Where should I begin when overclocking a CPU?
Where should I begin when overclocking a CPU?
Hi everyone,
I'm new to CPU stuff and want to try overclocking my i5 4690k. They said I could push it to about 4.3 to 4.5GHz. Where should I start? Should I take it to a local shop for help?
System specs:
CPU: i5 4690k @ 3.50GHz (4 cores)
Motherboard: Z97X-SOS Force
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1660
RAM: 8GB DDR3
Power supply model? CPU fan and heatsink details? Motherboard compatibility with OC is good, but we should confirm those first.
very recently got a new power supply because old one was faulty, its a Silverstone ET750-G 750W
And the heatsink/CPU Fan i woudnt have the slightest idea. I got it custom-built a couple years ago and dont have the spec sheet anymore.
But here is a photo of it if that helps?
https://imgur.com/a/JEueA5a
View: https://imgur.com/a/JEueA5a
What is this CPU cooling thing? I have no idea. It seems to have a Noctua fan, but I haven't seen a heatsink like that before.
Download aida64 trial and prime95 for stress testing. Use HWmonitor or hwinfo to monitor temperatures. Start with the initial load using a prime95 blend, or run aimless AIDA64 with x mark to fpu / cpu and memory under stress while keeping temps in view. Perform this during stock settings.
ran the test using AIDA64 and here are the outcomes after 10 minutes. The temperature was averaging about 46-47°C. I'm not sure if this average is good or bad.
Link: https://imgur.com/a/uK3lq7L
TuckieG, There are 15 CPU stress test options available, each running 15 distinct workloads to produce 15 unique core temperatures. As noted by fagetti, Prime95 "Blend" is optimal for evaluating memory stability, whereas Small FFT is better for assessing CPU thermal performance—not stability. Furthermore, fagetti didn’t mention that Prime95 versions are affected by "AVX" instruction sets. It’s acceptable to use the non-AVX version 26.6 if possible; however, any releases from 27.7 to 29.4 will automatically execute an AVX workload on your i5-4690K, which includes AVX instructions. These newer versions can disable AVX, but doing so is quite complex. Executing Prime95 with AVX enabled creates an excessive load, potentially raising core temperatures by more than 20°C and negatively impacting stability. This issue has persisted for years since the introduction of 4th generation CPUs, and Intel is aware of it. Later CPU generations have implemented "AVX Offset" (downclock) settings in BIOS to mitigate the severe overload caused by AVX. The 4th Gen lacks these offsets in its BIOS, making it less favorable. Although Prime95 Small FFT excels at thermal testing, it’s essential to be precise when referencing P95 results. There are no ambiguities or false assumptions here. The current version 29.8 lets you easily turn off all AVX options, which is crucial for maintaining stable core temperatures and ensuring accurate thermal measurements. Please proceed with caution: overclocking can easily harm your equipment. It’s highly advised to research thoroughly before attempting any changes. Start here: CPU overclocking guide and tutorial for beginners - https://forums. And here: Intel Temperature Guide - https://forums. Respectfully, we urge you to be very specific when discussing Prime95. No one wants to face unexpectedly high core temperatures without realizing the cause is AVX instruction sets—sets that should never be used. As per Intel’s datasheets, TDP and thermal specifications are confirmed “without AVX”: CT 😎
to begin overclocking, raise your cpu multiplier in the bios gradually, adding a few increments at a time and restarting between each. perform a stress test after each adjustment. if the test fails due to instability, slightly increase the cpu voltage until you achieve a stable overclock. on this system, i would use occt for testing.
There are numerous guides available. I recommend searching for overclocking instructions for your CPU or motherboard. Reading a few beforehand will be much more helpful. These resources will offer far greater detail than what we can provide in this text.
Yep, it's great! And YouTube is a helpful resource too. You can look up your motherboard model (or something similar) along with the CPU, and someone will walk through each BIOS setting step by step.