Unable to achieve consistent performance boosts on my Asus Sabertooth Z97 Mark S.
Unable to achieve consistent performance boosts on my Asus Sabertooth Z97 Mark S.
Hello! First of all, welcome! Over the past few years I've been using this motherboard, and it's performing well overall. The main challenge has been getting it to overclock properly. I usually rely on AI Tweaker for the overclocking process, but even then it doesn't always succeed. If I try to do it manually, the system either crashes or enters an infinite boot loop.
I've set the core voltage to 1.250V as a starting point, but that doesn't yield the desired results. My AI Tweaker managed to push my CPU up to around 4.6 GHz with a stable clock, but when I try it myself, it fails. I'm aiming for at least 4.7 GHz or higher, so my cooler should handle it easily, but it doesn't.
I'm curious what I might be doing incorrectly. Here are my specs: Intel Core i7 4790K, 32 GB HyperX DDR3 RAM, Corsair RM1000 PSU, a 2x GTX 1070 in SLI configuration, Corsair H110i 280mm AIO cooler, and a PC Lian Li O11 case with plenty of fans. I'm looking for reliable and stable advice.
Attempting to exceed the capabilities of the hardware. If stability isn't maintained at that pace, reduce the output current. Adjusting the current isn't a guaranteed solution for every device. Certain components may not handle the demand.
When you don’t need to boost the voltage much, there’s limited room for adjustment. If the system is fluctuating during that cycle, you’ll have to either reduce the voltage or raise it. That’s how CPUs operate naturally.
Degradation happens even without overclocking. You might try taking out the heat spreader and switching to liquid metal paste. Also, wipe down the heat spreader and cooler (since the warranty is no longer valid). This could lower the operating temperature and possibly improve performance, though it’s unlikely.
But you can also damage your CPU by doing that. Your CPU might not have been able to reach that speed initially due to silicon variability and overclocking challenges. A friend of mine even achieved a 100MHz boost by getting a better sample.
Regarding the AI tweaker, it adjusts multiple voltages, such as uncore.
1.25v is sufficient for my weak overclocking 4770k to reach 4.3. My 4790k required significantly more, but it handled it for years without problems—cooling was a major concern for that model.