How Much Can I Benefit From This Mod?

Even with the highest voltage setting in the NF7 BIOS (1.7V), most NF7 motherboards still won't be able to handle FSB speeds of over 220MHz. Some can attain a FSB speed of 223MHz.

But after this mod, most NF7 motherboards will be able to reach at least 235MHz with the Vdd at 1.9V to 2.0V. The extra 15MHz in FSB speed may not seem like a lot but if you want to maximize your motherboard's performance, this is a mod you must try! This is especially true for those who find the overclockability of their multiplier-locked processors limited by the low FSB speeds.

But if you find that you cannot overclock the FSB further, even after performing this mod, this probably means your processor or memory module has reaches its limit.

If you want to achieve even higher FSB speeds, disable the CPU Interface option in the NF7 bios. However, please note that this results in lower system performance. For more information about this BIOS feature as well as many others, please refer to The Definitive BIOS Optimization Guide.

Is It Safe?

Many people have done this mod without damaging their motherboards but I'm not going to say that it is safe.

There is always a risk of damaging your motherboard whenever you try a hardware mod. You should also remember that even if it is successful, this mod voids your motherboard's warranty. If you want to do this mod, you will have to understand and accept these risks. We will not be held responsible for any damage caused by this mod. However, if you follow our instructions, there shouldn't be any problem in modding your motherboard.

I personally did a survey before I attempted this mod. Most of those who modded their NF7 usually kept the Vdd at 2.0V. The highest voltage I've ever tried was 2.1V. If you are going any higher than 2.0V, keep in mind that doing so may kill your motherboard. It should be okay as long as you don't go above 2.0V.

You should also consider improving the north bridge's cooler if you are going to attempt this mod. The stock cooler is definitely not good enough to cool the north bridge after this mod.

The increased voltage will increase the north bridge's thermal output. If its cooling is not improved, the increased thermal output may cause the north bridge to overheat or even damage it. Therefore, I strongly recommend you upgrade the north bridge cooler if you intend to go beyond 1.8V.

You can also consider lapping the north bridge for better thermal transfer between the north bridge and its cooler. This further improves its cooling and even allow you to overclock the north bridge further. Please refer to our North Bridge Wet-Sanding Guide for instructions on how to lap your north bridge.