i7-6700k shows unstable/high voltages even when using stock settings
i7-6700k shows unstable/high voltages even when using stock settings
Hey, I recently upgraded my PC two days ago with an i7-6700K processor, an Asus Maximus VIII Ranger motherboard, and 32GB of HyperX Fury 2666MHz RAM.
I was using an old PSU (Chieftec 750W, 80%+ capacity) and a CPU cooler (Hyper 212 EVO).
After installing the latest BIOS, I set the system to "Load Optimized Defaults." While checking temperatures, I noticed they rose to 90°C and the Core Voltage in the Asus AI 3 reached just above 1.4 volts at 4GHz.
I immediately shut down Prime95, kept monitoring, and later encountered a BSOD.
Attempting manual overclocking didn’t yield stable results even with lower voltages. I managed to boot into Windows briefly at around 1.395 core speed with LLC level 5, but the system would still BSOD on startup or during Windows boot.
Eventually, I achieved stability at 40x multiplier, 100MHz BCLK, 1.31 core voltage, with temperatures around 60°C under heavy load—anything above 40x seems out of the safe zone.
I also tested single RAM sticks at speeds like 2133 MHz and 2400 MHz, including XMP 2666MHz, and ran MemTest86 overnight to rule out RAM issues.
In short, what’s left for me now? I’m not aiming for a full overclock, just to bring temperatures and voltages down while keeping the 4.2GHz performance I paid for.
It’s been a while since I’ve tweaked these components; my previous i5-2500K stayed stable at 4.6GHz for five years. I’m hoping I’m not making a huge mistake here.
To recap what I’ve tried:
- Updated BIOS
- Reinstalled CPU cooler
- Performed memory tests with various speeds and DIMM rotation
Freszone suggests not necessarily going overclock it, aiming instead to lower temperatures and voltage while maintaining the 4.2 GHz, since that seems like the minimum you paid for... Overclocking isn't guaranteed; you're paying for standard clocks with the chance to go further based on luck and compatibility. Anything above stock is extra. Still, 1.3V is a bit high for a 14nm chip—reset the CMOS memory to confirm all settings are correct.
You should be able to operate a stock i7 6700k at around 1.2V. I suggest trying a reflash of your BIOS. It might help to inspect the socket for any bent pins. Thanks for the advice, I'll attempt to remount the CPU and observe the results. I've heard the standard voltage is used, but I haven't been able to reach it closely yet.
InvalidError :
Overclocking lacks any assurances. You invested in standard clocks with the chance of increasing performance based on your circumstances and component compatibility. Anything beyond stock is extra.
Still, 1.3V remains a bit high for a 14nm chip. Reset the CMOS memory to confirm all settings are correct.
Thanks for your reply, I see there are no guarantees with overclocking, but if running at stock speeds causes damage... that seems unexpected.
I've also reset CMOS several times before, yet nothing changes.
InvalidError :
If C6/C7 sleep states aren’t disabled in the BIOS, you might want to try that. If it resolves your stability problems, it suggests your PSU can’t handle quick changes. Thanks, it worked for me. Now I’m using default settings, with C modes off and memory in XMP profile. No BSOD during 30 minutes of Prime95 Small FFTs on the PC. CPU temperatures are dropping to around 80 degrees and VID is about 1.275 volts. I’ll experiment further to see if temps decrease more. Probably need a new PSU, as none good were available locally before ordering one.
Edit: Safe to use the current PSU for a couple days before replacing it?