Offset Mode and Load Calibration for Z170 Asus motherboard
Offset Mode and Load Calibration for Z170 Asus motherboard
Hi,
I'm trying to understand how offset-mode works and how to set also the load calibration. I've seen a lot of videos about and I understand quite little about load calibration settings.
Offset mode seems to lower every voltage it gives to Cpu and my question is:
If I am stable with a core voltage of 1.250 volts how can I set the correct (minus) offset? How could I know the maximum voltage it gives to the processor? It seems that no bios settings give this information and I have to know this max vcore in stress tests like aida64. I have to guess every time? Who is saying to put vcore at 1.28v?
When I switch to offset mode I notice ad high voltage bound of 1.28 volts for a 4.2 Ghz overclock with a 6600k. I want to try also downvoltage to 1.25v but if I subtract for example 0.05 it will adjust every core voltage (because I'm using also speedstep from intel) and the lower bound voltage is less of 0.7v
I'm asking how can I still reduce voltage and frequency as CPU load decreases and if there is a way to don't give always a fixed voltage of 1.25v.
The loadcalibration is the other thing, I saw on youtube information about and it seems to adjust voltage drops when cpu is under load. I notice that when it try to give a voltage correction, it exceeds the stock intel VID and I think it could be dangerous because we can't monitor it.
Can you give me advice on how to make an overclock for my configuration with a i5 6660k up to 4.2 ghz, with a vcore 1.25v saving the feature of decreasing power and frequency on demand. The motherboard is an asus pro gaming z170. What loadline I have to set? Is it safe to leave it to auto?
These are just temporary usage increases.
I’m not certain what tool you’re testing for thermals or stability, but for thermals you should use Prime95 version 26.6 with the Small FFT option. That will provide a consistent load and eliminate spikes like those you’re observing.
If you follow the tutorial linked, much of this is covered there.
The PSU was reasonable when it first came out. Unless there are clear problems, I’d say you’re adequately prepared in that area.
The recommended voltage for Skylake i5 and i7 processors is 1.3v by default. Any attempt to overclock should increase the voltage, not decrease it. A suitable initial setting in BIOS would be around 4.2Ghz with a voltage of 1.310v and standard or auto load line calibration. Running at 200MHz is insufficient to noticeably impact the load line unless you have a robust motherboard. Other factors should also be considered, as a 1.25v core likely won’t provide stable overclocking until thorough testing is done.
You might also find this discussion interesting, as the conversation shifts to voltage topics around the middle of the page. Ignore the comment about 1.3v being the maximum; it's likely referring to the highest stock Turbo voltage, possibly. I've observed voltages near 1.3v in various configurations, both above and below that level.
The recommended voltage for Skylake i5 and i7 processors is 1.3v by default. Any attempt to overclock should increase the voltage, not decrease it. A suitable initial setting in BIOS would be around 4.2Ghz with a voltage of approximately 1.310v and standard or auto load line calibration. Running at 200MHz is insufficient to noticeably impact the load line, especially on a solid motherboard. Other factors should also be considered, as a 1.25v core may lead to instability during overclocking, which might only become apparent after thorough testing.
Darkbreeze: The 1.25v setting isn’t suitable for Skylake i5 and i7 chips, especially when the default voltage is already 1.3v. Any attempt to overclock should increase the voltage, not decrease it. It seems a reasonable initial setting would be around 4.2Ghz with a voltage of about 1.310v and standard or auto load line calibration. A 200mhz frequency wouldn’t significantly impact the load line unless your motherboard supports higher settings. There are additional factors to consider too. With a 1.25v core voltage, stability during overclocking is unlikely, and you’ll only find out after thorough testing. What is your power supply model? Pro gaming isn’t a top-tier overclocking rig, but it should work for that purpose. I’m currently drafting a beginner’s overclocking guide and it’s not fully ready, though you might find some useful tips there, especially regarding stability and thermal limits. My i5 6600k operates at its default 1.2v maximum, creating a 3.9Ghz core, while another runs at 3.8..3.7..3.6 and so on (it drops). Its current vcore range is between 0.7 and 1.2 (taking idle and speedstep into account). I have an xfx 650W unit.
But which XFX model was used? Earlier versions came from Seasonic, while the newer ones, such as the XT series, are produced by Shenzhen Rui Sheng Yuan Technology, which previously made parts for Rasurbo, Ultra, or older Topower models. Not particularly impressive, just a note.
The standard voltage for a basic setup is up to 1.25v. But if you set the multiplier to 42 and disable turbo features while letting the system auto-set the voltage, you might get around 1.3v or a bit higher. A range of 1.3 to 1.310v seems reasonable for a 4.2Ghz OC on Skylake i5 chips. You can experiment with the voltage, but thermal performance and stability should be your main considerations before finalizing.
After completing 8 hours of Realbench and 8 hours of Prime95 version 26.6 in blended mode once you’re satisfied with a frequency, spend 15 minutes on Prime95 version 26.6 to check thermal compliance. If it passes at the chosen voltage during those tests, you can lower the voltage slightly if you think it gives extra thermal margin, and then recheck for stability. Otherwise, it’s safer not to guess further.
Darkbreeze :
Well, let's talk about the XFX models. The older ones came from Seasonic, while the newer ones, such as the XT series, are produced by Shenzhen Rui Sheng Yuan Technology, which previously made parts for Rasurbo, Ultra, or older Topower units. Not particularly impressive, just a quick note.
You're correct about the default voltage for a basic setup being up to 1.25v. But if you adjust the multiplier to 42 and disable turbo features while letting the system handle the voltage (Auto), you might get around 1.3v or a bit higher. A range of 1.3 to 1.31v seems safe for a 4.2Ghz OC on Skylake i5 chips. Adjusting the voltage slightly could help, but only after thorough testing should you decide.
After completing your tests, run about 8 hours on Realbench and 8 hours in Prime95 version 26.6 using Blend mode. Spend 15 minutes with Prime95 version 26.6 to check thermal stability. If it holds up at a certain voltage during those tests, you can lower the voltage slightly and then recheck for stability. Otherwise, it's probably best to guess.
Hey darkbreeze, sorry for the late reply—I wasn't reading or connecting today. Before giving you my thoughts, I was doing this: I rebooted into BIOS and enabled Performance Auto-config, which configures the cooling system (airflow, etc.). It gives me the option to keep the speed step and the vcore down-voltage feature. I set my RAM speed to 2400 (as it's in stock condition) and applied an offset of -0.05v so that if the temperature rises to 1280, I subtract that value. In idle mode (around 0.685v), this works fine.
Now I'm running an AIDA test while writing to you. The PCH is showing wild readings, but I hope it's a good sign.
I also adjusted every core to 4.2Ghz instead of the usual 43, 42, 41, 41.
What are your thoughts?
Vcore
https://imgur.com/a/BN2veKw
pch
https://imgur.com/a/YSl4XLz
AIDA
https://imgur.com/a/h6rQXn9
cpuz1
https://imgur.com/a/JF2BftV
cpuz2
https://imgur.com/a/2IqJE7K
I also want to follow your advice—based on these benchmarks, I'm not quite there yet. Around the 20-minute mark in AIDA, I haven't reached that stage.
My PSU is an XFX P1-650G-TS3X.
Also observe these spikes and delays when using a computer during testing. Are they safe? I’m sure they’re incorrect measurements... This is under overclock settings.
Also note this in the original state.
These are just temporary usage increases.
I’m not certain what tool you’re testing for thermals or stability, but for thermals you should use Prime95 version 26.6 with the Small FFT option. That will provide a consistent load and eliminate spikes like those you’re observing.
If you follow the tutorial linked, much of this is covered there.
The PSU was reasonable when it first came out. Unless there are clear problems, I’d say you’re adequately prepared in that area.