The official GIGABYTE Spring Extreme Competition thread.

[I.M.O.G.]

Maybe I'm being stupid...but don't contests like these only award those that already have the best hardware?

 

I mean - nobody is going to win with a UD3 board...so what's the point? The guys with the best stuff will win. The guys that could actually use a nice new board get left out...

 

Totally agree!!

 

I don't own a Gigabyte motherboard. I had to borrow one from a friend on my team in order to take part.

 

Still though, even if I win I still won't have a Gigabyte motherboard - I'm taking part to win the board for my team. Since my team helped me compete for it (taught me how to use LN2 and gave me the board I need), if I would win I'll have a giveaway to reward someone who needs a 990FX board.

 

As for the board, if I had been given a UD3 I would have ran that... I think I would have been able to do about the same scores on it. I don't know that much about the UD7 vs UD3, however it looks like they both have 8+2 phase power, so thats all that really matters for raw benchmark performance in a contest like this.

 

Do you know of any other features on the UD7 that make it advantageous? Multi-GPU support is better, but that doesn't benefit any of these stages.

[I.nfraR.ed]

I don't have a Gigabyte board as well. Couldn't find a cheap decent used board, so I'm buying tomorrow 970A-UD3 from the store.

That's not the best board you can use, but I will still participate just for fun. Hope I won't be too frustrated with it. Haven't used Gigabyte since 790FXA-UD5P (this is actually the only one board I've ever had from that vendor, lol).

I don't think everybody have 990FXA-UD7 or similar high-end boards...

 

Not very faimiliar with current GB lineup, but 970 chipset should be ok for this kind of competition (no multi-card setups required).

Edited March 1, 2012 by I.nfraR.ed

[$$Lionking$$]

I.M.O.G. - Hey.. Its not about the board... problem is when people go through more than 1 mobo/cpu for 1 record in a competition... there shud be some limit to this..

 

eg - if you would go through 10 cpu's to set the record you set for the competition right now - then that is just wrong bro!!!

[Massman]

Why ?

[kirbster]

I.M.O.G. - Hey.. Its not about the board... problem is when people go through more than 1 mobo/cpu for 1 record in a competition... there shud be some limit to this..

 

eg - if you would go through 10 cpu's to set the record you set for the competition right now - then that is just wrong bro!!!

 

It's not wrong to use the tools at your disposal as long as it fits within the rules. It is always arguable that people with larger budgets have an advantage in anything. In the end it is your skills that will give you the greatest advantage, as you learn to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of you particular group of hardware.

 

What you can do is work on your skills and try to improve on your own best scores. and compare yourself directly with those who are running similar hardware. HWBOT allows you to do that. You can compete at a very high level for global points, or at a lower level for hardware points. You can run 10 year old equipment and still compete.

 

As for myself, every CPU i have ever used is a store bought one that i had no ability to pick and choose from. I can only afford to buy one. I do know that some competitors might buy 10 or 20 and bin them to see which has the most headroom and sell off the rest. But that costs them alot of money to do that and they are the ones deciding what their budget is for any given scenario. And so, in the end, this is what you have to decide.

How will you compete?

[$$Lionking$$]

@Why? - coz most of the people don't have so much hardware..??

It will probably give some people a fighting chance?

 

kirbster - Hey ur right hwbot team does provide a platform where you can go for easier points (hardware points) also for people with less budget... that was just an opinion..

Edited March 1, 2012 by $$Lionking$$

[Hondacity]

why do you want to limit the number of cpus that benchers use?

 

imog killed his cpu, he has another one so he can still fight/compete.

[I.M.O.G.]

The 8120 I used in the comp is the only 8120 I've owned, and the 1st of 2 Bulldozer's I've owned - I also had an FX-6100, but I sold that so I could buy other processors. I currently have no Bulldozer CPUs since the 8120 died in this competition. That is kind of a bummer. The 8120 was bought retail at microcenter.

 

The 555 BE I used is the only 555 BE I have ever owned. Bought used via ebay. I also have a 970 BE which could beat my pifast score, and probably beat my pcmark score as well, but I'm not sure I want to run it because that means another 20L of LN2 at least. The only reason I still have the 970 BE is that I haven't been able to sell it, though I've been trying to so I can put that money back into the hardware fund as well.

 

I have never bought more than 1 of the same model of AMD CPU though. Binning on AMD is less effective in my experience than just getting the most out of what you have. My air scores were competitive with top air scores, and my LN2 scores are competitive with top LN2 scores... I've never binned AMD.

[I.nfraR.ed]

Why not think from another point of view...

HWBOT competitions usually are motivating me to bench some specific hardware, that I could postpone forever.

I don't do it for the prizes, I do it for pure fun or the national pride in case of CountryCup.

Plus there are always plenty of interesting discussions going on.

Another good thing is I can always learn something new or improve my skills.

 

These are more than enough reasons for me to participate in competitions.

 

Oh, and it's always pleasure to poke/joke HondaCity, Massman or Christian Ney, haha.

Edited March 1, 2012 by I.nfraR.ed

[saint19]

Come on guys, nobody here buy a lot of hardware for a competition like this one. If you want spend $400 or $500 in CPUs a mobo for enter and win something, use that money for buy the mobo new and probably more cheap that try to win it.

 

The competition is open to any one, if your team help you just means that you have other two hands for LN2 that are very useful on extreme overclocking. All of us has taken the risk, if your mobo, CPU, RAM or other components die you have to accept it and move on to find another to replace it.

 

I.M.O.G lost an FX CPU but still competing thanks to overclockers team, that's team work. In my case I only have two CPU if the main goes dead means that competition ends for me and my rig lost four cores. so? Not problem, I want to know until where I can go and do the best that I can.

[$$Lionking$$]

Why not think from another point of view...

HWBOT competitions usually are motivating me to bench some specific hardware, that I could postpone forever.

I don't do it for the prizes, I do it for pure fun or the national pride in case of CountryCup.

Plus there are always plenty of interesting discussions going on.

Another good thing is I can always learn something new or improve my skills.

 

These are more than enough reasons for me to participate in competitions.

 

Yeah that is actually kinda true for me too...

 

Competitions really helped me bench some of my stuff I wud never have benched otherwise and its fun and u get to learn new stuff too... All agreed!

[kirbster]

Come on guys, nobody here buy a lot of hardware for a competition like this one. If you want spend $400 or $500 in CPUs a mobo for enter and win something, use that money for buy the mobo new and probably more cheap that try to win it.

 

The competition is open to any one, if your team help you just means that you have other two hands for LN2 that are very useful on extreme overclocking. All of us has taken the risk, if your mobo, CPU, RAM or other components die you have to accept it and move on to find another to replace it.

 

I.M.O.G lost an FX CPU but still competing thanks to overclockers team, that's team work. In my case I only have two CPU if the main goes dead means that competition ends for me and my rig lost four cores. so? Not problem, I want to know until where I can go and do the best that I can.

 

I was not refering to this competition in particular. Nor any of the competitors in it. Just using a general example.

I actually borrowed the board and the CPU back from the friend i sold it to. I knew that 1055T was a pretty decent clocker, and the 890FXA-UD5 was a good performer as well.

[saint19]

I was referring in general, a clear example of this are competitions with SP or wPrime stages, all we know that Intel is the king there and even that, a lot of people (including me) upload the results.

 

It's just for fun and not more.

[sin0822]

At least someone is sponsoring a bulldozer OC event, BD is really fun to OC under LN2!!!

 

 

My idea for future competitions, first to hit a certain score, that way it doesn't' matter what type of hardware you have! Like set P1035 in 3DMark 11, or P5401 or something and have first person to hit it get the main prize.

 

That is how we did it in the old days for the most part, and it was damn fun! i won a 520W OCZ PSu back in one of those contests, and I didn't have very nice hardware like i do now.

 

But also raise the P score for LN2, and have one air coolers can compete in. Seriously, aim for score isn't as easy as it sounds. Especially if you made it be a certain Physics and GPU score along with it.

[I.M.O.G.]

That sounds like a good fun idea for contests like this sin.

[kirbster]

I agree with sin. That would be fun and level the playing field.

[I.nfraR.ed]

That's not leveling it up, either. It's just who's fastest and who has a lot of free time.

The other approach is better - you have a reasonal cap for cpu frequency and memory speed/timings, then you fight for efficiency.

[I.M.O.G.]

I think the whole leveling it up idea on hwbot is dumb tho. It is a contest not intended to be level. Some dominate, others are dominated.

 

I think your idea is better red, but it again caters to the extreme and more skilled. The other idea could be won by anyone and sounds like a good just for fun comp. If it is down to efficiency, memory clocks and the knowledgeable tweakers will have a big advantage.

[dinos22]

sin's idea would suit noob competitions but not HWBOT

 

 

That's not leveling it up, either. It's just who's fastest and who has a lot of free time.

The other approach is better - you have a reasonal cap for cpu frequency and memory speed/timings, then you fight for efficiency.

 

jesus, i can't believe you are saying this out loud!

[kirbster]

Well we wouldnt want that all the time, but the odd competion would be fine. Efficiency is a good challenge and can teach everyone some new tweaks.

[$$Lionking$$]

sin0822 - Totally Awesome Idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 That shud totally happen!!

[Massman]

Efficiency is problematic, because:

 

- efficiency goes up the lower you go in CPU frequency as ideal efficiency is running everything at 1:1:1:1.

- there's no 100% watertight validation process for frequency; people can lower frequency (= increase efficiency) before taking the screenshot

 

Also, efficiency is just one part of overclocking. Another part of it is maxing the frequencies and getting it to pass the benchmark at certain clocks.

[saint19]

Efficiency is problematic, because:

 

- efficiency goes up the lower you go in CPU frequency as ideal efficiency is running everything at 1:1:1:1.

- there's no 100% watertight validation process for frequency; people can lower frequency (= increase efficiency) before taking the screenshot

 

Also, efficiency is just one part of overclocking. Another part of it is maxing the frequencies and getting it to pass the benchmark at certain clocks.

 

Another "problem" there is that many of us don't have a LN2 unlimited dewar

[I.nfraR.ed]

sin's idea would suit noob competitions but not HWBOT

 

 

jesus, i can't believe you are saying this out loud!

 

 

What I did wrong?

I think you're being a little bit harsh here, there are many noobs at hwbot (including me), not only pro guys. And still, we are living under the same sun...

 

This format with the efficiency thing is not applicable, for the reasons massman wrote.

 

The best approach is like it is currently done. Overclocking is for all things together, but the main thing is pushing everything to its maximum.

 

Cooling separation can't be done as well, people can give a picture of watercooled system, but in fact could have used SS.

Edited March 2, 2012 by I.nfraR.ed

[sin0822]

I am just saying tossing a competition in there where there is a bit more chance in it will attract a crowd which is needed for the survival of this sport. It will also take care of those who say they never have a chance

 

There are many types of competitions, i am just suggesting one type.