The i7 9700K remains stable even at 4.9Ghz, making it still a good candidate for overclocking.
The i7 9700K remains stable even at 4.9Ghz, making it still a good candidate for overclocking.
I'm asking this because it seems already optimized to 4.9Ghz as standard. I decided to customize my 9700K since I now have CS2 access and the performance isn't satisfactory. I'm aware it's not an official release, but updates are possible and CSGO was my primary game. Any extra boost will definitely help. I haven't updated in a while, so I checked guides for the 9700K and many reported 5.1/5Ghz, but I might have been let down by the hardware limitations at 4.9Ghz with 1.3v. I passed all tests, but after playing for 30 minutes or an hour it suddenly crashes or my PC restarts.
The 4.9ghz enhancement is limited to a single core and doesn't affect multiple cores. The 1.3v setting stays safely under the 9700k threshold, allowing you to go higher. I previously ran my 9900k at 1.4v for a full year at maximum output and later lowered it to 1.37v when needed.
You can increase the voltage beyond that level. The 9th generation Intel remains stable as long as temperatures stay acceptable, typically around 1.35V before cooling problems arise. I’d still attempt to use the chip. Not all Coffee Lake processors reach 5GHz; even with liquid metal and a custom loop, my 8700K only achieves about 5GHz and demands significant voltage to reach it. Although the board I use has unusual voltage behavior, it likely needs less than what you’re setting. Running it at 4.9GHz offers a substantial speed boost, particularly when you adjust the ring settings accordingly.
What's your cooling setup? Your 8700k handled 5.0Ghz on a 360mm, while the 9900k reached 5.2Ghz on the same AIO. Good cooling matters, but boosting the voltage helps too. If the chip fails, the 9900k/9700k won't be as reliable anymore.
I'm boosting the power to reach 5Ghz, but I'm not sure it's feasible. I'm already experiencing high 80s at 1.35v and prefer not to increase power or heat output. Since 4.9Ghz showed some promise, I'll try pushing up to 1.3-1.35v to check if it's achievable. I haven't adjusted the ring settings yet, so I'll investigate further. If not, I'm still considering 4.8Ghz as a solid alternative. I'm using a NZXT Kraken X52 240mm, currently seeing high 80s at 1.35v. The stock is around 60s, possibly in the 70s right now. I might reapply thermal paste next time I clean the PC, but it hasn't been changed much over the years. Curious if a few Celsius changes will make a difference.
From what I understand, the motherboard only supports .005 steps, but I’m planning to try it anyway. I’m hoping to reduce the voltage slightly while maintaining 4.9Ghz performance. Thanks!
My 8700k was running at 5GHz with 1.3v, someone else was doing it at 1.2v and I noticed some people weren’t getting stable at 4.8 stable. It seems like it’s a matter of silicon quality—just a lottery. You should be able to handle up to 1.35v since it’s soldered in. Try that. It’s also underload, not idle, and some people claim the voltage is 1.35v but then run a test and it drops to around 1.28 or lower. Make sure your LLC is configured correctly.