You have an i5-4670K with a 4.3Ghz OC at 1.2V, looking for additional guidance and insights.
You have an i5-4670K with a 4.3Ghz OC at 1.2V, looking for additional guidance and insights.
Hello. I've chosen to boost my CPU after many years of use. Although I have no prior experience with overclocking, I followed the instructions in Intel God's "Quick and Dirty OC" thread. I'm seeking advice on whether adjustments are needed in the BIOS settings.
The BIOS configurations are available here:
http://i.imgur.com/gIxFGJG.jpg
&
http://i.imgur.com/ZbrvlF9.jpg
Stress Test Results:
Intel Burn Test (10 runs) + RealTemp:
http://i.imgur.com/LN9CsMS.png
Aida64
+ RealTemp:
http://i.imgur.com/EdnuiB1.png
(I accidentally clicked "Reset" on RealTemp during the Aida64 test, so the minimum temperatures are actual readings at some point.)
Overall it appears stable. Idle temperatures range from 26 to 27°C. I plan to try actual games to see how they perform. My main concern is the voltage levels. The BIOS displays slightly higher values than my current settings. The same applies to Aida64, which also shows around 1.216V. That’s acceptable, right? Only the HWinfo section confirms these voltages (1.2V), which matches what I set.)
My PC specifications:
CPU i5-4670K
Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 412 Slim
MB MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING
GPU MSI GTX 760 GAMING 2GB OC
RAM Kingston HyperX Blu 2x4GB DDR3 1600
HDD Seagate Barracuda 1TB
PSU Seasonic X-series 750W
Case CM HAF 932 Advanced
Is there anything else I should modify in the BIOS, or are there any issues with the current settings?
Initially, try a different stress test. IBT should produce heat effectively. Use an application similar to OCCT for better results. Prime95 doesn’t work well because it employs unusual instructions. OCCT will terminate the test if it exceeds 85c. The main thing to watch is VCORE. CPU-Z is suitable here; ensure vcore stays below 1.3v. Additionally, verify that both vcore and multiplier decrease when the CPU is idle, which should be managed through speedstep and adaptive voltage.
First of all, try a different stress test. IBT is meant to produce heat. Use an application similar to OCCT instead. Prime95 doesn’t work well either—it uses unusual instructions. OCCT will stop the test if it reaches 85°C. The main thing to watch is VCORE. CPU-Z works well for this; you shouldn’t let vcore exceed 1.3v. Also, verify that when the CPU is idle, both vcore and multiplier decrease. This is handled by speedstep and adaptive voltage. In CPU-Z, Core Voltage is fluctuating from about 0.176V to 0.850V. Only CPU-Z displays the "jumpy" value, while others show a steady 1.2V. It isn’t underclocking when idle, though. I’ve experienced slow Windows responses before I started overclocking, so I’m using the “High Performance” setting in Windows, which seems to prevent underclocking. Could this affect stability? Should I still adjust the CPU Core Voltage Mode and CPU Ring Voltage Mode from Override to Adaptive? I didn’t see speedstep in the settings, but I’ll check under CPU features. Is it necessary to let the CPU underclock while idle at all?
Adjusting the Power Settings in Windows back to "Balanced" lowers the frequency to 800Mhz while idle. The voltage remains inconsistent in that range, though it reaches 1.2V only when I load demanding tasks. (Monitored via CPU-Z)
The vcore in CPU-Z changes and increases when the multiplier reaches its maximum. It seems you can achieve more headroom for overclocking beyond 4.3.
Geofelt suggests checking the vcore in CPU-Z and observing its variation as the multiplier reaches its maximum. It seems you have more room for overclocking and can exceed 4.3. This is promising. I began at 4.2 and tested it with IBT, Aida64, and games. Later, I attempted a jump to 4.4 but encountered an immediate BSOD from IBT after starting. I settled on 4.3 where everything works. I might consider 4.4, though it seems it requires slightly more voltage. Some settings are unclear, so I could wait before increasing further. I’m seeing different readings across programs. As noted, only CPU-Z displays variable voltage; other tools show a fixed ~1.2 value. According to the BIOS, voltages should be set at specific points, but it appears that’s not happening.
Sometimes it's hard to tell what different apps are showing for voltage. It might not reflect the real running Vcore. That's why I recommended using cpu-Z, which I think is more reliable. I've also played The Witcher 3 recently. It ran briefly without any crashes, and temperatures stayed at a maximum of 56°C. The overclock seems strong overall. Voltage readings are worrying, but I'm not sure which program gives the most accurate data. The BIOS keeps showing 1.2V. If CPU-Z is correct, everything should be fine.
P.S. In the game, CPU-Z displays a voltage increase to 1.216-1.224V and maintains it until I close the application. It's possible that this shows the right values. I hope so.
Another update: There is a CS:GO tournament going on currently and I left it spectating the game for a while. It BSOD after some time. I didn't look at the temps at that time but I went and increased the voltage to 1.21V. I opened the game again and I've checked the temps after a while - they maxed out at 58°C.
What usually causes a BSOD when overclocking? Overheating or low voltage? Temps shouldn't be a problem but who knows... I changed the voltage mode to Adaptive, though. Could it be doing some nasty work here?
Temperatures must reach approximately 100c. This is when the processor will reduce its speed or shut down to safeguard itself. The low voltage used for the attempted multiplier is usually the main issue. Adaptive will adjust the voltage within a range that varies based on the multiplier. There are additional fine-tuning controls that vary with the specific BIOS. For Haswell, the maximum voltage should be around 1.3v. Skylake and Kaby Lake can handle up to 1.4v for any reason.