case must be of higher quality, which means that their cost will be higher. Also, the CPU cooling system and thermal paste must be specially selected specifically for the overclocking procedure. But it is not recommended to experiment with a standard cooling system. It is designed for a standard thermal package of the processor and will not cope with the increased load.
Positioning
The characteristics of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor clearly indicate that it belonged to the middle segment of dual-core chips. There were also less productive solutions - 3800+ and 4000+. This is entry level. Well, higher in the hierarchy were CPUs with indices 6000+ and 6400+. The first two processor models could theoretically be overclocked and get 5200+ out of them. Well, the 5200+ itself could be modified up to 3200 MHz, and due to this, a variation of 6000+ or even 6400+ could be obtained. Moreover, their technical parameters were almost identical. The only thing that could change was the amount of second-level cache and the technological process. As a result, the level of their performance after overclocking was practically the same. So it turned out that at a lower cost, the end owner received a more productive system.
Chip specifications
AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor specifications may vary significantly. After all, three versions of it were released. The first of these was codenamed Windsor F2. It worked at a clock frequency of 2.6 GHz, had 128 KB of cache in the first level and, accordingly, 2 MB in the second level. This semiconductor crystal was manufactured according to the norms of 90 nm technological process, and its thermal package was equal to 89 W. At the same time, its maximum temperature could reach 70 degrees. Well, the voltage supplied to the CPU could be 1.3 V or 1.35 V.
A little later, a chip with the code name Windsor F3 appeared on sale. In this modification of the processor, the voltage changed (in this case it dropped to 1.2 V and 1.25 V, respectively), the maximum operating temperature increased to 72 degrees and the heat pack decreased to 65 watts. On top of this, the process itself has changed - from 90 nm to 65 nm.
The last, third version of the processor was codenamed Brisbane G2. In this case, the frequency was raised by 100 MHz and was already 2.7 GHz. The voltage could be 1.325 V, 1.35 V or 1.375 V. The maximum operating temperature was reduced to 68 degrees, and the thermal package, as in the previous case, was 65 watts. Well, the chip itself was manufactured using a more progressive 65 nm process technology.
socket
The AMD Athlon 64 x2 model 5200+ processor was installed in socket AM2. Its second name is socket 940. It is electrically and software compatible with AM2+ based solutions. Accordingly, it is still possible to purchase a motherboard for it. But the CPU itself is already quite difficult to buy. This is not surprising: the processor went on sale in 2007. Since then, three generations of devices have already changed.
Motherboard selection
A fairly large set of motherboards based on socket AM2 and AM2 + supported the AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200 processor. Their characteristics were very diverse. But in order to maximize the overclocking of this semiconductor chip, it is recommended to pay attention to solutions based on the 790FX or 790X chipset. These motherboards cost more than average. This is logical, since they had much better overclocking capabilities. Also, the board must be made in the ATX form factor. You can, of course, try to overclock this chip on mini-ATX solutions, but the dense arrangement of radio components on them can lead to undesirable consequences: overheating of the motherboard and the central processor and their failure. Specific examples include Sapphire's PC-AM2RD790FX or MSI's 790XT-G45. The M2N32-SLI Deluxe from Asus based on the nForce590SLI chipset developed by NVIDIA can also be a worthy alternative to the above solutions.
Cooling system
Overclocking an AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor is impossible without a high-quality cooling system. The cooler that comes in the boxed version of this chip is not suitable for these purposes. It is designed for a fixed heat load. With an increase in CPU performance, its thermal package increases, and the standard cooling system will no longer be able to cope. Therefore, you need to buy a more advanced one, with improved technical characteristics. We can recommend using the CNPS9700LED cooler from Zalman for this purpose. If you have it, this processor can be safely overclocked to 3100-3200 MHz. In this case, there will definitely not be any special problems with overheating of the CPU.
thermal paste
Another important component to consider before AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200+ is thermal paste. After all, the chip will not function in the normal load mode, but in a state of increased performance. Accordingly, more stringent requirements are put forward for the quality of thermal paste. It should provide improved heat dissipation. For these purposes, it is recommended to replace the standard thermal paste with KPT-8, which is perfect for overclocking conditions.
Frame
The AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200 processor will run at higher temperatures during overclocking. In some cases, it can rise to 55-60 degrees. To compensate for this increased temperature, one quality replacement of thermal paste and cooling system will not be enough. You also need a case in which air flows could circulate well, and this would provide additional cooling. That is, inside the system unit there should be as much free space as possible, and this would allow cooling the computer components due to convection. It would be even better if additional fans were installed in it.
Overclocking process
Now let's figure out how to overclock the AMD ATHLON 64 x2 processor. Let's find out on the example of the 5200+ model. The CPU overclocking algorithm in this case will be as follows.
- When you turn on the PC, press the Delete key. This will open the BIOS blue screen.
- Then we find the section associated with the operation of RAM, and reduce the frequency of its operation to a minimum. For example, the value for DDR1 is 333 MHz, and we lower the frequency to 200 MHz.
- Next, save the changes and boot the operating system. Then, using a toy or a test program (for example, CPU-Z and Prime95), we check the performance of the PC.
- Reboot the PC again and go into the BIOS. Here we now find the item related to the operation of the PCI bus, and fix its frequency. In the same place, it is necessary to fix this indicator for the graphic bus. In the first case, the value should be set to 33 MHz.
- Save the settings and restart the PC. We re-check its performance.
- The next step is to reboot the system. Re-enter BIOS. Here we find the parameter associated with the HyperTransport bus, and set the system bus frequency to 400 MHz. Save the values and restart the PC. After the OS has finished loading, we test the stability of the system.
- Then we reboot the PC and enter the BIOS again. Here you must now go to the processor parameters section and increase the system bus frequency by 10 MHz. Save the changes and restart the computer. Checking the stability of the system. Then, gradually increasing the frequency of the processor, we reach the moment when it ceases to work stably. Then we return to the previous value and again test the system.
- Then you can try to further overclock the chip using its multiplier, which should be in the same section. At the same time, after each change in the BIOS, we save the parameters and check the system's performance.
If during the overclocking process the PC starts to freeze and it is impossible to return to the previous values, then it is necessary to reset the BIOS settings to the factory settings. To do this, just find at the bottom of the motherboard, next to the battery, a jumper labeled Clear CMOS and rearrange it for 3 seconds from pins 1 and 2 to pins 2 and 3.
System stability check
Not only the maximum temperature of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor can lead to unstable operation of the computer system. The reason can be caused by a number of additional factors. Therefore, during overclocking, it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive check of the reliability of the PC. The Everest program is best suited for this task. It is with its help that you can check the reliability and stability of the computer during overclocking. To do this, it is enough to run this utility after each change made and after the OS has finished loading and check the status of the hardware and software resources of the system. If some value is out of range, then you need to restart the computer and return to the previous settings, and then re-test everything.
Cooling system control
The temperature of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor depends on the operation of the cooling system. Therefore, at the end of the overclocking procedure, it is necessary to check the stability and reliability of the cooler. For these purposes, it is best to use the SpeedFAN program. It is free, and the level of its functionality is sufficient. It will not be difficult to download it from the Internet and install it on a PC. Then we launch it and periodically, for 15-25 minutes, control the number of revolutions of the processor cooler. If this number is stable and does not decrease, then everything is in order with the CPU cooling system.
Chip temperature
The operating temperature of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor in normal mode should vary from 35 to 50 degrees. During overclocking, this range will decrease towards the last value. At a certain stage, the CPU temperature can even exceed 50 degrees, and there is nothing to worry about. The maximum allowable value is 60 ˚С, approaching which it is recommended to stop any experiments with overclocking. A higher temperature value can adversely affect the semiconductor chip of the processor and disable it. To take measurements during the operation, it is recommended to use the CPU-Z utility. Moreover, temperature registration must be carried out after each change made to the BIOS. You also need to withstand an interval of 15-25 minutes, during which you periodically check how hot the chip is.
Each user of a personal computer needs his processor regularly. The temperature of the processor depends on many different factors - operating conditions, thermal paste, cooler performance, and more. The most common problem is thermal paste drying out. In order to check it, you will need to open the computer cover, remove the cooler, which is located directly above the processor and see if it is present. If not, then it can be bought at the nearest computer store and applied. It is worth noting that it must be applied carefully over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe processor. After that, you need to press the processor with a cooler, install it and wipe off excess thermal paste.
How to check cpu temperature?
As for the processor temperature itself, it can be found either using special software or through the BIOS. It is worth noting that not all BIOS versions provide information about the processor temperature and it is simply inconvenient to restart the computer every time and check it. Therefore, the option of checking through the BIOS automatically disappears. You can use either special gadgets for Windows, or special software. For example, usually a motherboard and a processor come with a set of special drivers that allow you to find out various information about computer components. To do this, insert the disc into the optical drive and run the program. For example, Intel processors usually come bundled with the Intel Desktop Utilities program. After launching it, you need to open the "Hardware Monitor" tab and select the "Summary" item. This will display information about the temperature of the processor itself, voltage and much more.
Athlon X2 5000+ 2.6GHz operating and maximum temperature
In order to find out the operating temperature of the Athlon X2 5000+ 2.6GHz processor, the user will need to go to the manufacturer's official website and specify the appropriate parameters in the Processor, Frequency, System Bus fields. After that, a list of suitable models will appear on the screen, where the user can choose his own, and using the View Detail button, find out many different parameters of his processor, including the operating and maximum temperature of the processor. For example, the Athlon X2 5000+ 2.6GHz model will have an operating temperature of 55 degrees, and a maximum of 77. It is worth noting that the user does not want to increase the temperature to the maximum, since in this case the processor may simply fail.
Athlon 64 x2 model 5200+ was positioned by the manufacturer as a mid-range dual-core solution based on AM2. It is on its example that the procedure for overclocking this family of devices will be outlined. Its margin of safety is quite good, and with the appropriate components, it was possible to get chips with indices 6000+ or 6400+ instead.
The meaning of overclocking the CPU
The AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor model 5200+ can easily be upgraded to 6400+. To do this, you just need to increase its clock frequency (this is the point of overclocking). As a result, the final performance of the system will increase. But at the same time, the power consumption of the computer will also increase. Therefore, not everything is so simple. Most components of a computer system should have a safety margin. Accordingly, the motherboard, memory modules, power supply and case must be of higher quality, which means that their cost will be higher. Also, the CPU cooling system and thermal paste must be specially selected specifically for the overclocking procedure. But it is not recommended to experiment with a standard cooling system. It is designed for a standard thermal package of the processor and will not cope with the increased load.
Positioning
The characteristics of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor clearly indicate that it belonged to the middle segment of dual-core chips. There were also less productive solutions - 3800+ and 4000+. This is entry level. Well, higher in the hierarchy were CPUs with indices 6000+ and 6400+. The first two processor models could theoretically be overclocked and get 5200+ out of them. Well, the 5200+ itself could be modified up to 3200 MHz, and due to this, a variation of 6000+ or even 6400+ could be obtained. Moreover, their technical parameters were almost identical. The only thing that could change was the amount of second-level cache and the technological process. As a result, the level of their performance after overclocking was practically the same. So it turned out that at a lower cost, the end owner received a more productive system.
Chip specifications
AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor specifications may vary significantly. After all, three versions of it were released. The first of these was codenamed Windsor F2. It worked at a clock frequency of 2.6 GHz, had 128 KB of cache in the first level and, accordingly, 2 MB in the second level. This semiconductor crystal was manufactured according to the norms of 90 nm technological process, and its thermal package was equal to 89 W. At the same time, its maximum temperature could reach 70 degrees. Well, the voltage supplied to the CPU could be 1.3 V or 1.35 V.
A little later, a chip with the code name Windsor F3 appeared on sale. In this modification of the processor, the voltage changed (in this case it dropped to 1.2 V and 1.25 V, respectively), the maximum operating temperature increased to 72 degrees and the heat pack decreased to 65 watts. On top of this, the process itself has changed - from 90 nm to 65 nm.
The last, third version of the processor was codenamed Brisbane G2. In this case, the frequency was raised by 100 MHz and was already 2.7 GHz. The voltage could be 1.325 V, 1.35 V or 1.375 V. The maximum operating temperature was reduced to 68 degrees, and the thermal package, as in the previous case, was 65 watts. Well, the chip itself was manufactured using a more progressive 65 nm process technology.
socket
The AMD Athlon 64 x2 model 5200+ processor was installed in socket AM2. Its second name is socket 940. It is electrically and software compatible with AM2+ based solutions. Accordingly, it is still possible to purchase a motherboard for it. But the CPU itself is already quite difficult to buy. This is not surprising: the processor went on sale in 2007. Since then, three generations of devices have already changed.
Motherboard selection
A fairly large set of motherboards based on socket AM2 and AM2 + supported the AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200 processor. Their characteristics were very diverse. But in order to maximize the overclocking of this semiconductor chip, it is recommended to pay attention to solutions based on the 790FX or 790X chipset. These motherboards cost more than average. This is logical, since they had much better overclocking capabilities. Also, the board must be made in the ATX form factor. You can, of course, try to overclock this chip on mini-ATX solutions, but the dense arrangement of radio components on them can lead to undesirable consequences: overheating of the motherboard and CPU and disable them. Specific examples include Sapphire's PC-AM2RD790FX or MSI's 790XT-G45. The M2N32-SLI Deluxe from Asus based on the nForce590SLI chipset developed by NVIDIA can also be a worthy alternative to the above solutions.
Cooling system
Overclocking an AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor is impossible without a quality cooling systems. The cooler that comes in the boxed version of this chip is not suitable for these purposes. It is designed for a fixed heat load. With an increase in CPU performance, its thermal package increases, and the standard cooling system will no longer be able to cope. Therefore, you need to buy a more advanced one, with improved technical characteristics. We can recommend using the CNPS9700LED cooler from Zalman for this purpose. If you have it, this processor can be safely overclocked to 3100-3200 MHz. In this case, there will definitely not be any special problems with overheating of the CPU.
thermal paste
Another important component to consider before AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200+ is thermal paste. After all, the chip will not function in the normal load mode, but in a state of increased performance. Accordingly, more stringent requirements are put forward for the quality of thermal paste. It should provide improved heat dissipation. For these purposes, it is recommended to replace the standard thermal paste with KPT-8, which is perfect for overclocking conditions.
Frame
The AMD Athlon 64 x2 5200 processor will run at higher temperatures during overclocking. In some cases, it can rise to 55-60 degrees. To compensate for this increased temperature, one quality replacement of thermal paste and cooling system will not be enough. You also need a case in which air flows could circulate well, and this would provide additional cooling. That is, inside the system unit there should be as much free space as possible, and this would allow cooling the computer components due to convection. It would be even better if additional fans were installed in it.
Overclocking process
Now let's deal with how to overclock amd cpu ATHLON 64x2. Let's find out on the example of the 5200+ model. The CPU overclocking algorithm in this case will be as follows.
- When you turn on the PC, press the Delete key. This will open the BIOS blue screen.
- Then we find the section associated with the operation of RAM, and reduce the frequency of its operation to a minimum. For example, the value for DDR1 is 333 MHz, and we lower the frequency to 200 MHz.
- Next, save the changes and boot the operating system. Then, using a toy or a test program (for example, CPU-Z and Prime95), we check the performance of the PC.
- Reboot the PC again and go into the BIOS. Here we now find the item related to the operation of the PCI bus, and fix its frequency. In the same place, it is necessary to fix this indicator for the graphic bus. In the first case, the value should be set to 33 MHz.
- Save the settings and restart the PC. We re-check its performance.
- The next step is to reboot the system. Re-enter BIOS. Here we find the parameter associated with the HyperTransport bus, and set the system bus frequency to 400 MHz. Save the values and restart the PC. After the OS has finished loading, we test the stability of the system.
- Then we reboot the PC and enter the BIOS again. Here you must now go to the processor parameters section and increase the system bus frequency by 10 MHz. Save the changes and restart the computer. Checking the stability of the system. Then, gradually increasing the frequency of the processor, we reach the moment when it ceases to work stably. Then we return to the previous value and again test the system.
- Then you can try to further overclock the chip using its multiplier, which should be in the same section. At the same time, after each change in the BIOS, we save the parameters and check the system's performance.
If during the overclocking process the PC starts to freeze and it is impossible to return to the previous values, then it is necessary to reset the BIOS settings to the factory settings. To do this, just find at the bottom of the motherboard, next to the battery, a jumper labeled Clear CMOS and rearrange it for 3 seconds from pins 1 and 2 to pins 2 and 3.
System stability check
Not only the maximum temperature of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor can lead to unstable operation of the computer system. The reason can be caused by a number of additional factors. Therefore, during overclocking, it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive check of the reliability of the PC. The Everest program is best suited for this task. It is with its help that you can check the reliability and stability of the computer during overclocking. To do this, it is enough to run this utility after each change made and after the OS has finished loading and check the status of the hardware and software resources of the system. If some value is out of range, then you need to restart the computer and return to the previous settings, and then re-test everything.
Cooling system control
The temperature of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor depends on the operation of the cooling system. Therefore, at the end of the overclocking procedure, it is necessary to check the stability and reliability of the cooler. For these purposes, it is best to use the SpeedFAN program. It is free, and the level of its functionality is sufficient. It will not be difficult to download it from the Internet and install it on a PC. Then we launch it and periodically, for 15-25 minutes, control the number of revolutions of the processor cooler. If this number is stable and does not decrease, then everything is in order with the CPU cooling system.
Chip temperature
The operating temperature of the AMD Athlon 64 x2 processor in normal mode should vary from 35 to 50 degrees. During overclocking, this range will decrease towards the last value. At a certain stage, the CPU temperature can even exceed 50 degrees, and there is nothing to worry about. The maximum allowable value is 60 ˚С, approaching which it is recommended to stop any experiments with overclocking. A higher temperature value can adversely affect the semiconductor chip of the processor and disable it. To take measurements during the operation, it is recommended to use the CPU-Z utility. Moreover, temperature registration must be carried out after each change made to the BIOS. You also need to withstand an interval of 15-25 minutes, during which you periodically check how hot the chip is.
