overclocking the i7 6700k
overclocking the i7 6700k
hey,
i was considering boosting my i7 6700k because the gtx 1070 and higher graphics settings, plus streaming on the go, already cause a noticeable drop in cpu performance. A bit more overclock would be beneficial.
asrock z170 pro4/d3
by the way, my ram isn’t doing well either—according to a benchmark i ran recently. I’m wondering if I should get more ram that’s compatible, or maybe switch to a new motherboard with ddr4, or upgrade another set of ddr3/ddr3l?
http://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/1450274
Thanks in advance
Just finished my first OC with an i7 6700K, it's been rock solid for three weeks:
4.6 at 1.30V Adaptive with Auto Offset (actual range 1.305-1.320 during long tests, after adjusting manual to ~1.330V it felt just right for the chip and 4.6).
I’ll remember that the stock voltage without any adjustments was 1.36+ and it jumped to 1.40+ during stress/benchmarks—this was a bit alarming.
I was cautious about pushing too high, but no red flags have appeared so far. All sources suggest 1.4V and below is great, 1.35V and below is even better... I went slow, avoided getting greedy, and I’m quite happy with the outcome.
I’m also testing a GTX 1070, which seemed to overclock easily by +100/400.
Ignore the ram benchmarks.
DDR4 consistently performs better in tests.
However, real-world app speeds or fps show minimal variation between DDR3 and DDR4, around a 2%.
This is because the Intel controller excels at predicting memory needs and preloading data.
As long as you have enough RAM, changing it isn't necessary.
Regarding overclocking an i7-6700K, success depends largely on luck in acquiring a suitable chip.
As of May 2016, the following percentages were observed for overclocking at a 1.40v Vcore:
I7-6700K – 4.9% 2%
I7-6700K – 4.8% 17%
I7-6700K – 4.7% 59%
I7-6700K – 4.6% 93%
I7-6700K – 4.5% 100%
Ignore the ram benchmarks.
Yes, DDR4 will consistently perform better in tests.
However, actual app speeds or FPS show minimal variation between DDR3 and DDR4.
Perhaps around 2%.
The explanation lies in how Intel’s RAM controller predicts usage and preloads data.
As long as you have enough memory, changing it isn’t necessary.
Regarding overclocking an i7-6700K, success depends largely on luck in acquiring a quality chip.
As of May 2016
What percentage can achieve an overclock with a reasonable 1.40v Vcore?
I7-6700K
4.9 2%
4.8 17%
4.7 59%
4.6 93%
4.5 100%
I’ve never overclocked before, you think 1.325v for 4.5ghz? I checked a few tutorials and it didn’t seem too difficult.
Thanks for the reply.
I just completed my first overclock with an i7 6700K, it's been rock solid for three weeks now:
It ran at 4.6 with 1.30V Adaptive and Auto Offset, though during extended stress tests the max reached around 1.305-1.320. This was after adjusting to a manual setting of 1.330V, which turned out perfect for my chip and gave me 4.6.
I should mention that the stock voltage without any adjustments was 1.36+ and it jumped to 1.40+ during testing. That’s a bit concerning.
I was cautious about pushing too high, but I haven’t noticed any red flags so far. Most sources suggest 1.4V and below is great, while 1.35V and below is even better. I went slow, avoided getting greedy, and I’m quite happy with the outcome.
I’m also testing a GTX 1070, which overclocked easily by +100/400. 3dMark Fire Strike stress was 99.0% and my scores improved noticeably. According to 3dMark, the CPU wasn’t keeping up, even though I don’t think it is. I’m not sure if I’ll try 4.7 or higher, but it’s tempting!
Good luck!