s about overclocking Alienware Aurora R7 (8700K)
s about overclocking Alienware Aurora R7 (8700K)
The Alienware Aurora R7 PC (Intel Core i7 8700K – Coffee Lake, liquid cooling) includes software for overclocking using presets or custom configurations. Testing these adjustments shows the best performance when using the “Stage 2” preset with Windows power management in performance mode:
4.8GHz
Voltage – 1.12 (static) in system BIOS, though CPU-Z and Core Temp VID vary between 1.2 and 1.32 v
Memory – XMP 1 (2800MHz, 1.3V)
IntelBurnTest and Prime95 indicated that even under heavy load and temperatures below 77°C, the core speed typically stays around 4.5GHz, occasionally reaching 4.8GHz. This is unusual. Is this a stable setting or a sign of instability? Might it reflect Intel Turbo Boost being considered, meaning the system usually runs at 4.5 and briefly boosts to 4.8?
Another issue concerns safe operating temperatures. Short tests with IntelBurnTest and Prime95 (under 40 minutes) maintained core temperatures at 79°C or lower for all cores. Normal gaming sessions saw peaks at 76°C after prolonged use. After an 11-hour Prime95 run, temperatures climbed to 87°C. It seems the highest readings occurred shortly after starting the test following a gaming session, suggesting the GPU was releasing heat.
Would it be advisable to stick with the current settings or should they be adjusted for safer long-term operation? Thank you ahead!
Well, as a Delta built unit is expected to be fairly decent, yet since it's probably designed to meet Dell's standards, cost-effectiveness seems to be a key factor for profitability. Unfortunately, it didn't come in the Corsair RM850i model. That would have been a great choice. Still, this suggests it's unlikely to be a fire starter. I'd suggest asking them to confirm if the unit has a group regulated design or Haswell certification. Getting an exact model number would be the most helpful solution. All the other details like APC, E-star, RoHS don't seem particularly important.
Here are some questions about your setup:
What version of Prime95 are you running for testing?
Which CPU cooler are you employing?
Could you clarify the remaining hardware specifications, such as motherboard, power supply, memory modules, graphics card, and case details (including fan counts and orientations)?
It seems temperatures have risen above your desired range, likely due to insufficient CPU and case cooling.
Is your GPU also being overclocked?
Automatic overclocking through presets is generally not recommended except for graphics cards. For CPU and memory, it's best to adjust settings directly in the BIOS for precise control.
The 8700k already features a 4.7Ghz peak single-core boost clock, so overclocking may not be necessary unless you specifically wish to do so. If you still want to proceed, consider disabling automatic utility presets and manually setting your overclock in the BIOS for more accurate tuning. Often, stable overclocks can be achieved with lower voltages than those used during utility-based overclocking.
I’m working with version 29.4 of Prime95.
It’s worth noting that Alienware doesn’t release complete details about the parts in their construction, and some key elements like the motherboard and cooler remain confidential. This means advanced BIOS tuning options are limited, which affects how much manual adjustment you can make for overclocking. I was familiar with these constraints when I bought the system, so I expect a more modest overclock compared to a fully customized build with identical specs.
My power supply is rated at 850 watts.
The graphics card is a GTX 1070 Ti and it isn’t being overclocked.
Memory uses HyperX FURY DDR4 XMP at 2933 MHz (16GB).
According to reports about Alienware cases, they’re often compact with suboptimal airflow.
When I tested the machine at 4.8GHz, I experienced occasional crashes a few times daily. Over the last couple of days, lowering it to 4.6GHz resolved the issue, and temperatures also decreased. Still, core speed variations remain—currently around 4.3GHz with spikes up to 4.6. Voltage fluctuations are consistent with what I’ve heard. Interestingly, it appears Alienware chose to under-volt the system.
Darkbreeze :
Could you clarify which version of Prime95 you’re using?
What type of CPU cooler are you employing?
Could you provide the full hardware model numbers—motherboard, power supply, memory modules, graphics card, and case details (including fan count and orientation for intake/exhaust)?
Temperatures have risen to 87 degrees, which seems to point to insufficient CPU and case cooling.
Is your GPU also being overclocked?
Automatic overclocking is generally not recommended except for graphics cards. CPU and memory should always be adjusted directly in the BIOS for precise control. If you’re still attempting overclocks, removing preset configurations and manually setting parameters in the BIOS would be a safer approach.
Since the 8700k already offers a peak single-core boost of 4.7GHz, it’s unlikely this chip needs further tuning. However, if you’d like to proceed, consider disabling any automatic utility presets and fine-tuning settings such as voltage, uncore, system agent, and memory in the BIOS for improved stability. Automatic overclocks often risk instability, whereas stable manual settings can achieve reliable performance with lower voltages.
It seems like you're discussing challenges in overclocking due to proprietary hardware and BIOS settings. The text suggests that relying on utilities for overclocking may not be effective because of specific EIST implementations. It recommends adjusting power settings in the control panel to stabilize performance, such as setting default profiles to performance mode. The advice also includes modifying CPU minimum values in advanced power profiles to prevent excessive power draw and improve cooling. Additionally, it mentions the importance of disabling turbo boost options in utilities or BIOS for better stability. The author notes concerns about high clock speeds and recommends considering cooler models for better thermal management.
The results I shared are based on the performance profile, which makes the variations even more unexpected. Interestingly, my CPU appears to remain cooler during stress tests when using this profile, although I should likely turn it off for long-term reliability. The cooler is a type of “proprietary” component. I think it’s probably a budget liquid cooler. Given that increasing from 4.8 to 4.6GHz significantly improved temperatures and stability, it might be best to keep this setup. If I weren’t limited by a proprietary board and mediocre cooling, I could likely achieve even better results, but the system’s constraints make it risky.
Darkbreeze :
It’s worth noting that with a custom board and BIOS, overclocking via utilities may not be effective because of their specific handling of EIST. This could hinder your ability to fine-tune overclocks. It might help to adjust the power settings in the control panel and switch to the performance profile, which would maintain full clock speed but prevent reductions during idle or when full speed isn’t necessary. This should stabilize the CPU without sacrificing performance.
Additionally, you can modify the advanced power profile for CPU settings, setting a minimum value between 5-15% so the CPU can lower its speed when idle or if both minimum and maximum are at 100%. This would avoid drops in performance.
With my current overclocks, I usually set the values to 100/100 during setup and testing, then revert the minimum to 5% afterward to save power and aid cooling. A core that stays at 100% is much harder to cool than one that only reaches it when needed. Since cores transition quickly between rates, this isn’t usually a major performance hit.
IF you have the chance to disable the turbo boost option in the utility or BIOS, that would significantly reduce fluctuations and help maintain stable clock/voltage settings. It also ensures the assigned values stay within your limits, improving stability and cooling.
Honestly, anything above 4.7Ghz seems too aggressive for the 8700k, especially with the extra two cores that raise package temperatures beyond what you’d expect with a 4/8 CPU.
Also, could you tell me the model of the liquid cooler that came with your system?
I’d probably have to agree, particularly until you can replace that standard cooling method with something superior. Should I choose a single or double fan width cooler (120/140 versus 240/280), it’s still possible to reduce or nearly eliminate the temperature swings by adjusting the power profile. However, keeping it at full capacity consistently will definitely raise overall temperatures, which is why I usually avoid that unless it’s for stability or thermal testing.
I looked through the PC specifications for fan details and found nothing available, suggesting it might be proprietary. With the current configurations, temperatures reach a maximum of 68 degrees. Darkbreeze would likely agree, unless you can replace the standard cooling system with a superior one. It depends on whether you want to control or eliminate the temperature swings—switching the power profile can reduce fluctuations, but running it at full capacity consistently raises overall temps, which is why I avoid that except during stability or thermal tests.
The recorded temperature is higher than usual, especially when all cores are running at full capacity.