Complete new to overclocking cpu

[Jeffa]

Hey guys!

 

Today I plan to overclock my cpu which is a 8700k. I do not know what to do and how to start. 

I know that I should download cpu benchmarks programs to test stability. The only thing I have downloaded is a HWmonitor

Which programs should I download?

Maybe you guys can suggest me a reliable video since this might be a lot of explaining.

 

Specs

8700k

z390 phantom gaming 6

antec earthwatts 650w

 

[aezakmi]

#1 Rule is: if you don't need to overclock, then don't, if it's for games that CPU can run them all at stock speed paired with any graphics card.

[Bas1k]

25 minutes ago, aezakmi said:

#1 Rule is: if you don't need to overclock, then don't, if it's for games that CPU can run them all at stock speed paired with any graphics card.

lol, why wouldn't he if he paid for what he got

[Cyracus]

Usually best to start by reading overclocking guides for your chipset or cpu generation. start here https://www.tweaktown.com/guides/8481/coffee-lake-overclocking-guide/index.html

[Emberstone]

1 hour ago, aezakmi said:

#1 Rule is: if you don't need to overclock, then don't, if it's for games that CPU can run them all at stock speed paired with any graphics card.

It'll run them, but overclocking will make them run better. That's why we overclock. If he bought a K-type CPU, then he absolutely should since he paid for the ability to do so. Overclocking ain't some scary backwater thing anymore.

 

As for overclocking, just start at something low like 4.7 GHz and 1.25v, and start increasing frequency (4.8 -> 4.9 -> 5.0 ... etc.), and stress with something like AIDA64 for like 20 minutes between increments to see if you get an immediate crash. If you crash, you'll need to either lower frequency or increase voltage. Doing either will increase temperature. Once your temps start passing 80 C, I'd stop the overclock there and back off maybe 100 MHz to stop you from getting too hot. Every time you make a change, stress test to ensure stability.

 

I personally step the voltage in 0.25v increments every time I need more, and once I think I've got my max overclock I'll try to get the voltage closer to the exact amount I need to keep it stable. Don't increase voltage past 1.35v on Intel CPU's in my opinion if you want something that'll last for a long, long time.

 

That's really all there is to it.

 

Increase frequency till you crash, then increase voltage until it's stable. Repeat until you get too hot, hit maximum safe voltage (1.35v), or until you're unstable no matter what.

 

If you're getting too hot, back off on frequency and the voltage until you're back in good temperatures, then dial in exact voltage you need to keep it stable. If you're just straight-up unstable at X frequency, back off on frequency first and then dial in the voltage you need to keep it stable.

 

Aim for the highest frequency you can run at the lowest voltage possible in safe temperatures.

[Jeffa]

25 minutes ago, Emberstone said:

It'll run them, but overclocking will make them run better. That's why we overclock. If he bought a K-type CPU, then he absolutely should since he paid for the ability to do so. Overclocking ain't some scary backwater thing anymore.

 

As for overclocking, just start at something low like 4.7 GHz and 1.25v, and start increasing frequency (4.8 -> 4.9 -> 5.0 ... etc.), and stress with something like AIDA64 for like 20 minutes between increments to see if you get an immediate crash. If you crash, you'll need to either lower frequency or increase voltage. Doing either will increase temperature. Once your temps start passing 80 C, I'd stop the overclock there and back off maybe 100 MHz to stop you from getting too hot. Every time you make a change, stress test to ensure stability.

 

I personally step the voltage in 0.25v increments every time I need more, and once I think I've got my max overclock I'll try to get the voltage closer to the exact amount I need to keep it stable. Don't increase voltage past 1.35v on Intel CPU's in my opinion if you want something that'll last for a long, long time.

 

That's really all there is to it.

 

Increase frequency till you crash, then increase voltage until it's stable. Repeat until you get too hot, hit maximum safe voltage (1.35v), or until you're unstable no matter what.

 

If you're getting too hot, back off on frequency and the voltage until you're back in good temperatures, then dial in exact voltage you need to keep it stable. If you're just straight-up unstable at X frequency, back off on frequency first and then dial in the voltage you need to keep it stable.

 

Aim for the highest frequency you can run at the lowest voltage possible in safe temperatures.

o I thought people use cinebench to test if its stable.

For the frequency and core voltage, how do i adjust it?

Also for the voltage, since your saying 0.25v, are you saying from like 1.25 to like 1.50v?

[Wormhole]

1 hour ago, Jeffa said:

o I thought people use cinebench to test if its stable.

For the frequency and core voltage, how do i adjust it?

Also for the voltage, since your saying 0.25v, are you saying from like 1.25 to like 1.50v?

CPU frequency is called CPU Multiplier.

Let's say for example you want 4.8 GHz then you'd put 48 into the CPU Multiplier to get 4.8 GHz.

 

CPU Voltage is called VCore

He means 1.25 to 1.275v, 0.025v increments.

 

1.5v would probably damage or kill the CPU.

Edited February 8, 2019 by Wormhole

[Emberstone]

7 hours ago, Jeffa said:

Also for the voltage, since your saying 0.25v, are you saying from like 1.25 to like 1.50v? 

 

6 hours ago, Wormhole said:

CPU Voltage is called VCore

He means 1.25 to 1.275v, 0.025v increments.

  

1.5v would probably damage or kill the CPU. 

You are correct, I meant 0.025v. Just a brain fart is all.

 

However once you think you've gotten close to your max overclock, you should get a bit more precise than simple 0.025v steps.

 

I had my R5-1600X at 1.337v for a 4.0 GHz overclock, for example. The smallest step down my Mobo would let me take was to 1.331v, and that was unstable. I think each increment on that board was 0.00625v? Anyway, you get the idea.

 

More sweeping adjustments till you figure out where your temperature ceiling/stability threshold is, then get precise to make it perfect.

[Mister Woof]

Before we start going into overclocking, let's take a look at that PSU.

 

Is that thing over 10 years old?

 

My recommendation is to get a quality unit first, then talk about overclocking.

 

The last thing you want to is start increasing power demands on a questionable PSU and then have it kapow and take all your new parts along with it.

[RAM555789]

8 hours ago, Jeffa said:

o I thought people use cinebench to test if its stable.

For the frequency and core voltage, how do i adjust it?

Also for the voltage, since your saying 0.25v, are you saying from like 1.25 to like 1.50v?

Cinebench is a good quick test, but it's more for benchmarks. AIDA64 puts realistic workloads under your CPU to make sure it stable.

[Jeffa]

7 hours ago, Plutosaurus said:

Before we start going into overclocking, let's take a look at that PSU.

 

Is that thing over 10 years old?

 

My recommendation is to get a quality unit first, then talk about overclocking.

 

The last thing you want to is start increasing power demands on a questionable PSU and then have it kapow and take all your new parts along with it.

the psu is 2 months old and is a  tier 2 psu Antec Earthwatts Gold Pro Series 650 watts

[Jeffa]

8 hours ago, Emberstone said:

 

You are correct, I meant 0.025v. Just a brain fart is all.

 

However once you think you've gotten close to your max overclock, you should get a bit more precise than simple 0.025v steps.

 

I had my R5-1600X at 1.337v for a 4.0 GHz overclock, for example. The smallest step down my Mobo would let me take was to 1.331v, and that was unstable. I think each increment on that board was 0.00625v? Anyway, you get the idea.

 

More sweeping adjustments till you figure out where your temperature ceiling/stability threshold is, then get precise to make it perfect.

Do you know what settings i should change in the bios or a reliable video to start this overclocking?

[Mister Woof]

1 minute ago, Jeffa said:

the psu is 2 months old and is a  tier 2 psu Antec Earthwatts Gold Pro Series 650 watts

You were pretty vague about it; the earthwatts 650 is also the name of an ancient low quality model

[Slayerking92]

Depending on the motherboard,  all i did is press the OC button on mine, 5.2 on all cores and stable.

[Cyracus]

18 hours ago, Jeffa said:

o I thought people use cinebench to test if its stable

Ltt suggests using blender to test cpu stability, but aida64, intel burn test, and ROG realbench are some other stress tests, tends to pay off using a couple stress tests because they tend to hammer the cpu differently, only 1 stress test at a time though

 

[Emberstone]

5 hours ago, Slayerking92 said:

Depending on the motherboard,  all i did is press the OC button on mine, 5.2 on all cores and stable.

Uh, make sure your mobo isn't frying it with too much voltage. Auto-overclock utilities have been known to overvolt and slowly kill CPU's over time. I saw a thing where someone found out it was pushing 1.5v through his brand new 1800X and it died in a month.

 

If it's above 1.35v, might wanna back down a bit.

[Mister Woof]

Just now, Emberstone said:

Uh, make sure your mobo isn't frying it with too much voltage. Auto-overclock utilities have been known to overvolt and slowly kill CPU's over time. I saw a thing where someone found out it was pushing 1.5v through his brand new 1800X and it died in a month.

 

If it's above 1.35v, might wanna back down a bit.

 

Gigabyte set mine in automatic 5ghz and it set it to 1.425v LOL

 

I manually get it at 1.355

[Jeffa]

On 2/8/2019 at 4:16 PM, Emberstone said:

Uh, make sure your mobo isn't frying it with too much voltage. Auto-overclock utilities have been known to overvolt and slowly kill CPU's over time. I saw a thing where someone found out it was pushing 1.5v through his brand new 1800X and it died in a month.

 

If it's above 1.35v, might wanna back down a bit.

So i did tests on prime95 1.28v at 4.7ghz is stable. Tried 4.8 at 3.1v, was almost stable :(, dont wanna incr ase volts anymore since using a air cooler. But did heard that if i stress test it on aida64 i can easily get 5ghz because prime95 more intense but will aida64 be a good test for stable clocks?

[Mister Woof]

59 minutes ago, Jeffa said:

So i did tests on prime95 1.28v at 4.7ghz is stable. Tried 4.8 at 3.1v, was almost stable :(, dont wanna incr ase volts anymore since using a air cooler. But did heard that if i stress test it on aida64 i can easily get 5ghz because prime95 more intense but will aida64 be a good test for stable clocks?

I'm of the opinion that "stable" varies. Something could be stable in all of the most demanding stress tests then crash in whatever it is you specifically need to do.

 

If it's stable for what you are using the PC for, I think that should be considered "stable enough" and call it a day.

 

I use A64 and Realbench for quick 1 hour tests. If it passes that, then on to real life applications. If there's no crashes in whatever I'm doing, then I'm good.

[Jeffa]

1 hour ago, Plutosaurus said:

I'm of the opinion that "stable" varies. Something could be stable in all of the most demanding stress tests then crash in whatever it is you specifically need to do.

 

If it's stable for what you are using the PC for, I think that should be considered "stable enough" and call it a day.

 

I use A64 and Realbench for quick 1 hour tests. If it passes that, then on to real life applications. If there's no crashes in whatever I'm doing, then I'm good.

Since i am coming from prime 95, how do i stress test on a64, what do i check and uncheck, also should i do small test like 15 minutes so that i can increase clocks and the final test be an hour to see if its fully stable