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The E8500 is probably one of the best chips for overclocking you can possibly get. Uh, a conservative estimate? 3.9ghz maybe. My processor is 2.4ghz at stock speeds, but I'm running it at a 33% overclock at 3.2ghz, at stock voltage, on a cooler that keeps the temperatures well below what it was at stock speeds on the stock cooler while being quieter. 3.9ghz should be possible on stock cooling although it will be pushing it temperature wise. A good cheap cooler is the Coolermaster 212+, and also Xigmatek SD1283 variations (get the ones WITH a blackplate though), both should be able to get that processor over 4ghz.


But before you really start overclocking. You should learn the basics of overclocking a Core 2 Duo, and then ask yourself some of these questions:

Does my motherboard support overclocking?

What is the maximum front side bus speed that I can run it at?

How fast memory do I have?

And learn how to install heatsinks.

If you set something to a setting your computer doesn't like then it will not complete POST (power on self test), and then all you have to do is reset CMOS which takes about 30 seconds, which resets all BIOS settings.

Also, when you do overclock, you should know what you're doing otherwise you'll get lots of blue screens, crashes, may have to reset CMOS a few times... (and if you're really stupid you could fry something)... things like that happen if your computer doesn't like overclocking for some reason.



Just some figures:

My CPU puts out 95 watt of heat at stock speeds. The E8500 puts out 65 watt.

My load temperature at stock speeds and stock cooling was 70. At 3.2ghz with the Xigmatek SD1283 Balder is 55 degrees.

Stock cooling on the E8500 is far worse than the Q6600.

You should be able to get massive gains... I think it's definitely worth it, just make sure you know what you're doing.

Sorry to drag this thread back to life, but I was looking in here.

I recently OC'd my 2.5ghz Intel Q8300, now running at 3ghz. Went up to 3.2ghz and ran a little hot so tried 3.1ghz, ran fine like that but I took it down a notch to 3ghz. Temps are running at <60 C whilst in FSX.

The only test I have given it is FSX, over Friday Harbour in a 'Major' thunder storm with PNW, REX2 (overdrive), UT2, EMB Bloom, Aerosoft twin otter (VC view zoomed out to .30, and outside view also max zoomed out)

Doing that used to kill my frames (locked at 45) would go down to mid teens and lots of stutters. Now runs at average 30fps and no stutters under these conditions. I know thats not a real test, but it runs stable, at modest temps and has really boosted performance. Set to unlimited frames I am running 230fps over photo scenery with no autogen and clear skies (Horizon VFR Western isles) 

I Used 'setfsb'. For me at least, this method worked and seems (at least for now) to be a safe method. Although you have go through the process every time you start your PC (and want a higher clock), but its no biggie to do that.

I may yet buy a better cooling fan as i'm still on the stock unit, just to be extra safe. I did push it further, and my pc shut itself down  but at least there was no damage.

1.45v is too high for a 45nm Intel CPU like for any Intel CPU after the original 65nm Core 2, IMHO. E8xxx series and Q9xxx series are 45nm. iirc, the max is 1.3625v and the absolute max is 1.45v... for longevity I wouldn't exceed 1.3625v. Maybe I'm wrong. I'm cautious. 65nm intel processors can handle 1.5v all day. AMD processors generally can handle higher volts, but they also need higher volts.

My prefered method is to overclock is pretty much a processor of elimination. I drop the multiplyer to 6 and see how far I can push the FSB. Then I see what the limits are to the memory (if I decide I want to overclock that at all). Then I overclock in approximately 15mhz FSB intervals with the FSB, memory, and CPU speed all in mind, boosting voltages only when I need to. Testing is done with OCCT and Coretemp (make sure temperature doesn't go over about 70 for a Core 2). Ended up at 3.2ghz because I need significantly more voltage to go further. Also ended up at 400*8 = 3.2ghz rather than 356*9 = 3.2ghz because it allows me to run memory at full speed hence I will get more memory bandwidth. Only had to clear CMOS once to get to 3.2ghz from 2.4.