i7 3770K 4.9 GHz - Safe Voltage?

[TheDigitalRealm]

So, after sorting out problems with the H100i's LGA 115X mounting bracket being loose, (I put an extra 1-2mm of thickness on the rear mounting bracket, which led to the bracket holding the Copper Block/Pump being held closer to the processor. Now the bracket no longer has any "wiggle room" and is a tighter fit on the motherboard. It was a very "ghetto" job. I cut up the Elder scrolls Online sticker that came with Skyrim Legendary Edition and layered it on. I'll post the temperatures I was getting before, and what I got after fiddling with the mounting bracket. 

 

So, after some hours spent over-clocking, I've reached 4.9 GHz and am currently running AIDA64 as I type this. These are the results I've gotten: 4.6GHz @ 1.17V, 4.7GHz @ 1.19V, 4.8GHz @ 1.21V, 4.9GHz @ 1.27V I may try and reach 5GHz later @ 1.29V, but if I can't reach 5GHz under 1.3V then I won't bother. I'm going for it!

 

So this was taken from the stability test I'm currently running: 5GHz @ 1.32V

 

This was before I fiddled with the H100i mounting, and the temperatures were higher at stock clocks than now at 4.9 GHz!

 

[Izaya Orihara]

Yep. Good oc. 

[DarrenP]

Those are amazing voltages man! Good chip!

[Cacao]

Nice! What kind of stress testing did you do?

[BloodWithIce]

I hope you are just benching. Keeping that oc 24/7 would be really dangerous for your cpu.

[TheDigitalRealm]

Those are amazing voltages man! Good chip!

Thanks! I was so worried because I'd gotten these results on my last board, but was getting terrible results on my H100i. It's a great cooler, but the mounting for the mainstream sockets is crappy.

I was going to build a completely new system this year, and sell my current system to help fund it...but I don't think I can part with this chip now...

Nice! What kind of stress testing did you do?

Those screenshots and the posted results are all from stress testing in AIDA64. For me a chip is "gaming stable" if it can manage a good 6 hour AIDA64 stress test, AS WELL AS handle the most CPU intensive games for a 4 hour sitting. I've found that chips that pass 12 hours in AIDA64 or Prime95 have still crashed in games due to the way said game puts load on the CPU. Now I include a play-through of Metro-Last Light or Crysis 2, since during testing, those games in particular make the system crash.

I hope you are just benching. Keeping that oc 24/7 would be really dangerous for your cpu.

No, this is just benching. The general rule of thumb is anything below 1.3V is safe, but I've yet to read on how the actual frequency of the chip affects longevity, so even though this is at 1.265V, I don't plan on running this as my 24/7 OC.

I think my 24/7 OC will be 4.7GHz @ 1.19V

[Antistatic12]

mate that's nice. If you can go under 1.3 for 5GHz that's good.

[TheDigitalRealm]

mate that's nice. If you can go under 1.3 for 5GHz that's good.

Do you think I should try it? 

[nj4ck]

Do you think I should try it? 

Go for it. I'm on haswell running 4.4 GHz @1.36V. Bum chip,  but my temps are still acceptable (H100i - max. 72°C in Aida64) and it's been running smoothly for a while now. If you can get to 5 GHz without even reaching 1.3V, that would be amazing.

[Mitrailleuse]

that's a 1 in a 1000 chip...

[TheDigitalRealm]

that's a 1 in a 1000 chip...

I've actually had decent luck with Ivy Bridge. My last i7 3770K (sold it) was able to reach 4.8GHz, albeit at a much higher 1.255V compared with 1.21V on this chip. 

[nokturrduk84]

These are awesome voltages. Good chip indeed. I managed to overclock my cpu to 4.9GHz with 1.330 v.

But couldn't find stable voltage for 5.0GHz

If you want good temperatures, you should get open loop water cooling system.

Also I suggest you doing this only for benchmarks, otherwise it gonna reduce the health of your CPU.

[Antistatic12]

Do you think I should try it? 

Yes, yes and yes.

[TheDigitalRealm]

These are awesome voltages. Good chip indeed. I managed to overclock my cpu to 4.9GHz with 1.310 v.

But couldn't find stable voltage for 5.0GHz

If you want good temperatures, you should get open loop water cooling system.

Also I suggest you doing this only for benchmarks, otherwise it gonna reduce the health of your CPU.

Yes, this is purely just to explore the limits of my CPU. I'll probably run it @ 4.0GHz @ 1.12V until Star Citizen comes out, then run it at 4.7GHz @ 1.19V

 

I definitely plan on doing a custom loop this year. This chip has awesome thermals, so much so that I think the H100i is the limiting factor, when historically with Ivy Bridge the Thermal Paste under the IHS was very much the limiting factor. 

[nokturrduk84]

Yes, this is purely just to explore the limits of my CPU. I'll probably run it @ 4.0GHz @ 1.12V until Star Citizen comes out, then run it at 4.7GHz @ 1.19V

 

I definitely plan on doing a custom loop this year. This chip has awesome thermals, so much so that I think the H100i is the limiting factor, when historically with Ivy Bridge the Thermal Paste under the IHS was very much the limiting factor. 

I wrote not correct volt in my previous post & edited it. After checking the screenshot it seems I gave 1.330v for 4.9GHz.

[TheDigitalRealm]

I wrote not correct volt in my previous post & edited it. After checking the screenshot it seems I gave 1.330v for 4.9GHz.

Just to have a chip that will actually run @ 4.9 GHz at all is incredible. Some don't accept a higher frequency than 4.7 no matter the voltage. The Silicon lottery is curious indeed.

[nokturrduk84]

Just to have a chip that will actually run @ 4.9 GHz at all is incredible. Some don't accept a higher frequency than 4.7 no matter the voltage. The Silicon lottery is curious indeed.

Agree, we both have good chips

[Cwazywazy]

Kinda off topic, but how is anything over 1.3v dangerous for that chip? I've had the P4 system I threw together over 1.6v and it was just fine. (No, it didn't overheat. It automatically shuts off at 180F.)

[TheDigitalRealm]

Kinda off topic, but how is anything over 1.3v dangerous for that chip? I've had the P4 system I threw together over 1.6v and it was just fine. (No, it didn't overheat. It automatically shuts off at 180F.)

That's an older generation chip, which is a very different beast. With IvyB and Haswell, you risk seriously reducing the life-span of the CPU with voltages of 1.3 or higher. That seems to be the general rule anyway. 

[TheDigitalRealm]

I'm currently running AIDA64 to test 5.0GHz @ 1.31V

[topsu]

That's an older generation chip, which is a very different beast. With IvyB and Haswell, you risk seriously reducing the life-span of the CPU with voltages of 1.3 or higher. That seems to be the general rule anyway. 

 

But anyways if cpu lasts four years instead ten I would be ok with that.

[TheDigitalRealm]

But anyways if cpu lasts four years instead ten I would be ok with that.

 

With a chip like mine, running @ 4.6 or 4.7 GHz probably isn't going to reduce the life-span by any meaningful amount due to the fact that it's extremely efficient with a given voltage applied, and as far as I know, accepts high voltages too. 

[TheDigitalRealm]

After the stability testing, I'll run a slew of benchmarks with my maximum stable over-clocks for you guys.  

[Cwazywazy]

That's an older generation chip, which is a very different beast. With IvyB and Haswell, you risk seriously reducing the life-span of the CPU with voltages of 1.3 or higher. That seems to be the general rule anyway. 

I understand that, but I thought that as long as it didn't overheat higher voltages would be just fine..

[TheDigitalRealm]

I understand that, but I thought that as long as it didn't overheat higher voltages would be just fine..

Nope, It's both Voltage and Heat that contribute to killing a chip. Even if the high voltage doesn't make your chip particularly hot, it can still prematurely age the chip.