i5 6600k semi-stable overclock reaches 4.7 GHz at 1.12 volts WTF
i5 6600k semi-stable overclock reaches 4.7 GHz at 1.12 volts WTF
So initially, this was my first try at an overclock without manually adjusting anything. I used the BIOS overclocking tool on my Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard, setting it to level 11 in the Software menu. Before that, it was running at 4.5 GHz (setting 8). After resetting the BIOS to preserve my hard drive partition (which I didn’t save), I pushed it even higher because I was seeing very stable temperatures (~60°C under load). Now it’s stabilized at 4.7GHz, 1.12 volts, and around 75°C under load. My Dark Rock 3 still runs a bit faster under stress, making it a bit noisier, but overall it seems to be a solid overclock. I’m gathering some more feedback—I’m using NZXT CAM for monitoring temperatures and stats, but haven’t run a stress test yet. Here’s what my setup looks like:
CPU: i5-6600K @4.7GHz with Dark Rock 3 CPU Cooler
GPU: MSI R9 390 8GB
Motherboard: MSI Z170A Gaming M7
RAM: Corsair 16GB LPX RAM (Red) – XMP Profile @2400MHz
Power Supply: EVGA 850W G2
Storage: Samsung EVO 250GB SSD
Operating System: Windows 10 Professional
Network Card: ASUS PCE-AC68
Case: NZXT H440 Matte Black/Red 2015 Edition
Am I lucky enough to have a stable overclock, or am I making a mistake?
For high overclocks you need strong voltage, but you can test stability with low voltages like 1.4 volts and check if your system fails. Gradually reduce the voltage by small steps—such as 0.01v—until instability and crashes occur during testing. To maintain a 4.7ghz overclock, I suggest using Prime95 26.6 or ROG Realbench for stress testing.
For high overclocks you need strong voltage, but you can test stability with low voltages like 1.4 volts and observe if the system fails. Gradually reduce the voltage by small steps—such as 0.01v—until instability and crashes occur during testing. To maintain your 4.7ghz overclock, I suggest using Prime95 26.6 or ROG Realbench for stress testing.
Your voltage looks quite appealing. If it's a manual unit (not automatic) and passes stress tests, then it's likely you have a top-notch component!
This was my initial try at an overclock, and I didn’t do it by hand. I used the BIOS overclocking tool on my Z170A Gaming M7 motherboard, setting it to level 11 in the Software menu. Before that, it was running at 4.5 GHz (setting 8). After resetting the BIOS to try preserving my hard drive partition (which I didn’t actually save), I pushed it further because I was seeing very stable temperatures (~60°C under load). Now it’s stable at 4.7GHz, 1.12 volts, and around 75°C under load. My Dark Rock 3 still runs a bit faster under stress, making it a bit noisier, but it’s definitely an overclock. I’m gathering more feedback—using NZXT CAM to monitor temperatures and stats, but I haven’t run a stress test yet. Here’s what my setup looks like:
CPU: i5-6600K @4.7GHz with Dark Rock 3 CPU Cooler
GPU: MSI R9 390 8GB
Motherboard: MSI Z170A Gaming M7
RAM: Corsair 16GB LPX RAM (Red) – XMP at 2400MHz
Power Supply: EVGA 850W G2
Storage: Samsung EVO 250GB SSD
Operating System: Windows 10 Professional
Network Card: ASUS PCE-AC68
Case: NZXT H440 Matte Black/Red 2015 Edition
Am I lucky enough to have a stable result, or am I making a mistake? Is this a solid overclock?
High overclocks need strong voltage, but you can attempt stress testing at 1.4 volts and check for crashes. Gradually reduce the voltage by about 0.01v until instability occurs during testing, aiming to maintain a 4.7ghz overclock. Prime95 26.6 or ROG Realbench are suggested for this purpose.