Can achieving a 4Ghz overclock on the I5-6600k be done without exceeding the voltage limits?
Can achieving a 4Ghz overclock on the I5-6600k be done without exceeding the voltage limits?
Hello!
I'm just starting out with overclocking and have only been looking at guides and tutorials. I'm a bit nervous about trying it myself, but I want to know if it's possible to reach 4.0 Ghz on stock voltage. If I were to attempt it and encounter a BSOD, can I simply return to BIOS and reset things?
I don’t have much prior experience, so I’m not very familiar with the process.
There's a phenomenon known generally as the Silicon Lottery. Basically every chip is unique, the silicon it's made from has different impurities in different levels than any other cpu. Because of that, every cpu responds slightly differently.
My i7-3770K can hit 5GHz at 1.4v. Most cannot. You shouldn't have any issue hitting 4.0GHz or better, but there's no guarantee. There's nothing beyond stock turbo settings that is. Because of the Silicon Lottery. It's a pot luck thing. My i5-3570k would not remain stable at anything over 4.3GHz, and apart from hyperthreading, it's pretty much the exact same cpu as my i7-3770K. Big difference.
4.0GHz, most likely. But no guarantee yes or no. It'll also depend on voltages and temps, they might...
The process depends on the CPU sample and the quality of the VRM on your board. Overclocking and undervolting aren't instant solutions; you need some experimentation to achieve the performance your sample can deliver.
Include these specs:
CPSU:
OS:erboard:
Ram: SSD/HDD:
GPU: GPU:
PSU: OS:
About reverting, your board should have a CMOS button to reset it to factory settings.
Here are your PC specifications.
Cooler: Deepcool GAMMAX 400S Intel
Motherboard: Z170-HD3P-CF
RAM: G Skill Ripjaws v 8gb 2400mhz x2
Storage: (Specifications unknown, but includes a 1 TB HDD and a Samsung EVO 250 GB SSD)
GPU: GTX 1060 6GB
Power Supply: Thermaltake Smart RGB 700w
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
There's a phenomenon known generally as the Silicon Lottery. Basically every chip is unique, the silicon it's made from has different impurities in different levels than any other cpu. Because of that, every cpu responds slightly differently.
My i7-3770K can hit 5GHz at 1.4v. Most cannot. You shouldn't have any issue hitting 4.0GHz or better, but there's no guarantee. There's nothing beyond stock turbo settings that is. Because of the Silicon Lottery. It's a pot luck thing. My i5-3570k would not remain stable at anything over 4.3GHz, and apart from hyperthreading, it's pretty much the exact same cpu as my i7-3770K. Big difference.
4.0GHz, most likely. But no guarantee yes or no. It'll also depend on voltages and temps, they might require way more than you or the cpu is comfortable with.
Only way to find out for sure is to try. But before you do, READ, READ, READ. Everything, everywhere you can on what OC is, what it's does, how to do it on your motherboard etc. The more you know about it, the better your chances of a successful OC, within its limits.
Feeling nervous? Not really. The goal is different—when you overclock, you aim for speeds beyond the standard, using all cores, at the lowest stable voltages, and keeping temperatures as low as possible. The aim of detailed testing isn't to confirm stability, but to trigger bluescreens.
Think about it: increase the speed, fine-tune settings, then lower the voltage. If starting at 1.4v and it works, try 1.39v—still no luck. Keep lowering until you hit a point where it fails. That’s the sign of a successful OC. You’re searching for the CPU’s weakest stable limits.
In technical terms, it’s about finding the lowest common denominator. A fraction like 49/56 is acceptable, but 7/8 is preferable.
There’s usually a default of three bios attempts. If that fails, you can reset by following the CMOS instructions or letting the battery sit for about ten minutes.
Oh, sorry, "scared" isn't the best word here. A more fitting term would be nervous. I think it would be wise to learn more about the types of BSOD error codes that appear on an LGA 1151, so I can handle them appropriately. Your question is really helpful.