Overclocking 3930k on P9X79

Hi guys,

I would like to try overclock my stock 3930k on P9X79 Deluxe to somewhere around 4.5GHz.
I would appreciate any help you can provide with a few questions I have.

First off, my cooling solution is Corsair H100i.
Asus UI Suite II Auto-overclocked my machine to 4.6GHz (126 x 37) at 1.39v. I've read that pushing BLCK isn't necessary and I'd like to conform with that idea.

I would like to do the OC via BIOS and my questions are:

1. Can you please recommend the essentials I should be working here with? voltages, per core or sync, any power line balancing, etc?
2. How can I OC my CPU in a fashion where it throttles down (voltage and clock) when idle? I love my current dead silent/cool stock machine operation. I realize OC will raise thermals and make fans noisier but If i can minimize the two when idle, that would be pristine. Is it something to do with IntelStep and Turbo settings?

I've observed HWmonitor and at stock 3.2 - 3.8GHz, my parameters as follows:
Vcore min: 0.856V
Vcore max: 1.248V
CPU ave cores temp min: 33C
CPU ave cores temp max: 49C

A gentleman here used 1.38V for a 4.7GHz OC. Is this good?

Thanks,

I am going to go off what was outlined here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx2z07sFM2I&list=PL91E32848D715CA0A&index=43&feature=plpp_video

If you have experience based suggestion, id really welcome them.

Thank you,

You can't expect the same result and same settings of another user just because he has the same CPU or motherboard as you, everything will give slightly to different results.

That said you don't need to adjust the BCLK at all because the 3930k has unlocked multipliers. Ensure you turn off all the power saving features (C1, C3, Speedstep etc). I'd turn off turbo as well as that sometimes can cause anomalies with your overclock.

The 3930k should be able to do 3.8GHZ on the fly, so bump the multi till the final clock is 3.8, restart go into windows and do a 30 minute stress test via IBT or OCCT and see if its ok, play a few games as well. If it doesn't restart you can go back into the bios and bump up the clock a little more (ensure your RAM's rated speed is locked to it's frequency ratio and ensure the voltage for your RAM is manually adjusted and not on auto). Once your computer starts restarting or crashing or BSOD from stress test that is when you have to increase your vcore bit by bit and work your way up with the clock till you hit the sweetspot you want. The 3930k is capable of 4.5ghz fairly easily without much vcore.

That's one way of doing it, personally I just jump in and bump the voltage and clock settings up to certain points I know the CPU is capable of running fine due to experience.

Thanks for your response.

Here is what i've come up with. Can you please correct, criticize?

I managed to get to 4.6GHz with reasonably stable temps

Using XMP profile for memory
BLCK: 100%
CPU Strap: untouched at Auto
Turbo Ratio: By All Cores at 46 as multipler
CPU VCORE Voltage: +Offset at 0.05V
CPU VCCSA Voltage: Manual at 1.100
DRAM Voltage (CHA,CHB,CHC,CHD): 1.50V
CPU PPL Voltage: Auto
VTTCPU Voltage: 1.100

DIGI+ Power Control:
CPU LLC: Medium
CPU CC: 110%
VCCSA LLC: Regular
VCCSA CC: 110%
CPU Power Phase Control: Optimized
DRAM-AB,CD Current Capability: 110%
DRAM-AB,CD Phase Control: Optimized
Intel Adaptive Thermal Monitor: Disabled
Anti Surge Support: Disabled


I actually enabled all the C states but will try to disable as per your suggestion.
My intention is to have system throttle down with voltages to decrease thermals during idle, which it currently does.



With this spec: (4.6GHz)

Vcore min: 0.9~V
Vcore max: 1.400V
CPU ave cores temp min: 33C
CPU ave cores temp max: 67C

1.4vcore is on the high side. You should only need between 1.345-1.365 for a 4.6ghz overclock. The only voltages you really need to adjust to the DRAM voltage (either 1.5, 1.55 or 1.6v) and the cpu vcore. Ensure your RAM ratio is adjusted to the rated speeds of the modules.

That's about it.

Unlike back in the socket 775 days where you need to bump up the voltage for the northbridge and all the other shenanigans, since Bloomfield and Nehalem overclocking is simply too easy.

Thank you! Lowered offset to +0.020 and the vcore is around 1.340v ish mark and its stable.

What would be the approximate vcore for 4.8GHz?
I tried pushing that frequency yesterday and with approximately max vcore of 1.392 and while it was perfectly stable in games, stress test like AIDA64 locked my computer at a 32 minutes mark with CPU ave cores temp max at 70C.
I've defaulted all DIGI+ settings to defaults so I am only playing with the offset (which is at +0.050 at the moment)
The lockup indicates it does not get enough juice?

4.5Ghz should be cake, unless you really lost the Silicon lottery.

Mine hits 4.8 right up at the safe voltage limit, from memory (but I will have to check exact settings, and configuration at home) if I push a tiny bit above that, I can hit a stable 5.0, but long term it might result in degradation, so I go back and forth based on how risk averse I feel at the time. CPU HAS lasted 4 years at these clocks, so it can't be THAT bad.

I will say that ti does dump out A LOT of heat at these settings though. After a while at load it will make a room hot during even the coldest winter day...

My cooling is H110i GTX.

I keep bclk at factory. My experience is that it isn't worth messing with. Gains there are limited, and stability is difficult to come by.

I also keep RAM at stock 1866. I haven't found the gains to be worth overclocking the ram.

Zarathustra[H];1041831715 said:

4.5Ghz should be cake, unless you really lost the Silicon lottery.

Mine hits 4.8 right up at the safe voltage limit, from memory (but I will have to check exact settings, and configuration at home) if I push a tiny bit above that, I can hit a stable 5.0, but long term it might result in degradation, so I go back and forth based on how risk averse I feel at the time. CPU HAS lasted 4 years at these clocks, so it can't be THAT bad.

I will say that ti does dump out A LOT of heat at these settings though. After a while at load it will make a room hot during even the coldest winter day...

My cooling is H110i GTX.

I keep bclk at factory. My experience is that it isn't worth messing with. Gains there are limited, and stability is difficult to come by.

I also keep RAM at stock 1866. I haven't found the gains to be worth overclocking the ram.

Click to expand...

Great!
What is your vcore for 4.8GHz? Mine seems not quite stable during AIDA64 stress test at 1.392 so may need to go over 1.4? Computer freezes after around 30 minutes of stressing. I assume gaming wont stress the CPU nearly as hard so that may be fine.
Will 4.8GHz cause a speedy degradation? and if so, what time frame we're talking about approximately? I may revert back to 4.6GHz if 4.8GHz is too painful on the CPU's lifespan. I also use the C states and have the processor throttles down to 1.2GHz when idle so that keeps the temperatures VERY comfortable at around 35C ave between all cores.

cheezare said:

Great!
What is your vcore for 4.8GHz? Mine seems not quite stable during AIDA64 stress test at 1.392 so may need to go over 1.4? Computer freezes after around 30 minutes of stressing. I assume gaming wont stress the CPU nearly as hard so that may be fine.
Will 4.8GHz cause a speedy degradation? and if so, what time frame we're talking about approximately? I may revert back to 4.6GHz if 4.8GHz is too painful on the CPU's lifespan. I also use the C states and have the processor throttles down to 1.2GHz when idle so that keeps the temperatures VERY comfortable at around 35C ave between all cores.

Click to expand...

I'm posting based on memory, as I haven't looked at it for a while. Let me get home from work and check to make sure.

I believe 4.8 is stable at ~1.42v for me. From my recollection anything 1.45v or lower is safe, provided you have adequate cooling. Above 1.45 I believe you risk degradation. Again, I'd have to check on this.

The 2 chips I had before back at my old work place were shit clockers above 4.7ish ghz, one of them would not budge above 4.7ish even at 1.42vcore and the other 3930k can do 4.8 max at 1.46vcore and it was not worth risking it. (Though it was able to hit 6.1ghz at -60'C once the phase change cooling system was used but at a scary vcore).

It's a hit and miss with the old 2011 S-B Hexacore's. The 3960 and 3970x fair bit better. Surprisingly even my own 3820 I'm currently using is actually pretty good and stable at a 4.625ghz clock with only blck strap adjusted.

Zarathustra[H];1041831793 said:

I'm posting based on memory, as I haven't looked at it for a while. Let me get home from work and check to make sure.

I believe 4.8 is stable at ~1.42v for me. From my recollection anything 1.45v or lower is safe, provided you have adequate cooling. Above 1.45 I believe you risk degradation. Again, I'd have to check on this.

Click to expand...

So, my voltage was a little higher than I remembered

That being said, mine has been running at these voltages for YEARS without any degradation. Your mileage may vary though. Just like some chips clock higher than others, some chips also tolerate higher volts without damage than others.

Mine has been an absolute trooper though. It is stable at 1.5Ghz, but the voltage sneaks past 1.5 then. I DID run it at that for a long time without damage, but it was hotter and louder. 4.8Ghz is good enough for now.

Thanks for posting your setup! Appreciate it. Are you running this voltage as manual or offset?
My goal is to make it ramp up voltage as it needs i, thats why I am sticking with offset but some people suggested same can be achieved with manual voltage. I just do not know how

It seems I am stable at 4.8GHz @1.392V (+offset 0.050V) at full load. I stress tested for over and hour with no issues. 2 cores maxed at 72C at full load but just for a glimpse.
I tried going lower with 0.040V offset (around 1.386V) but that froze my system at full load. I suppose this is as low as i go?

Zarathustra[H];1041832726 said:

Mine has been an absolute trooper though. It is stable at 1.5Ghz, but the voltage sneaks past 1.5 then. I DID run it at that for a long time without damage, but it was hotter and louder. 4.8Ghz is good enough for now.

Click to expand...

1.5GHZ? Sheesh that's fast ain't it....

cheezare said:

It seems I am stable at 4.8GHz @1.392V (+offset 0.050V) at full load. I stress tested for over and hour with no issues. 2 cores maxed at 72C at full load but just for a glimpse.
I tried going lower with 0.040V offset (around 1.386V) but that froze my system at full load. I suppose this is as low as i go?

Click to expand...

1 hour of stress test isn't enough. 12-24 hours of IBT or whatever the newest and well regarded stress test programs should be used. Also note I've had overclock's stable for 12 hours through Prime 95, OCCT 3.1 and IBT but as soon as I play a game or so the overclock blue screens the PC, so once you find the sweet spot you have to thoroughly test it using as little vcore as you can.

Ok thanks. I will keep stressing it further. I played a game yesterday which is CPU demanding and it went well. So 1.392V is a good point to be at? IF it passes further stress tests

i run mine at 4.5 1.275v i used to run it at 4.8 at 1.35 5g took 1.42 but my mb died and my new mb i cant get it to be 100% stable over 4.5 as my mob under v like crazy at load so to get 1.35v load i have to set 1.475 which i did not want to go that high.

if you take you chip form stock to 4.5 their is nothing it cant handle well which is sad being how old they are

Thanks,
4.8 at 1.392 wasn't stable after all, it froze randomly, rarely though, without any load on it ... which is odd. I tried giving it 1.43 and that didnt do it. I since dropped to 4.7GHz and so far, I THINK, is ok, but only time will tell.

I told you so.