I7 8700k 5.0 Ghz Temperature Findings - Requires Verification
I7 8700k 5.0 Ghz Temperature Findings - Requires Verification
Here is the rewritten version:
Hello Community,
It has been over two years since my last upgrade. I've invested a lot into this build, and I don’t want it to be wasted. I’m looking for some insights on what I’ve achieved.
Specifications
Processor: Intel i7 8700k (Not Delidded nor Sandpapered)
Cooler: Corsair Hydro H150i PRO RGB
Ram: 2x8G Corsair Vengence LPX White DDR4 3200
Storage: 1TB Samsung M.2 NVME 960 PRO
Video Card: Gigabyte GTX 1080 Ti AORUS Xtreme
Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus X CODE Z370
Power Supply: 750W Corsair RM750X ATX PSU
Case: Corsair Graphite 780T Black
Aftermarket Thermal: ARCTIC MX-2 Thermal Compound Paste
Aftermarket Fans 120mm: 3 x, Noctua NF-S12A PWM Ultra Quiet 120mm PWM Cooling Fan
Aftermarket Fans 140mm: 1 x, Noctua NF-A14 PWM 140mm Premium Quality Fan
Assembly
All components were put together, and I ensured every driver was up to date—motherboard, storage, graphics card, OS updates, etc.
As expected, the fans from the 780T were swapped out. The three 120mm units at the front draw cool air in, while the two 140mm units at the back expel the heat, all while the AIO water cooling system pushes it away from the radiator.
I cleaned up the cable routing to maximize airflow (this really matters for temperature control).
Edit: All four chassis fans are linked to the 780T fan controller. The motherboard doesn’t manage them directly; the case does. The case has a control button with three modes—low, medium, and high—to ensure maximum fan speed when needed.
Overclocking Approach
Start the PC, enter BIOS, and verify you’re running the latest updates.
AI Overclock Tuner → XMP (no: skip using an XMP profile of 3200)
Memory settings: Asus Multi Core Enhancement disabled
AVX Instruction Core Ration Negative Offset: 3
CPU Core Ratio: Sync All Cores, set to 50
CPU SVID Support: Disabled
Load Line Callibration: Level 6
Intel CPU Power Management
Long Duration: 4095
Short Duration: 4095
CPU Core/ Cache Current Limit Max: 255.50
Min/Max Cache Ratio: 42
BLCK Aware Adaptive Voltage: Disabled
Cput Core/ Cache Voltage: Manual
CPU Core Voltage Override: 1.35
Reference links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoUtA7DKXhU (Der8auer)
Ambient room temp: 20°C
I performed a one-hour real bench stress test. My GPU was overclocked, fans ran at full speed, and the AIO water cooler was active. All case fans were at maximum.
Max temp reached 86°C—though I’m not sure if the readings are accurate. Still, it’s within a safe range for my system.
Benchmark tool results showed no crashes; stability confirmed.
https://imgur.com/Z1JkzGm
However, the scores were mediocre.
I ran another benchmark four times. The highest score came when I closed all programs. I’d love to reach 1650+ and have Windows Explorer open.
Regarding the warranty: I’m confident I installed the CPU and AIO water cooler correctly. Can I leave it as is? Is the information above valid for this overclock, or could a max temp of 86°C pose a risk? Am I safe with these settings?
P.S. I’ve lost the silicon lottery—would voiding the warranty be worth it? I could order a replacement from Amazon US for around £40 ($50), but I’m not sure.
Thank you. Any questions?
Moynul
Update - Aida 64 Extreme
https://imgur.com/AObnL94
From the images, peak temperatures reached 92°C on the first core, while average temps stayed in the mid-70s to low 80s, spiking occasionally to low 90s. This was a two-hour stress test.
https://imgur.com/91wnphI
The max clock speed achieved was 5GHz, though it might have been tested at 4.7GHz. The AVX Instruction Core Ration Negative Offset setting is set to 3.
From my perspective, the system seems stable. I’ve played Final Fantasy 15 and Far Cry 5 with high settings for two hours each without any issues so far.
https://imgur.com/5gzTqL
Based on these results, what advice would you give? Should I keep the current configuration or lower the clock to 4.8GHz at a lower voltage for better stability? I’m not in a position to replace parts right now.
Thank you.
P.S. Sorry, the picture isn’t clear.
Hi moynul hussain,
For 5GHz and 1.35V, 86°C seems reasonable. The main concern I have is that on a real bench, 86°C translates to nearly 100°C during heavy AVX operations with tools like Prime95 or OCCT.
Without lowering the voltage, you won't be able to reach temperatures below that (around 1-2°C).
Rodolphe.
Would you like me to run a stress test similar to prime95 and check your temperatures? I understand RealBench mentioned a maximum of 86°C, but I’m curious—did the temperature rise briefly during the test? The 8700k is quite hot, so increasing voltage or overclocking could only raise it further. I’d suggest slightly reducing the overclock if you want to keep things stable.
rodolphe.viard :
For 5GHz and 1.35V, 86°C seems reasonable. The main concern is that on a real bench, 86°C translates to nearly 100°C under heavy AVX usage with Prime95 or OCCT.
Without cooling, you won't be able to reach lower temperatures (around 1-2°C).
Rodolphe.
Can you attempt a test similar to prime95 stress and check your temperatures? I recall RealBench mentioned 86°C max, but was it a steady reading or just a brief spike? The 8700k is quite hot, so increasing voltage or overclocking will only raise the temperature further. I’d suggest slightly reducing the overclock.
Hello, I’m wondering if that was a temporary spike and not a consistent high.
I’ve also replied to another discussion about prime95 version.
Would you suggest Aida64 Extreme as well?
Many Thanks
For Prime95, refer to the latest release for proper configuration. The instructions in the readme explain how to turn AXV on or off during testing. Running Prime95 without AVX remains a reliable thermal and stability checker. Adding AVX can cause the CPU to overheat (it's an unusual behavior but it achieves the highest temperatures possible with this overclock). OCCT is also suitable, though it comes with a 30-day trial period. Rodolphe.
rodolphe.viard:
For Prime95, use the most recent release.
In the documentation you'll find instructions on how to turn AXV instructions on or off for testing purposes.
Prime95 without AVX is a solid and acceptable tool for thermal and stability checks.
With AVX it can cause the CPU to overheat (it's an unusual way of using the processor but it achieves the highest temperatures possible with this overclock).
OCCT, the latest version.
AIDA64 is also suitable but you only have a 30-day trial.
Rodolphe.
Would you like me to run a stress test similar to prime95 and check your temperatures? I recall RealBench mentioned a maximum of 86°C, but did the temperature actually reach that level or just briefly spike? The 8700k is quite hot, so increasing voltage or overclocking could only make things worse. I’d probably suggest reducing the overclock slightly. I also ran another test with AIDA64—please share your feedback.
rodolphe.viard :
For Prime95, use the most recent release.
In the documentation, you'll find instructions on how to turn AXV instructions on or off for testing purposes.
Prime95 without AVX is a solid and reliable tool for thermal and stability checks.
With AVX it can cause the CPU to overheat (it's an unusual behavior but it achieves the highest temperatures possible with this overclock).
OCCT, the latest version.
AIDA64 is also acceptable, though you only have a 30-day trial available.
Rodolphe.
I've run another stress test using AIDA64. Please share your feedback.