Hi, The maximum I have been able to manage is 2.6x GHz from the 3000+ (Venice, stepping 2) on the A8N-E. HTT = 3x, DDR 400 RAM set at 133MHz (DDR 266) Bus Speed = 290+ MHz. To hit 2.7 GHz, I need to set Bus speed at 300MHz, but at anything above 295MHz, the system is unstable. at HTT 3x and RAM set at 133 MHz, both of them are well within their stock limits, so that those are not the issues here. I have upped the CPU vcore by upto 1.45V which makes no difference (1.425 is enough for 2.5x GHz). I have read about people not being able to hit 2.7GHz and also some claims about people who have. Now, if some has hit 2.7G, do post. Now, if you ask me why I want to do this speed - well, just to see how far I can push it! I know those few MHz will not make any difference, but thats not the point >) PS: Considering an Opteron 165 in place of the 3000+ Kailas Shastry 3000+ Venice, A8N-E, 512MB x 2, 160GB Barracuda, 380W CM

I don't have an answer for you but I do have a question or 2... Why get a new/different CPU just to gain another 50MHz or so? L2 cache size aside, do you think you'll really notice any difference between 2.65GHz & 2.70GHz? Have you tried lowering the CPU multi & then raising the CPU freq to 300MHz (or higher)? If you can't hit 300MHz with a lower multi, the board/chipset is what's holding you back, not the CPU. Then if you have the option, you can trying throwing a little more voltage into the chipset.

Hi Jam, The Opteron decision has got nothing to do with overclocking / ~50 odd MHz difference. I may be getting it for a very reasonable price and be able to put my 3000+ on a machine I will soon build for a friend. Friend and me will be in a win-win situation, thats all :) And, no, I have not thought of lowering the multi and raising the core - simply thought this motherboard is capable of those speeds (the BIOS lets you set upto 400MHz). Needless to say, the PCIe is locked at 100MHz and PCI at 33.33 (yes, it reads 33 point 3 3 ). At this current overclock, the CPU is faster than any single core AMD CPU and its reason enough to be happy, but this is about know what the system can and cannot do - for no measurable gain, if I may add. Kailas Shastry 3000+ Venice, A8N-E, 512MB x 2, 160GB Barracuda, 380W CM