LLC made a significant impact on your OC because of their approach.
LLC made a significant impact on your OC because of their approach.
When beginning to overclock the 8600k using only Vcore and frequency adjustments, I managed only around 4.7ghz stable at 1.35v. After switching the load line calibration from auto to level 4 (z370 prime-a), my temperatures dropped significantly when I first set it to 1.35v, allowing me to reach 4.8ghz stable at 1.29v. This change made such a difference because, according to a video I saw on gamersnexus, it shouldn’t be that important unless you’re pushing maximum voltages. It seems I was experiencing severe voltage drop. I’m not very familiar with this stuff.
As the CPU transitions from idle to full capacity, voltage rises. However, it doesn't consistently reach the desired level because it slightly decreases during this process. For instance, when LLC is turned off, 1.30v at maximum load drops to a range between 1.26v and 1.28v. LLC corrects this by adding a voltage boost (offset) to the CPU. Unfortunately, too high a LLC setting can cause the idle voltage to increase excessively.
More to read:
https://www.msi.com/blog/why-llc-is-your...erclocking
The CPU uses an instruction set that reduces vcore (voltage) if it exceeds the standard limit. Load Line Calibration maintains the voltage at your chosen setting, preventing it from dropping too low or rising too high based on the selected level. For instance, after overclocking my i5 8600k to 5ghz, I set vcore to 1.335v and LLC to 4.1. When LLC is at 4.1, the voltage remains stable around that value, with minor fluctuations up to 1.345v or down to 1.30v, ensuring the CPU stays within safe limits.
As the CPU transitions from idle to full capacity, voltage rises. However, it doesn't consistently reach the desired level because it slightly decreases during this process. For instance, when LLC is turned off, 1.30v at maximum load drops to a range between 1.26v and 1.28v. LLC corrects this by adding a voltage boost (offset) to the CPU. Unfortunately, too high a LLC can cause the idle voltage to increase excessively.