What's going on with my overclock? Please, have some sugar on top, I really need your help!
What's going on with my overclock? Please, have some sugar on top, I really need your help!
My hardware setup:
CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4,0 GHz (Devils Canyon)
Motherboard: ASUS Z97-K, Intel Z97 Mainboard - S1150
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Pro Series Red DDR3-1600, CL9 - 8GB Kit
Cooler: be quiet! Dark Rock 3 (BK018)
I adjusted my system's speed to 4.5GHz about a year ago. I’m aware the boost isn’t very reliable, but it only crashes occasionally and stays under 80°C during gameplay. Now I’m trying to return to Flight Simulator (P3D v4), which is quite demanding on the CPU. It’s starting to fail more often. I want to understand what’s going on but need some guidance.
The biggest issue is overheating. I run at just 1.200V for 4.5GHz because in Flight Simulator temperatures can reach up to 85°C, and anything above 1.200V risks reaching 90°C – that’s too high. Other games like GTA V, Civ IV, NMS have temps between 75°C and 80°C. The worst part is that stress tests can push temperatures to 100°C in under five seconds (at 1.200V! – Intel burn test, prime95), so I stop immediately then. On the web, most people use up to 1.3V and don’t hit those highs, and with 1.200V they usually stay below 80°C during tests. It seems there’s something wrong either with my CPU or with my overclocking.
I’d say “Yolanda Be Cool” but I’m not sure. Now I’m curious – is my CPU from the worst batch ever made, or is there a problem with my overclock? I’m not an overclocker; I followed all the BIOS settings found online, and honestly I didn’t really know what I was doing. Would any of you experts look at my BIOS settings below and point out any bad configurations that might be causing the heat? Or is there something I can adjust or check to fix this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Dropbox folder with BIOS screenshots: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6pk78gj483rx7...hW_ga?dl=0
The 4790K DC was already pushed beyond factory limits, leaving minimal room for improvement unless you had exceptional cooling and deep expertise in overclocking. I recommend sticking to the stock configuration so your games run without issues.
I don’t have time to guide you through the overclocking process myself—no one else did it for me, and I’ve thoroughly researched everything.
Here’s the link to the Devils Canyon owners club where many shared their successful settings:
https://www.overclock.net/forum/5-intel-...-club.html
I found many overclocking guides, including the one you mentioned. The issue is that with my cooler and 1.200V, I shouldn't be reaching such high temperatures. I just need someone to quickly check my BIOS settings—no more than a minute—to spot anything that might be problematic.
Use a higher quality thermal paste such as AS5 from Noctua and IC D from Thermal GRIZZLY. Secure the cooler firmly enough, test it, and if necessary, lower the clock speed to 4.4GHz. Additionally, activate LLC (Load like calibration) with a level of 2-3.