CPU overclocking using offset voltage

[SickBeast]

Hey have any of you guys ever done this? I'm using a -100mV offset to overclock my Intel 8700k to 4.8ghz. My understanding is that overclocking using this technique lowers all the various Speedstep voltages by -100mV also, which could affect CPU stability at idle or during light workloads when it automatically downclocks to save on power.

Is there a way for me to stability test each of these various frequencies?

If any of you guys know how to do this I would appreciate it. I like how the offset method gives lower idle power consumption.

 

[jthomas]

I've used offsets to OC a bunch, but mostly in the positive direction and I'm also on fairly old hardware atm so there may be newer caveats that I'm not aware of. But, you're correct in the understanding that applying an offset will generally affect every individual voltage level (VID) across the whole range, which may possibly cause an idle/low load instability with negative offsets, particularly if you also use high LLC settings.

As far as stability testing the lower VID and load conditions, I personally just take the "use the computer doing whatever I normally do and see what happens" approach. If I got crashes/weirdness with a negative offset at low load then I just bump it up a little until stuff acts stable again.

You could use power plan settings or some other method to lock to the lower frequencies and stress test them that way, but that would still only be testing the low freq state with a high load. I don't know any specific reliable way to test stability under "idle" conditions other than what I said above (which probably isn't exactly "reliable").

 

[SmokeRngs]

I can't speak to the Intel side as the newest Intel I have is a Q6600 but for a time I was using the Wraith Spire with my Ryzen 2600x and used a negative offset to get the temps down a bit. I never ran into any issues with stability at any CPU load but it did lower my boost frequencies when under light to moderate load. Once the stock heatsink was replaced with a CM Hyper 212 EVO there wasn't any reason to use the offset anymore. I was not and am not using a manual overclock but simply allowing the CPU to boost itself.

 

[chameleoneel]

Hey have any of you guys ever done this? I'm using a -100mV offset to overclock my Intel 8700k to 4.8ghz. My understanding is that overclocking using this technique lowers all the various Speedstep voltages by -100mV also, which could affect CPU stability at idle or during light workloads when it automatically downclocks to save on power.

Is there a way for me to stability test each of these various frequencies?

If any of you guys know how to do this I would appreciate it. I like how the offset method gives lower idle power consumption.

offset is another tool. It can help 'offset' a power supply which doesn't keep a tight consistant voltage. And it can also help offset overshoot or undershoot from LLC (Load Line Calibration).