Safe to Overclock?
Safe to Overclock?
I own an i5-4670k at 3.4 GHz with a 212 EVO CPU cooler and a Z87 G45 Msi board. I'm considering boosting my CPU to around 4.0 GHz and want to know if it's feasible given my current setup, including cooling and the CPU specs. Your advice would be appreciated.
Well I'd suggest aiming for around 15C to work with. I feel confident about 67C for longer sessions, possibly reaching the low 70s maximum. Check your XTU for voltage readings during stress tests. It seems your motherboard is employing Auto Vcore right now. For pinpointing your overclock, try Manual or Static settings—each brand has its own terminology. Once you determine your loaded Vcore, this becomes your base for a Static Vcore. Then increase the multiplier.
It seems promising. You could simply adjust the voltage to 1.2v and the multiplier to 40x, then perform a stability test for several hours using medium to full loads to observe the temperatures. After that, you can make further adjustments, such as reducing the voltage or increasing the OC, based on the temperature readings.
you might want to give it a shot. the 212 evo is a solid cooler, capable of boosting the i5-6600k to 4.6gHz, which has a base speed of 3.5ghz. with the evo, overclocking the i5-4670k to 4ghz doesn't seem to cause any issues.
Well, starting with overclocking Haswell is quite straightforward. Mostly you adjust the multiplier and core voltage. If you're aiming for even higher speeds, you might need to tweak the cache multiplier and voltage as well.
The Hyper 212 EVO performs adequately, but it's important to check if your system has enough thermal capacity to handle the changes. Generally, I recommend using Prime 95, though newer versions with AVX can cause excessive heat. It seems there are no older non-AVX Windows options available for download.
I suggest trying Intel XTU and running a stress test for about 5 to 10 minutes, noting the highest temperatures across all cores. This will provide a baseline and help assess your thermal headroom.
Techgeek:
Overclocking Haswell is straightforward overall. Mostly it comes down to adjusting the multiplier and core voltage. If you're aiming for extreme speeds, you might also need to tweak the cache multiplier and voltage.
Initially, the Hyper 212 EVO performs well, but we must verify if your system has enough thermal capacity to begin. Typically, I recommend Prime 95, though newer releases with AVX can cause excessive heat. It seems there are no older non-AVX Windows versions available for download.
I’d advise using Intel XTU and running a stress test lasting about 5 to 10 minutes, noting the highest temperatures across all cores. This will provide a baseline and show how much thermal headroom you have.
I ran a stress test on my CPU using msi’s Intel Extreme Tuning Utility for 5 minutes, achieving a maximum temperature of 52°C and a minimum of 45°C.
Well, it seems you're aiming for a temperature range around 15°C. I'd feel confident with 67°C during longer sessions, possibly reaching the low 70s at maximum. Check your XTU settings to see your current voltage under stress. Assuming your motherboard uses Auto Vcore, try Manual or Static mode—each brand has its own naming rules. Once you identify your loaded Vcore, use that as a baseline for a static setting. Then adjust the multiplier accordingly.
Referring to your motherboard manual, it appears most adjustments should be made in the OC section of your BIOS. You'll likely need to enable CPU Core Voltage Mode as Override to apply a static voltage. The CPU Core Voltage lets you input the desired operating voltage. Begin with the Vcore you found earlier. Set CPU Ratio Mode to fixed for now, and adjust the Adjust CPU Ratio to set your multiplier. Start with 38 for a boost frequency of around 3.8GHz. Keep the Vcore at the initial value until testing with Intel XTU.
Monitor the temperatures over several hours—longer tests are better. This setup should stabilize. If it does, increase the multiplier gradually, up to 39, and test again. After each stable run, raise the multiplier slightly if temperatures remain within limits. Be cautious with incremental changes; increase Vcore in small steps of .01V (10mV). Watch your temps closely after each adjustment. Raising the multiplier will cause minor temperature increases, while increasing Vcore leads to larger jumps. Avoid exceeding 1.25V–1.30V on air—generally recommend staying at or below this range.
This guide should help you get started. Feel free to ask if you need further clarification or updates.