i7 7700k OC Problem?
i7 7700k OC Problem?
I am a total novice when it comes to overclocking...
I own a 7700k with an evga Z170 classified k. I found the BIOS interface quite straightforward, which is what I expected.
My dad has a 6700k with an MSI board that was overclocked to 4.8, running solid 70c on an AIDA64.
I checked my OC tab and discovered adaptive and override options. The adaptive mode introduces another setting named "offset," which I had never come across before. I adjusted my vcore to 1.169 with an offset of +25 after reviewing evga's OC tutorial for a 6700k. This brought me up to 4.6GHz, while turbo mode was at 4.5GHz.
I use occt and AIDA64 with CPU, FPU, and cache boxes verified as suggested, though I noticed the multiplier at 46 doesn't reach 4.6GHz—it only tests at 4.3GHz. Why is that? I left the FPU and cache disabled on AIDA64 and it still achieves 4.6GHz.
Is this the turbo boost frequency? Does that setting influence the results?
Anyone has experience with EVGA boards, BIOS overclocking, or the offset configuration?
I’ve read a couple of guides here and one on tweaktown. Assuming I’m using a 6700k, I assume similar rules apply—I know the 7700k tends to run hotter, but otherwise I’m uncertain.
Could you share photos of my E-leet tabs for your reference? I’m also setting everything in BIOS and am aware of the advice about editing in E-leet.
It should be quite similar between the 6700k and 7700k. I run a 6700k myself...
I believe adaptive is not ideal for voltage control. I don't use offset, but I think it helps accommodate some voltage changes to meet the chip's requirements. It's acceptable as long as temperatures remain stable.
Regarding the chip reading at 4.3 instead of 4.6, I'm not sure. From what I've noticed, some programs misread chips during overclocking in my setup. Many of mine prepare their chip at 4 ghz even though they usually run it at 4.6 or 4.8...
On your chip, 4.6 seems a bit low... You should extract more performance from the 7700k... Although not all chips are equal, I think 4.8 or 5.0 is typical with a good configuration...
Adam
It should be quite similar between the 6700k and 7700k. I run a 6700k myself...
I believe adaptive is not ideal for voltage control. I don't use offset, but I think it helps accommodate some voltage changes to meet the chip's requirements. It's acceptable as long as temperatures remain stable.
Regarding the chip reading at 4.3 instead of 4.6, I'm not sure. From what I've noticed, some programs misread chips during overclocking in my setup. Many of mine prepare their chip at 4 ghz even though they usually run it at 4.6 or 4.8...
On your chip, 4.6 seems a bit low... You should extract more performance from the 7700k... Although not all chips are equal, I think 4.8 or 5.0 is typical with a good configuration...
Adam
So keep aiming for a target Vcore because the offset might just be confusing you more. Probably best to stick with a max of 5.0 as planned. With a water closed loop cooler, it seems feasible. If temperatures are good, I should reach 4.8 easily and maybe even 5.0 then I’ll be really happy.
If you’re familiar with the xmp profiles, I have one that I’d like to activate. Based on what I read about the frequency, adjusting the other settings is probably unnecessary—just keep turbo mode on and avoid changing VCCIO or anything similar.
I assembled my new PC a few weeks ago, experimenting with incompatible components and attempting to overclock the i7-7700K using the BIOS. The BIOS failed to retain the settings, so I resorted to using Intel's XTU to adjust the CPU's clock and voltage. So far, I haven't encountered many problems. It's currently running at 5.0GHz, though the voltage is slightly higher than the recommended 1.39V, but still within the acceptable range. I'm using a Corsair H100 gtx cooler for this setup. The only changes I made were swapping the cores from x46 to x50 and adjusting the VCore to 1.39V. It's advisable to begin with lower settings and gradually increase as stability improves.
I compiled this last month. It reached a stable 4.8GHz at 1.279V, which is why I assumed my PC would shut down during writing. Now it's holding steady at 1.307V. I tested AIDA64, Prime95 (version 26.6), Intel Burn Test, and Linux for an hour each before the shutdown. A recurring issue was needing to enable adaptive settings in BIOS—overriding it didn’t maintain the Vcore value, which I suspect isn’t supported. I also experienced BSoD messages every 3 to 12 minutes. Now that E-Letter is open for about 20 minutes, it seems stable, though 1.307V feels a bit high. This was my first overclocking attempt; adaptive settings were used without any offset adjustments, just the Vcore. Currently, I’m at 4.8GHz with an EVGA CLC 280 cooler. I plan to aim for 5.0GHz after stress testing, possibly using XTU. I hope this works.
EDIT: Configured voltage via BIOS, but adaptive mode didn’t allow steady Vcore override—only an auto +25 offset was applied. Vcore settled at 1.269, then rose to 5.0GHz without issues so far. Intel Burn Test passed at ~78°C, and both OC and AIDA64 ran smoothly for an hour with temps around 81°C max. During AIDA64 testing, the FPU still reported 4.7GHz at 5.0GHz. After OC, it dropped back to 4.7GHz but logged 5.0GHz afterward. The logs suggest occasional misreading during certain programs. I also tried XTU for 30 minutes and passed with a new voltage. Static voltage was 1.275 from 1.269 (caused by a BSoD while playing H1Z1). If anyone else has suggestions to ensure perfect 5.0GHz stability, please share. As this is my first PC build and overclocking experience, thank you all for your help greatly.