Tips for Boosting Performance: 9700K
Tips for Boosting Performance: 9700K
After roughly six months using this new build, I decided it was time to fully utilize the extra funds I invested in the unlocked 9700 i7. Keep in mind, I've only done a little overclocking before. My knowledge outside of the tutorials is limited.
I searched YouTube and discovered some simple overclocking guides, and I followed the basic method. Right now, my setup looks like this:
5 GHZ clock across all 8 cores.
Standard XMP2 profile for RAM.
SVID behavior 0
Running 1.29 at a higher voltage.
CPU VCCIO set to 1.10.
System agent version 1.10.
Level 6 CPU Load line.
Current capability is about 170%.
The long duration package is 4095.
Package power time is 127.
Short duration power is 4905.
CPU core cache is 255.75.
My PC build details:
Intel i7 9700k (5.00G)
Asus TUF z390-PLUS GAMING (WIFI)
Evga GEFORCE RTX 2800 TI
NZXT h700 case (with four stock case fans)
DARK ROCK PRO 4 cooler
16 GB DDR4 RAM 2666
So far everything seems to be working. However, I'm curious if this is sufficient. Did I just adjust a few settings? Are there better ways to verify stability? My CPU temperatures even under load seem to reach around 60°C. Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated. I've already spent a lot on this system and don't want it to fail unexpectedly.
Aidia64 is capable of evaluating most of your system. The Noctua NH-D15 is a solid option for air cooling. The main concern lies in voltages such as vcore, which are unique to the chip when overclocked. A 9700k will become very hot and reach +90°C during stress tests. Temperatures drop significantly when running games. Stress tests should push limits to determine stability.
Numerous reviews mention 5.1GHz for the 9700k and 5GHz for the 9900k. Overclocking doesn't need to be perfectly stable or use long-term safe vcore voltages. For instance, you might achieve 5.2GHz at 1.4 volts, but maintaining that stability under stress requires special cooling solutions like direct die water cooling and careful handling.
Based on the information you provided, it seems you’re interested in adapting solutions for different chips and have explored various methods. You also mentioned trying ASUS AI overclock mode, which works well for your 9700 series and improves stability. The approach should be customized according to each chip’s unique needs. It’s generally considered unusual among tech enthusiasts, but experimenting with these settings can yield good results.
Thanks for the response, if you're okay with me inquiring about the temperature range? My concern is about thermals when using AI-generated content. Right now I'm using a hybrid setup, following recommendations from Reddit at a 5ghz clock, without core/cache voltage. The suggested settings of 1.30 and 1.29 are leading to instability. Even trying 1.35 didn't resolve the issue. Leaving it on auto seems to maintain stability. However, when fully utilizing it I reach around 92 degrees at the highest. While most runs stayed near 82 degrees Celsius, I'm not using liquid cooling and haven't planned to switch. I'm satisfied with my current high of 60°C pre-overclock and would like to keep things as cool as possible.
I think many people have the belief that '5 GHz is pointless'—definitely a common target.
It seems likely there wasn’t much heat when temperatures stayed under 60°C. A 9700K unit built for a friend running at stock clocks (1,2 cores at 4.9 GHz, 7,8 cores at 4.6 GHz) reached around 68°C on a Noctua NH-D15.
A reasonable next step would be to turn on MCE in the BIOS, which should make all cores run at 4.9 GHz if cooling and power allow...
Thermal tests using Prime95 or small FFTs with AVX disabled for 15 minutes could help. If temperatures stay at 80°C or lower, those high temps would be rare in games anyway.
Aidia64 is capable of evaluating most systems as well. The Noctua NH-D15 stands out for air cooling solutions. The primary concern lies in voltages such as vcore, which are tailored to the specific chip being overclocked. A 9700k will generate excessive heat and reach +90°C during stress tests. Temperatures drop significantly when running games. Stress tests involve pushing boundaries to determine stability.
Numerous reviews indicate 5.1GHz for the 9700k and 5GHz for the 9900k. Overclocking doesn't necessitate perfect stability or long-term safe voltages. For instance, a stable 5.2GHz at 1.4 volts is achievable, though stress tests without delidding and direct die water cooling are required.
https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploa...4x1024.jpg
Core max reaches 95°C. SP120L fans spin at 2435 RPM.
https://www.corsair.com/uk/en/Categ...IE...tech-specs
Priced around £33 ($40) for two, these units emphasize intense airflow due to cooling limitations at 5.2GHz. Benchmarks show the highest fan speeds during cooling phases.
My 3800x with the EDC bug reaches approximately 5300, representing an extreme overclock. RAM overclocking caps at 5200 max. Both exceed the 9900ks in Cinebench R20 and allow proper cooling.
https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploa...-multi.jpg
All this aims to achieve a clock speed of 11472 in Time Spy CPU.
3800x with similar extreme overclocking needs ~11400-11500. With strong 9900ks overclock, it should surpass 12k cpu. In Aida64, the max temperature is 98°C, which is unstable due to insufficient margin for throttling. Even a small ambient change can trigger instability, making this overclock unreliable. The CPU draws nearly 210W under load.
What remains hidden is how difficult stability becomes as you increase overclocks. Adjusting settings you never used before becomes necessary. RAM overclocking adds complexity, affecting stability across many parameters. Ultimately, "the wall" may emerge regardless of adjustments.
It’s essential to recognize that each component—CPU and RAM—has unique traits. Blindly following guides is risky; finding the right balance for your build is crucial. At the start, set a safe vcore and frequency, then iteratively tweak as needed.
Increasing frequency demands more effort, often requiring changes like adjusting Vcore or tuning VRM frequencies. Some methods, such as AVX offsets for SSE tasks, can help push higher speeds without overheating.
Other settings beyond voltage can also assist. Modifying frequencies of VRMs and other components is vital. Achieving the desired frequency often means precise calibration.
Studying process data into a graph provides useful insights. For example:
- 1.32V for OC i9-9900K at 5GHz
- 1.37V for i7-9700K at 5GHz
- 1.43V for i5-9600K at 5GHz
To boost the 9700K to 5GHz, begin with a CPU Ratio of 50 and start at 1.37V, adjusting as needed. If stable limits are reached, lower the voltage.
Next, set Ring Ratio to 47—experiment with your own ratio (e.g., MSI suggests 3x less than CPU Ratio). Higher ring frequency improves non-core performance but may risk stability if too high. Vcore voltage matches the ring voltage.
Sources:
https://www.msi.com/blog/intel-9th-cpu-o...therboards
https://www.gigabyte.com/FileUpload/Glob...25/946.pdf
Don’t overlook the ability to overclock RAM as well. While CPU overclocking has limits, RAM overclocking demands significant time and testing. Both require careful research and understanding to minimize risks.
Avoid simply cranking all settings to max; instead, treat overclocking as a project needing patience and knowledge. This approach reduces the chances of failure.
I’m working on something quite similar to what you linked. I adjusted several settings, especially the voltage which most guides recommended pushing. I also left the speed step enabled. At idle it’s around 30 degrees, and during four game tests the maximum temperature reached was 75C. Of course, it never stayed there—it dropped right away. However, the stress test (before trying Aidia) pushed it up to 90C over ten minutes. I’ll keep tweaking the settings to see if I can improve the thermal performance. If these core temperatures are still an issue, I’m relieved I avoided any instability problems.
This is my dedicated gaming rig, so it’s not used for anything else. I also power it down after each session, which helps ease concerns about CPU longevity.
I think there’s a lot more research ahead of me. Thanks for the guidance everyone.
Initially understand that chip overclocking possibilities differ. Here’s what you might anticipate: As of 2/6/2019 The percentage of chips that can achieve an overclock with a reasonably stable Vcore in the 1.337 to 1.375 range is: - I7-9700K: 5.2% - I7-9700K (5.1%): 35% - I7-9700K (5.0%): 78% - I7-9700K (4.9%): 100% Consider using the Intel Performance Maximizer app to attempt an overclock: Stress testers are designed to apply pressure. Some produce heat, such as the Intel IBT, while others use demanding instructions like Prime 95. OCCT supports AVX instructions, which can be quite taxing but aren’t widely used. How critical do you truly need to be? A straightforward method would be to keep all voltages at auto and slowly increase the multiplier. As the multiplier rises, the required voltage also increases. You might opt for a basic stress tester like the one in cpu-Z or OCCT. Track voltage via cpu-z; values between 1.3 and 1.35 are acceptable, staying below 1.4. Also keep an eye on temperature using tools like HWmonitor. A stress test should likely be halted once temperatures reach around 85°C. This aligns with OCCT’s default behavior. The chip will regulate its temperature and may throttle or shut down if it senses danger, typically around 100°C. Set the AVX offset to 2 to lower the multiplier when AVX instructions are active. Finally, enable speedstep and adaptive voltage control to minimize both multiplier and voltage during light workloads.