Help overclock my 6600k
Help overclock my 6600k
the specs are as follows: 6600k at 4.5ghz, noctua nhd14 cpu cooler fits with three fans but isn't necessary right now, keeping the usual configuration, asus z170-p motherboard, corsair vengeance lpx ddr4 at 3000mhz, asus strix oc gtx 1070, corsair force le 480gb ssd, corsair tx650 power supply, zalman z9+ case. currently temperatures stay around 60c max with xtu, using 1.35v with llc level 5 to hit 4.5ghz, xmp profile is active so ram runs at 3000mhz @1.35v, everything else operates at default or auto settings. if i push to 4.6ghz it crashes, even at 1.375v, so i’m considering asking experts before increasing voltage further. something odd is that even with llc at level 5, the vdrop still drops to about 1.27, any suggestions?
Not every chip will perform well at 4.6.
Here are some figures:
As of May 2016
The percentage that can achieve an overclock with a reasonable 1.40v Vcore:
I5-6600K – 2%
I5-6600K 4.9 – 11%
I5-6600K 4.8 – 36%
I5-6600K 4.7 – 64%
I5-6600K 4.6 – 88%
I don’t know the exact XTU settings.
A straightforward method is to reset everything to default and let voltages auto-adjust.
Increase the multiplier slowly and observe the results.
Vcore should rise, possibly reaching 1.4v.
Also, maintain RAM at around 1.2v, which should correspond to a 2400 speed setting.
Higher voltages seem to affect my OC performance.
After testing, apply speedstep to reduce Vcore and multiplier when the CPU isn’t at full load.
My perspective on my OC is:
The CPU is built to last about 10 years, with upgrades planned every 3-5 years. I never power down the PC. Running at 1.4V will keep it functional for 2-4 years, and 1.38V is a safe choice.
If your previous CPU was in the 4xxx or 3xxx series, a 1.4 to 1.42 voltage should work well for you.
Consider testing your RAM at base clocks with some relaxed timing settings (such as factory defaults when xmp is off) to reduce pressure on the CPU's memory controller. This could help you extract a bit more performance from your overclock. (Just for fun, I wouldn't run it daily.)
This was the default motherboard RAM clock speed (2133). I enabled the XMP profile to use 3000mhz RAM, but it wouldn't boot. The BIOS reported an overclock failure. I increased the voltage from 1.35v to 1.355 volts, and after a stress test, it worked. I'm considering stopping here.
geofelt :
grimsin :
The 1.4v rating seems acceptable as long as temperatures remain low, though opinions differ—some consider it fine while others are concerned about 1.4 being too high. Clarify what you mean by "safe." Intel specifications indicate a maximum of 1.5v, but I’m unsure about its actual safety limits.
Hmmm... Intel also offers CPUs, much like a panel beater assuring you it’s safe to drive at 100 km/h in the city. Ultimately, temperature plays a key role in determining safety. The package temperature must stay well below 75°C, even during intensive testing like Prime95. Regardless of the voltage—whether 1.35 V, 1.40 V, or 1.50 V—the stable performance is what matters. Intel claims a maximum of 1.52 V, after accounting for their 5% margin from the 1.60 V upper limit.
Keeping the CPU voltage around 1.35 V for the core voltage is a sensible choice. I’m currently running at 4.6 GHz after adjusting the VCore to 1.355 V in the BIOS. I could push up to 4.7 GHz at 1.40 V, but it’s stable yet quite warm. I reduced it slightly to 4.6 GHz for comfort. The performance remains consistent—around 767 on Cinebench R15, with no significant drop at 4.7 GHz.
I plan to use this CPU for 3 to 5 years without major performance loss. I’m also using a budget single fan air cooler.
By the way, I’ve set my 16 GB (four 4 GB cards) Kingston HyperX Fury (C14 - 2133MHz) to 3200 MHz (C15 17 17 28) at 1.35 V. You can find more details here: http://hw-db.com/memory/2687/hyperx-hx42...6-review/2.
Feel free to share my configuration if you’re interested.