Is this a characteristic of a specific CPU or a configuration on Mobo?
Is this a characteristic of a specific CPU or a configuration on Mobo?
I currently use an old P45 chipset + Core 2 Quad Q6600 PC, and am currently trying to really understand OCing.
I'm getting confused about VID.... There seem to be two largely-incompatible interpretations of it.
■
Anandtech
seems to indicate that it is a setting for the maximum CPU voltage.
■
This overclock.net page
seems to indicate that it is an indicator for overclocking quality of the chip.
I wanted to clarify this once and for all (after all this is an 8-year old platform and high time I maxed out this machine).
■ Is a VID an immutable and inherent property of the particular CPU chip? of a batch of CPUs? of a model of CPU?
■ If not a property of the CPU, is it a signal by the CPU chip, asking for that value of voltage?
■ If so, does that value change with load and frequency?
■ Or is it a value that the motherboard can set?
Hoping for some clarity... Thanks in advance.
The VID is a unique table for each CPU, created during the initial quality checks that Intel performs on the chip. It allows the motherboard to understand the CPU's requirements at various workload levels when set to AUTO mode. The latest Intel processors offer more than just basic idle and full load voltage settings; thus, two CPUs with identical model numbers and stepping can have distinct VID tables. Typically, lower voltages indicate superior silicon quality and better overclocking potential. This also means the CPU tends to operate cooler at normal speeds, providing greater thermal flexibility for overclocking. I've previously noted that the VID varies between load conditions and works alongside Intel Speedstep technology. Setting the voltage control to Manual or Static in the BIOS can cause the VID to be disregarded or overridden. It's worth mentioning that most motherboard makers include a minor voltage offset in the VID to ensure stability, which often results in higher power consumption and more heat generation. This is why undervolting remains a widely adopted technique. For example, my 4770K was running a Vcore above 1.25V during load (using a Maximus Hero VI), which kept it hot under stress. By reducing it to 1.14V, I significantly lowered the load temperatures while maintaining stability.
Thanks for the feedback! It seems you're asking about how motherboards handle VID tables and whether ignoring them would be better for overclocking. The idea is that voltage should adjust to the load, but your motherboard only supports CPU voltage without an offset feature.
You own an older platform. The Adaptive and Offset settings weren't available until later. Occasionally, during overclocking, static voltage control is better, particularly with these older chips. I rely on static voltage to determine a stable overclock value, giving me a solid base for setting up Adaptive. The drawback of static is that the CPU must maintain that voltage even when not in use, leading to some power loss and extra heat. If Intel SpeedStep is active, it should still reduce the multiplier, though it won't lower Vcore. In your BIOS, you should also check for Load Line Calibration (LLC). This feature helps counteract Vdroop, which is part of Intel's VRM rules. Vdroop refers to how much Vcore can decrease under load. Overclocking can trigger this "drooping," causing stability problems. Modifying LLC can reduce or remove Vdroop effects. For lighter overclocks, it might not be necessary, but for high-end models like the Q6600—where I often pushed to 3GHZ or 3.2GHz—it was essential to fine-tune LLC.
Apologies for the delay, and thank you once more for the clear explanation. Through testing, I've found that the CPU Voltage adjustment on my motherboard sets the highest voltage available during maximum load. The adaptive feature appears to function, though the terminology was somewhat unclear. There doesn't seem to be an LLC setting on my board, which might restrict overclocking capabilities. Coretemp displays a CPU VID of 1.3V at my current configuration (FSB = 400 MHz, Multiplier x8) with Intel EIST turned off. What are the conclusions? Is this a suitable chip?