Optimal load line calibration parameters exist, and higher values can be safe if properly managed.
Optimal load line calibration parameters exist, and higher values can be safe if properly managed.
Specs: i7 13700k with 5.6GHz all-core, 1.325V disabled, e-cores turned off, IGPU disabled. Aorus Z790 Elite AX 7000MHz Trident Z5 CL32 at 1.45V Noctua NH-D15S. I’m unsure about the best LLC settings. I saw that Extreme was required for stable 5.6GHz at 1.325V, but higher LLC values might shorten CPU life. The highest setting is "Ultra Extreme" which shows a flat voltage line. Standard is the lowest, then low, medium, high, turbo, and Extreme is just slightly lower. Would it be safer to pick a higher Vcore with a lower LLC, or is this acceptable? Everything functions normally—temperatures are normal (85°C under stress test, 50-70°C during games depending on the title). Someone recommended low-medium as ideal for my board, but I didn’t have enough of that setting.
You generally need some Vdroop, so flat or nearly flat LLC designs aren't ideal. To keep voltage ripple better, raising the VRM switching frequency might help, though it could reduce efficiency and generate more heat—usually manageable with a solid motherboard.
TL;DR: Low offers the best performance, medium works well with slightly less idle voltage. For your setup where half the CPU is off, medium LLC is likely optimal. Higher voltages are needed to hit 5.6GHz, but actual running voltage will drop and temps will decrease with a lower LLC. Not necessarily true—higher LLC values hurt regulation by forcing the VRM against limits, though they’re acceptable for chip health if you need good overclocking.
IIRC Gigabyte removed switching frequency controls in their BIOS starting with the Z490. Based on other boards, this change likely didn’t improve voltage regulation and may have even caused issues in some cases, like MSI’s Z690 or the Unify-X’s odd behavior when adjusting frequency. It could be worth experimenting if available, but probably won’t make a difference in practice.
I'll try medium first, but maybe 1.35v will work? I've disabled all the settings to lower temperatures and hopefully get a better result. I'll also keep an eye on the rest of the video; just had to watch about three minutes to figure out what I'm doing wrong. Unfortunately, I don't have that option.
It's worth noting. Since my last experience was with a Gigabyte board running Haswell, I'm not entirely up to date on Intel's current recommendations. I'm aware that Ryzen VRM switching has some impact, though it doesn't significantly affect performance.
You're likely going to need a value around 1.375 for that overclock based on your calculations. However, considering the temperature, power use, and actual CPU voltage, it should be lower—perhaps about 50mV if my math is right. For similar stability, aim for roughly 50mV instead of higher. Setting 1.425V would mean matching the same voltage with better regulation, which could help you reach a stable 5.7-5.8GHz. These chips can safely run at 1.4-1.45V during idle, and they handle single-threaded loads well, letting you use two cores at 5.9-6GHz while keeping lower voltage. It's uncommon for VRM performance to suffer here; usually it just operates normally. MSI probably set the board for 500kHz but overlooked higher settings. They might have removed the switching frequency from their AM4 boards as well. I own an X570 Master and plan to check the BIOS tomorrow to confirm if that option is still available.
Buildzoid offers quality videos, though lower LLC settings tend to be preferable. This enables V droop functionality, which is beneficial since it helps maintain stability when the CPU temperature rises. When you set a high LLC, the voltage regulator pushes more current to keep things balanced, but instability can occur during transitions between full and partial loads. A low LLC reduces the higher idle voltage, which is advantageous because under load it pulls down more effectively, allowing you to reach a higher idle voltage without issues.
Looking for 1.385v with medium LLC setup, temperatures staying similar. Gaming seems to reduce stuttering—possibly my old config was the issue. I don’t want to exceed 5.6 right now; it’s okay for me and I plan to keep using this CPU for a while without hurting performance. I’ll try higher frequencies but won’t use it every day because cooling limits it.
It seems there could have been some instability in your previous configuration. Your stress test likely wasn’t an extremely intense load where LLC issues were absent, but game performance might still have suffered. Ring instability may appear as gradual slowdowns instead of sudden crashes or blue screens.