High clock speed with thermal issues
High clock speed with thermal issues
I possess a z97-c motherboard paired with an i7-4790k that's been overclocked to 4.65 ghz @ 1.2v (103.3 bclk × 45 ratio cap). It appears stable under certain conditions. During large FFTs in Prime95 it maintains around 71°C, while small FFTs push up to 100°C and trigger throttling. Without any overclocking on the smaller FFTs, the temperature stays at a maximum of about 85°C. My cooling solution is a Thermal Assassin X120 with two Arctic P12 PWM fans (1800rpm). Is it safe to maintain this overclock? I typically run Counter-Strike 2, where temperatures hover near 55°C, but the expected load would be much higher in Cyberpunk.
If the average temperature in CS2 is 55°C, it's acceptable to maintain that overclock setting. In Cinebench R23, a temperature of about 70°C is also within typical operating ranges.
Small ffts offers a solid burn test experience. The smallest fft runs on actual CPU stress, though it's quite demanding. I wonder why the bclk was increased instead of adjusting the multiplier to 46? Running at bclk 105-108 with straps 100 or 125 seems reasonable depending on the sample. It might be around 105.7 x 44 or 108 x 43, but chips that handle over 106 bclk are rare. If your chip supports 108+, it's a strong candidate for bclk testing.
Regarding CPU temperatures, they're mainly limited by the stock thermal paste on the 4790k. The delamination process is straightforward with a thin razor—just a generic shaving tool works well. With liquid metal, reaching 5GHz should be possible, and given your Vcore, it's a decent sample. For higher frequencies, you might need a lower Vcore or a more relaxed LLC setting.
As for RAM speeds, you can easily run DDR3 at 3200-3600 MHz on Haswell. If your memory modules aren't 4GB Hynix or in that range, it will be tough to stabilize, especially with dual 8GB sticks. Around 2800 MHz should work, though. If you're using low-quality 4GB Samsungs or Micron 2400, it's better than nothing.
Your personal best is 3136 DDR3 on an i7 930, but that's on a different architecture. For x86, 3400-3600 might be challenging unless you use better ICs. I recall stabilizing at 3000 with this processor, but without saving the OC profile it's hard to recreate it now. It seems like leaving RAM at lower speeds (1333/1600 MHz) when pushing frequency is a waste of potential.
I configured the 4x4 with two Kingston and two SK-Hynix sticks. I set the BCLK to 103.3 because increasing it further would complicate RAM voltages and timing settings I’m not familiar with. At 103.3 with a multiplier of 45, I got 4.65 GHz—what felt ideal. A 4.7 GHz was too hot, while 4.6 GHz was perfect. I might still consider removing the stick, but my PSU just failed, so I’m cautious about making changes. I’ll look into RAM capacity and maybe watch a guide. Thanks!
Depends on the RAM module you have, but I think it's around 1333 or 13.33. Multiplying by 105.7 gives about 1408, which isn't enough to justify all this effort. So, make sure your clock speed is at its maximum. The main thing to watch is the resealing process—wait a bit depending on how you reseal the CPU (like using a gasket maker). There aren't many good guides out there; they tend to be very slow and overly cautious about frequencies, timing, and voltages. They rarely mention timing details, except for the basics. Using an extremely slow OC method is like testing an IC you've never seen before without any reference points. For most devices, using a similar IC works fine. If you're targeting a 2GbHz Hyundai Beef, you can start with a 2GbCFR and adjust based on the reference. Just send photos of all four modules and I'll help you pick an OC profile—Z97c for example might only need around 1.8V VDIMM, which is a bit low if your chips are sensitive to voltage changes. But if you're using 4GbRAM, it won't be a problem as they run fast with lower voltages (~1.65V for 3000C12).
I’m comfortable with those temperatures and it’s stable. My 4790k was set to 4.7ghz. If you’re part of the Overclocking forums, the maximum is around 90 degrees—though I don’t recall the exact voltage limit, it might have been 1.3. Intel’s official readings are a bit above 72°C, but they differ from the sensor readings. I keep mine in the 70s max, but if the OC community says 90 is the ceiling, stick to that.