Q: Can I run memory and CPU faster than normal? A: Not really, you can only pick one thing to speed up first.
Q: Can I run memory and CPU faster than normal? A: Not really, you can only pick one thing to speed up first.
I'm a former Intel MB design engineer and have overclocked several other boards, so I feel like I’m not supposed to have to ask questions like this, but here’s what I’ve got. -ASUS Rampage VI Extreme Encore i9-10940x CPU (14 cores) two different CPUs G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 4266 (F4-4266C17Q-32GTZR 17-18-18-36) CORSAIR AXi Series AX1600i PS Cooling: custom water loop Both CPUs run stable at 5.0GHz but the temps peak at 90ᵒC running Cinebench 20, so 5GHz is no good for 24/7 use. To stay below 70ᵒC max, I'm running 101.3 * 47 = 4.76GHz all cores using adaptive mode with an offset of -.012V and AVX offsets at 3. I’ve also tested using static mode at this frequency. Both CPUs sit at 1.2V under heavy load using adaptive mode. Both CPUs can run Cinebench, Realbench, and XTU all day with these settings. At default CPU clock rates I can also run Cinebench all day at 3800MHz 15-15-15-36 without tweaking voltages. The problem: When the CPU is overclocked as above, turning on XMP at 3800MHz 16-16-16-36 results in Cinebench throwing an error within a couple minutes. However, I can boot and run for 10-20 minutes at 3000MHz with the kit default 17-18-18-38. The latter indicates that the problem isn’t the clock speed or latencies. Tweaking VCCSA and VCCIO up or down doesn’t improve stability, nor does increasing the Core voltage. I have re-flashed BIOS (latest 0603) and cleared CMOS with both CPUs with no effect. Suggestions?
What error is Cinebench throwing? Maybe it's just the power supply? I am asking about the Corsair AXi Series AX1600i PSU (Power Supply Unit, 1600 watts - correct age, condition?). I think that 1600 watts would be enough for most things. But maybe the PSU isn't strong enough anymore to handle overclocking or it is near its End of Life (EOL). What GPU do you have installed? How many hard drives are there? Add up the total power needed by adding online calculators together. Look for a general feeling and use high-end numbers if the parts list specific wattages. Compare the end total wattage to your current PSU. How much "extra" watts do I have available? Plug the PC into a Kill-A-Watt meter and watch how much power it uses while tweaking overclocking and running the system.
The PSU, CPU, and RAM all seem fine to me. Maybe the motherboard isn't giving enough current? What if I turn up the clock speeds for both CPU and RAM? Are the VRMs and other parts on the mobo doing their job properly with voltage and power? Could another PSU help? If the answer is yes then my old one was broken. But if it's no, then looks like there might be a problem with my motherboard even though I have a really good high-grade one. Are all the extra power cables connected on the board (like two 8-pin ones and one 6-pin)?
First, thanks for getting back to me! I don't remember that specific message though; it just said something went wrong and listed where things were off. My power supply is about six weeks old and is way more powerful than what I need right now. The Corsair iCue software lets me watch voltage, power, and current levels, but the numbers aren't super clear. Since I can't be 100% sure of those tiny spikes, I'll use an oscilloscope to check the voltages again. I just built this PC, so it only has two solid-state drives (Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB each) in a RAID 0 setup, plus that Intel Optane storage drive. The graphics card is an MSI Vega 56 and isn't very demanding on power. It's pulling about 643 watts from the wall currently. Thanks for all your tips! I didn't think about checking voltage stability until now with my new supply.
I already talked about covering the PS in my last post, and you found another option I missed. By only connecting just those two extra power lines (24-pin and 8-pin), that was one thing the manual lets you do. But adding a third line is easy and makes sense because something must be wrong otherwise. It's always better to connect everything safely. There is also a small Molex socket at the bottom of the board for two graphics cards, so adding it won't hurt either.
I first tested the 24-pin and 8-pin cables, then added the 6-pin one - nothing really changed. I have to say my high speeds make the CPU use a lot of power, around 500 watts or more, but right now my tests don't show that much heat coming out. I swapped out the processor for a new one and am testing it today. It seems faster, even though I still can't confirm everything is fixed.