Starting at OC - what options are available next?
Starting at OC - what options are available next?
So, new to OC but well experienced with hardware. Never OC´ed before, never really had the "need".
But after building a new rig I started fiddling with it out of boredom. Read all the guides etc. Started with an "in between" OC just to get started.
4.7ghz @ 1.26v. Works fine. Want to take it higher and see where I can go without delidding. But...and heres the newbie question:
Where to go next, what kind of increments would you suggest? Next "point of test"?
Realbench from my "starting" OC below. Anything to take note of in the numbers?
System is in short:
Rog Strix Z390E gaming. I7-8700K. 32GB RAM@3200mhz. Define S2 Meshify. CM 360mm AIO plus 6 AP fans.
https://imgur.com/0LONT3D
View: https://imgur.com/0LONT3D
Increase the CPU multiplier by one times. Recheck stability and temperatures remain consistent. Record your current voltage and frequency. Keep pushing speed up until it becomes unstable. Then either return to the last stable setting or raise voltage until stability returns. Some recommend 1.4V for Coffee Lake, others suggest 1.5V. I prefer being more careful.
Eventually, you'll reach a stage where adding another 0.1Ghz to the CPU demands a significant adjustment in VCore. This is when you should stop your overclocking. If boosting from 5Ghz to 5.1Ghz needs a major VCore shift, then 5Ghz should be your upper limit. Some also apply an AVX offset of -2, allowing higher frequencies while maintaining power efficiency through reduced speed.
Increase the CPU multiplier by one times. Recheck stability; temperatures should remain consistent. Record your current voltage and frequency readings. Continue raising the speed until instability appears. Then either return to the last stable setting or raise the voltage again until stability returns. Some recommend 1.4V for Coffee Lake, while others suggest 1.5V. I prefer a more conservative approach.
Over time, you'll reach a threshold where pushing the CPU another .1Ghz demands a significant adjustment to the VCore. This signals the end of your overclocking journey. If reaching 5Ghz from 5.0Ghz necessitates a major VCore shift, then 5Ghz should be your upper limit. Some users also apply an AVX offset of -2, allowing higher frequencies while reducing speed for power-intensive tasks. This seems like a shortcut to me.
Once stability is achieved, perform extensive stress tests for final tuning, as minor adjustments might still be necessary. Run Realbench for an hour and test with OCCT. Benchmark your GPU using Luxmark and Unigine Valley (each at least once). Test your memory with Memtest86+. For maximum reliability, consider running overnight tests each night.
Only delide if you're planning extreme overclocking. With this cooler, you can handle substantial boosts without overheating. Personally, I don't believe in pushing to the absolute limit. Besides, boasting about 5.2Ghz is unnecessary. You probably won't notice a real-world difference between 5.2Ghz and 4.9Ghz. However, your cooling fans will be more noticeable, your power bill may rise, and ambient temperature will change.
I favor observing my system's limits first. Then gradually lower the frequency by 0.4Ghz for a long-term overclock and assess how low I can reduce my VCore. Your system will operate cooler and quieter, with minimal speed loss.
I want to push it and then adjust back to a comfortable pace I can maintain all day.
I just went up to 4.8 ghz without making other changes. Ran Realbench for an hour, everything worked fine. Temperatures climbed into the mid range instead of the low 70s. Probably just what I expected?
Uncertain if I should keep going. I feel like a safe long-term upgrade might bring me back to where I am now—around 4.8 ghz at around 1.265v with idle temps in the late 20s and load temps in the mid 70s.
Adjusted the vcore to 1.210v at 4.8ghz. A stable result. How would you define a solid low voltage @4.8ghz?
[email protected] has stable performance for an hour in realbench. Maximum temperatures range from 73 to 74 degrees. As mentioned, I'm new to this and not the most experienced here. But isn't that voltage quite suitable for this clock? Haven't adjusted it yet.
https://imgur.com/Xchx8jb
View: https://imgur.com/Xchx8jb