temperatures using i5 6600k at base clock with a h100i gtx water cooler
temperatures using i5 6600k at base clock with a h100i gtx water cooler
It's quite straightforward. Stability means maintaining performance under any load or command, without issues like blue screens or shutdowns. If it isn't stable, it will fail eventually. The Asus ROG RealBench is a solid way to check this. You can try Aida 64 or p95, but those are mainly for temperature testing and aren't ideal for general use.
Karadjgne:
Each CPU demands unique voltages, but you have to begin somewhere. I tend to start from the other side. I’ll begin at 1.4v and conduct stability tests as I increase the multiplier and llc settings. I don’t worry about temperatures just yet. I’ll keep testing until I reach a point where nothing improves stability. Then I’ll reduce the multiplier again, adjust llc to the last known stable setting, and gradually lower the voltage until it stabilizes at its lowest safe level. This approach should help me achieve the best performance with the lowest stable voltage.
For example, my i7-3770K runs smoothly at 1.32v for 4.9GHz at 72°C, achieving a p95 of 26.6 on Kraken X61. At 1.108v for 4.3GHz, my i5-3570k performs at 1.114v, which is also its maximum overclock point. For the i7-6700K, several users report needing 1.4v for stable operation even at stock speeds.
This means what one CPU considers over-voltage might be seen as under-voltage by another. It really depends on individual results.
A $25 investment is a good precaution. You weigh this against the risk of damaging the CPU. Since I’m new to overclocking, that risk is much higher than someone who has done it before. It’s an expense we might pay, just in case it pays off.
more than 17C is unlikely. no air or liquid cooler can bring the cpu down to below ambient temperature.
It's not feasible to cool a CPU mechanically below ambient conditions. In a room at 20°C, components and the GPU generate heat, resulting in case temperatures of at least 22-24°C during idle. Average CPU idle temperatures typically range from 6° to 12° above ambient, with AIOs staying around 6° due to lack of airflow. A room temperature of 20° with an idle temperature of 25° is quite comfortable. What matters most are the load temperatures—your CPU performs best at around 100°C and should be kept under 70°C during heavy use, meaning load temps in the 40s are ideal. Skip tools like hwinfo64 or Hwmonitor; for Intel CPUs, Realtemp is reliable and accurate, avoiding misleading data such as tmpin_0.
Karadjgne:
Mechanically cooling a CPU below ambient temperatures isn't feasible. In a room at 20°C, with components generating heat, the case temperature typically stays between 22-24°C when idle. The airflow through the radiator usually keeps it around 6°C higher than ambient. Most CPUs run 6° to 12° above ambient, but AIOs stay closer to 6° since they lack active cooling fans.
For better accuracy, consider using Realtemp instead of hwinfo64 or Hwmonitor. It works well with p95 and provides reliable data without misleading metrics like tmpin_0. I've downloaded it and checked—your package temperatures are still showing around 18-17°C, which is normal for your setup.
don't begin at 1.4v... few coolers can maintain a skylake's temperature at that voltage
i began at 1.25v at 4.3 ghz and didn't encounter any crashes when i ran prime 95 with temps around 40 degrees. is this a solid starting point? should i reduce the voltage now?
It depends on your preference for increased speed. If you choose that, increase the multiplier and it will crash. Then raising the voltage should allow you to achieve 4.5ghz with about 1.3v.