Attempting to push the I7-4770k to 4.4 GHz
Attempting to push the I7-4770k to 4.4 GHz
Hey there, just starting out with overclocking after about two to three years of use. I’d like to push her to her limits, so let’s begin.
The OS I’m using is this one.
I’m using Corsair H80I V2 water cooling for the CPU cooling.
I’ve first attempted OC TUNER, which came with my motherboard, but I’m still trying to figure out how to do it without it. Would you have any advice?
It’s possible to reach 4.4 thanks to a CINEBENCH benchmark where someone achieved 4.4. I’m not worried about getting her up to 4.2 just yet—currently it’s at 3.5 and turbo boost is at 3.9. It’s not bad, but I want to see how far we can go.
I only have around a 550-watt power supply. Should I upgrade that before it works?
I tried OC TUNER, but it crashed twice—once with RATIO FIRST and once with BCLK FIRST. It was stable for a short time until the INTEL BURN TEST crashed after the ninth phase.
The CPU was heating up to nearly 90°C, so I thought it might be too intense. Maybe 4.2 won’t get that hot? I’ve been working on this for a few days! Thanks!
Also, could you share more pictures of the system?
Cinebench test results.
CPU-Z status showing.
What voltage is recommended?
Voltage - 1.200v at 4.4 ghz failed before testing
Voltage 1.250v at 4.3 ghz stopped working during testing of prime95
Returned to 1.200v at 4.2 ghz which was stable
( I think 1.350v is safe ) but haven't tried it yet. ( I don't really want to )
Safe max voltage is around 1.3V
Consider trying 4.3ghz @1.280 and stress with Prime95 Small FFT's for at least 30 minutes. Record the maximum temperature if no crash occurs.
to go higher you'll need more voltage for the cpu and with an h80 it could get too hot. If you aim for even higher speeds, a better cooler will be necessary. What do you think this refers to as an aio water cooling system? It includes two fans and a cooling radiator. Didn't I understand that correctly?
Tested with Prime95 V26.6 (other versions affect voltage, raising temps/link issues) using Small FFT for 30-60 minutes. Also reviewed the Intel Temperature Guide by CompuTronix, which should assist with overclocking. My most stable clock on my 4770K was 4.4ghz @1.250V with a Corsair H100i. Currently, I'm running at 4.0, close to the original 3.9; temps are significantly higher during the x10 test phase on standard. I’m unsure if improving further without risking system damage is possible, planning to try 4.2 next but aiming to stay under 85°C. I’ve already reached 82°C at 4.0ghz from an Intel burn test. My Cinebench score also improved slightly.
Don't rely on Intel Burn Test, as it hasn't been used recently and other Prime95 versions had similar problems where the voltage was overridden, leading to higher temperatures than expected. Stick to Prime95 Small FFT instead. Also, ensure you manually adjust the voltage without using auto settings. Follow the guide instructions carefully.
WildCard999 :
Avoid using Intel Burn Test, I haven’t used it recently but it caused the same problem with other Prime95 versions where the voltage gets overridden, leading to higher temperatures than expected. Stick to Prime95 Small FFT instead. Make sure you manually adjust the voltage without relying on auto settings.
From the guide:
Overclocking isn’t recommended with Vcore in “Auto” mode since the BIOS will apply more voltage than needed for stability. We understand that too much heat over time can harm electronics, so even with manual Vcore, high Vcore and Core temperature might speed up "Electromigration."
I’m using a sabertooh z87 and don’t see an option to set the V core. I need to figure this out quickly!
Right now I’m running Prime98 small tests and it’s only reaching about 65°C max on test 3 out of 8.
It seems stable at 4.0 GHz from 3.5 GHz.
Tested and it works fine, restarted and enabled XMP for RAM to run at 1866 MHz.
Tested again and it works too.
I’m gaining some points as well.
I’ll restart now to see if I can get more out of it—maybe push it to 4.2 if I crash, then try increasing the voltage to 1.250V and see!
Keep testing and adjusting until you achieve a good mix of overclock/voltage and temperatures, based on what you hear. A 4.4ghz build should work with your current configuration.
this means cooler is a basic model and it won't manage the heat from your overclocked processor. You might want to consider an AIO with a 240 radiator, such as a H100, or if you're experienced, you could try desoldering your CPU for better performance and temperatures.