Overclock Help Silicon Lottery Binning Results Explained for I7-7700K
Overclock Help Silicon Lottery Binning Results Explained for I7-7700K
I posted a question in November, which can be found at the following link: Now I have finished delidding and binning my chip, upgraded the cooler to a Corshair H115i, installed more efficient fans, and configured a push-pull setup on my RAIDator using two 4 (four) 140mm Corsair fans. Since I disassembled the machine, I also added WideBeam UV/RGB lights and UV reactive cable extensions. I also expanded the RAM with some RGB memory and added a couple of Hybrid Hard drives to avoid filling up my M.2 NVMe SSD. Overall, I’m really pleased with the result. OH, BY THE WAY, my temperatures are around 35-40 degrees during idle, with an ambient temperature of 24°C. When gaming, they rise to about 50-55 degrees. Compared to using the same game on my old air cooler, my temps would reach 75-78°C. These are standard voltages with XMP enabled. I haven’t applied any real overclocking voltages yet. I was seeking advice on the binning process. Silicon Valley sent me a note stating: "Your CPU should remain stable at 5.1 GHz when using a 1.437 Vcore with a -2 AVX offset." My question is, are those the only two settings I need to adjust? Set it and forget it? BEFORE Delidding & Binning with Air Cooler: After Binning & Delidding with AIO: Full System Specifications: Inside: 805 INWIN Processor: Modified Front Panel for Increased Airflow CPU: Stock Clock Rates & Voltages. KABY LAKE INTEL 7th Gen Core I7-7700K Cooler: Corsair H115i 280mm Radiator with 4 Corsair 140mm Fans Push Pull Setup Monitor #1: Samsung U28E590D 28-inch UHD LED-Lit Monitor with FreeSync Support 3480X2160 Monitor #2: ASUS VE278H 27" Full HD 1920x1080 2MS HDMI VGA Backlit LED Monitor 169.00 Fan Hub: Silverstone PWM Fan Hub System Cables (CPF04) 14.44 RAM: 32 GB 4 units - XMP Enabled CORSAIR VENGENCE RGB 16GB DDR4 3466 (PC4-2700) C16-INTEL 100/200 Series PC Memory CMR16GX4M2C3466C16 Graphics: ASUS GEFORCE GTX 1080 8GB ROG STRIX Graphics Card (Strix-GTX1080-A8G-GAMING) Keyboard: Corsair Strafe RGB Mouse: Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB SSD: Samsung 960 EVO Series - 500GB NWMe M.2 Internal SSD (MZ-V6E500BW) HDDs #1: 2.5" Hybrid SSHD Segate 1TB (7200 RPM) HDD #2: 2.5" Hybrid SSHD Segate Firecuda 2TB (7200 RPM) Fans: 1 Qty ML 120mm exhaust fan in back (75 CFM Max), 2 Qty Corsair HD120 intake fans at bottom, 4 Qty LL140 with radiator intake fans front Power Supply: EGA SUPERNOVA 650 G2 80+ GOLD 650W FULLY MODULAAR EVGA ECO MODE 7 YEAR WARRANTY FREE POWER ON SELF TESTER 220-G2-0650-Y1 | 90% EFFICIENCY Lights: CableMod WideBeam UV/RGB Strips, one 60cm strip and one 30cm strip. Green Cable Extensions: Amazon UV Reactive Radiator Hose & Wire Mod: PrimoChill Anti-Kink Coil
Hi there. The build quality is quite good.
The difference in performance from the original can differ a lot based on the tasks you run. Your system is already quite responsive in games, especially those that rely heavily on CPU power, and you might see some improvement in FPS. For other activities, you probably won’t notice much gain. Improvements in encoding, rendering, etc., can help a lot, but this still depends on the software used. Some aspects would remain similar.
The idea of reducing lifespan is still up for discussion, depending on your settings, how you use it, and how long the build lasts. If you keep OC settings reasonable and temperatures under control, you might avoid CPU problems that could be linked to the changes.
You really don’t need fans at 100%. I haven’t needed them much unless the airflow in the case was extremely poor from the start.
Also guys, I need some guidance on whether it's necessary to overclock. I can do it right now, but I haven't seen any lag or speed problems in games or tasks. When would I actually notice a performance boost? I really want to try overclocking, but I need proof it's worthwhile. Also, am I worried about damaging my CPU?
By the way, I've kept all fans at full speed. The extra noise isn't too bothersome, and it doesn't seem significant. Still, it makes sense that running them at 100% could reduce their lifespan. Since an AIO typically lasts 3 to 5 years, I think my fans should last that long if I keep them at that level. When the pump fails, I'll just swap them out with a new radiator.
Hello there. The initial build quality can differ significantly based on the tasks you run. Your system is already quite responsive in games, especially those that rely heavily on CPU power, and may see a modest increase in FPS. For other activities, you probably won’t notice much improvement. Improvements in encoding, rendering, and similar areas also help, though this depends on the software used. Some aspects remain unchanged. The idea of reducing the lifespan is still up for discussion—it often comes down to your settings, usage habits, and how long the build lasts. If you keep OC adjustments reasonable, maintain good temperatures, etc., you should likely avoid problems with the CPU related to OC before it becomes an issue. You probably don’t need fans at full speed; unless airflow is extremely poor from the start. Temperatures would be better, but this would mean more noise, reduced fan life, and slightly higher power use—though not a major concern. Concerning the Silicon Lottery, those are the only two adjustments you really need. They provide a small buffer for voltage stability. I tested my CPU with them and confirmed similar frequency stability, so I’m confident in their updated approach. I lowered the voltage slightly and set AVX offset to zero instead of the recommended value. Keep in mind that the AVX offset may not function properly on certain vendors’ boards, which is something else entirely. Hope this clears things up.
The build looks great overall. The performance gains from overclocking can differ a lot depending on the tasks you run. Your system already runs quite well in games, especially those that are CPU-heavy, and may only see a slight FPS boost. Other areas like encoding or rendering can make a big difference, but this still depends on the software used. The lifespan reduction is still up to you, but generally, with reasonable settings, temperatures should stay manageable and issues related to overclocking unlikely to arise. Most people would expect a new PC before any problems linked to OC occur.
Fans aren't strictly necessary at 100%, unless airflow is extremely poor from the start. It's ultimately a personal choice. Temperatures could improve, but you'd likely notice more noise, reduced fan life, and higher power use—though not drastically.
For Silicon Lottery, those are the only two adjustments you really need. They slightly boost voltage stability, which helped my CPU in testing. I adjusted the voltage down a bit and set AVX offset to 0 instead of the recommended value. Keep in mind that AVX offset might not work perfectly on some boards, but that's a separate issue.
Thanks a lot for your support! Your build is impressive too.
If you want, I can help you interpret how these changes affect stability across different voltage and frequency ranges. Would you like me to do that?
Hi once more. Apologies for the delayed response, but thank you for your feedback. Concerning your question, are you talking about reducing your speed to something like 5.0 or 4.9? From what I understand, Silicon Lottery only evaluates CPUs at a single voltage, probably using averages from their extensive testing involving several hundred units. They essentially fix the voltage and attempt to boot at a certain pace; if it succeeds, they run stability checks. If it doesn’t, they decrease the speed by one level and retest. This is my understanding, though based on some discussions in forums it seems this approach is common. The -2 AVX setting appears to be the standard default, as indicated on the printed documentation. It seems intended as a buffer for stability. In short, if you remain stable at 5.1 with your current configuration, you might consider slightly lowering the voltage and reducing the speed, but in this area you’re handling it independently. If you use the boards they provide in their QVL, you should be comfortable with the recommended settings. What you’re seeking here is exactly what I’ve done myself. I conduct my own tests, though I can’t confirm if it’s as intense as Silicon Lottery’s. I decided to keep the CPU at its tested speed and lowered the voltage slightly. The term “stable” in OC varies—some say it’s stable as long as no problems arise, while others demand full stress testing for 24–48 hours. Ultimately, you need to decide which perspective fits your needs best.