i5 7600k overclocking
i5 7600k overclocking
Hey everyone, here are a few questions I have!
I’m not completely new to this, but I could really use some guidance.
Right now I’m working on boosting my CPU overclock, since I’ve recently downloaded games that throttle performance.
My current overclock is 5GHz with an AVX offset of 2.
I’m using BIOS version 1.355 for CPU boost (actual voltage around 1.360). My last Prime95 test failed at 1.350 after about 45 minutes.
Vcore according to hwm is 1.312.
My temperatures are okay—only reaching 55-60°C during long Prime95 runs, and the fans aren’t maxed out. Peak temps are in the low 70s, so there’s definitely space to get hotter a bit, but I’m not sure how much more I should push. I’ve seen others go higher, but that wasn’t for continuous overclocking.
When Prime95 runs, only one of the four threads fails each time, and this thread always seems to be ahead by 1 or 2 steps in the tests. I’m not sure if that matters or has any special meaning.
TLDR:
- What’s the safe voltage range?
- Is it okay to raise voltage even with low temps?
- Will going higher still harm my PC if temperatures stay low?
- Why does only one thread fail consistently while others are fine?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Alex1380 :
After confirming the OC is stable, I’ll definitely switch back to adaptive voltage.
Sorry for my mistake, but what does speedstep mean?
Speedstep lets software lower the multiplier.
In Windows Power Management, you can set the processor to 100% under load and as low as about 20% when less CPU power is required.
Your ability to handle a 7600K depends largely on obtaining a suitable chip. As of June 19, 2017, the percentage of samples capable of overclocking at a vcore near 1.4v varies. For the I5-7600K, the data shows 4.9 with 72%, 5.0 with 52%, 5.1 with 27%, 5.2 with 16%, and 5.3 with an unknown rate. I’d say you’re performing fairly well. Above 1.4v is generally acceptable; the real risk comes from excessive voltage, not temperature. The chip may throttle or shut down if it senses dangerously high temperatures—around 100°C. For stress tests, aim for 85°C maximum. I lack a reliable stress tester that reflects your actual setup. Since the cores are spread across the chip, temperature differences are normal. If the variance is significant, ensure your cooler is properly seated. Ultimately, the benefit of the multiplier remains uncertain. Back off slightly and don’t stress too much.
Thanks a lot. I am fine with just about every stress test out there, Aida64, IBT, Real Bench, just not prime avx enabled.
If I disable AVX then prime also works fine although there is some debate whether that is a good idea or not, but as I am just playing games it is unlikely I will encounter an AVX workload from my understanding.
AVX operations create a significant power demand on the processor.
Using a stress tester with AVX instructions won’t keep you stable at high multiplier settings.
As expected, in gaming AVX usage should be limited, though it remains a possibility.
To address this, using an AVX offset of 2 can reduce the multiplier by two when those instructions are active.
This seems like an effective approach.
I also recommend adding speedstep and adaptive voltage control.
This will lower the multiplier and core voltage when the CPU is under light load.
Alex1380 :
After confirming the OC is stable, I’ll definitely switch back to adaptive voltage.
Sorry for my mistake, but what does speedstep mean?
Speedstep lets software lower the multiplier.
In Windows Power Management, you can set the processor to 100% under load and as low as about 20% when less CPU power is required.