CPU voltage

[Samskip]

So I recently overclocked my i7-870 to 3.85GHz at 1.325V on a Asus p7p55d-e. I enabled speedstep and c1e so it can idle when there's nothing to do.

Now I was wondering why my voltage doesn't go down when the CPU is idling. Is it bad for the cpu or can it damage it when the voltage is always at 1.325V? I have a H100 so temps won't be a problem.

 

I believe that voltage offset reduces voltage when cpu is idling???? Could someone explain what this setting does and how to use it?  

 

Thanks in advance.

[IMA UNICORN]

well 1.5v is usually when cpus get in the danger zone but 1.325 wouldnt be to good for it 24/7, did you over clock using the bios or software such as the intel overclocking utility?

[Samskip]

well 1.5v is usually when cpus get in the danger zone but 1.325 wouldnt be to good for it 24/7, did you over clock using the bios or software such as the intel overclocking utility?

 

I used the bios for overclocking. Anything lower than 1.325 and it would crash while stress testing.

But is there any way I could lower the voltage while the cpu is idling?  (just like the multiplier decreses on idle with speedstep enabled)

[Morfy]

Yes, there is. Overclock using offset voltage, but you'll have to find your voltage again, depending on your offset.

[Maverik5124]

If you use offset voltage for overclocking it does exactly this. I have posted comments about this before. I'll see if I can find it. Or you could look through my comment history

 

 

EDIT: there it is

Now to how offset voltage works:

You get to set an offset (example: +0.05; -0.10). This offset adds or subtracts from the "suggested" voltage for the chip at any given speed. This suggested voltage is called VID. Each chip has different suggested voltages. So basically every time you go to a higher multiplier this "suggested" voltage rises and so your actual voltage will rise too. This is something to keep in mind when going up a few steps at once.

This is also why with an offset voltage you will get lower voltages while idling which will reduce power usage.

[Samskip]

Yes, there is. Overclock using offset voltage, but you'll have to find your voltage again, depending on your offset.

 

 

If you use offset voltage for overclocking it does exactly this. I have posted comments about this before. I'll see if I can find it. Or you could look through my comment history

 

 

EDIT: there it is

Now to how offset voltage works:

You get to set an offset (example: +0.05; -0.10). This offset adds or subtracts from the "suggested" voltage for the chip at any given speed. This suggested voltage is called VID. Each chip has different suggested voltages. So basically every time you go to a higher multiplier this "suggested" voltage rises and so your actual voltage will rise too. This is something to keep in mind when going up a few steps at once.

This is also why with an offset voltage you will get lower voltages while idling which will reduce power usage.

 

Thanks for the help guys

 

I set it to offset in bios, ran prime95 and the votage it came up with was 1.448V. So I went back into the bios and ajusted the offset voltage to -0.125 so that the voltage would be around 1.325 under load, but when the pc booted it almost immedeatly bluescreened. I removed the offset adjustment and I was able to boot agian. Any sugesstions?

[Maverik5124]

Thanks for the help guys

 

I set it to offset in bios, ran prime95 and the votage it came up with was 1.448V. So I went back into the bios and ajusted the offset voltage to -0.125 so that the voltage would be around 1.325 under load, but when the pc booted it almost immedeatly bluescreened. I removed the offset adjustment and I was able to boot agian. Any sugesstions?

What is your llc set to? It sounds like when your cpu clocked down to idle it did not get enough voltage to be stable. If you set your llc lower and increase the offset a bit from -0.125 you should get higher idle voltages and the same load voltage

[Samskip]

What is your llc set to? It sounds like when your cpu clocked down to idle it did not get enough voltage to be stable. If you set your llc lower and increase the offset a bit from -0.125 you should get higher idle voltages and the same load voltage

 

LLC was enabled, but I can't turn it down a bit, the only options I have are: Enabled, Disabled and Auto. And with increasing the offset you mean futher away from zero like -0.135 or closer to zero? (sorry but I'm still kind of a noob in overclocking)

[Maverik5124]

LLC was enabled, but I can't turn it down a bit, the only options I have are: Enabled, Disabled and Auto. And with increasing the offset you mean futher away from zero like -0.135 or closer to zero? (sorry but I'm still kind of a noob in overclocking)

We were all beginners once :P I ment bring it closer to zero. In your case try disabling llc. This should bring down your voltage under load and give you a bit higher idle voltage

[Samskip]

We were all beginners once :P I ment bring it closer to zero. In your case try disabling llc. This should bring down your voltage under load and give you a bit higher idle voltage

 

After some experimenting I got it working. I set the offset voltage up to +0.050V (don't know why it suddenly needed to be so far above zero) so that my load voltage is 1.350V (needed to increase it a bit cause it kept crashing while stress testing) and I turned LLC on. My idle voltage is now 0.950V.  :)

Only need to test it with a 24-48h prime95 run and then I consider my overclock stable.

Thanks for your help.

[Maverik5124]

After some experimenting I got it working. I set the offset voltage up to +0.050V (don't know why it suddenly needed to be so far above zero) so that my load voltage is 1.350V (needed to increase it a bit cause it kept crashing while stress testing) and I turned LLC on. My idle voltage is now 0.950V.  :)

Only need to test it with a 24-48h prime95 run and then I consider my overclock stable.

Thanks for your help.

Glad that you got it working :) it seems weird to me that you need a positive offset though... How are your temps?

[Samskip]

Glad that you got it working :) it seems weird to me that you need a positive offset though... How are your temps?

 

Tems are around 67°C after an hour of OCCT linpack mode.

[Maverik5124]

Tems are around 67°C after an hour of OCCT linpack mode.

Sounds good. Is it stable? Or did you have to up the voltage again?

[Samskip]

Sounds good. Is it stable? Or did you have to up the voltage again?

 

So far its stable at 1.35V, but I'll have to see what happens when I test it with prime.

But what you said earlier, it is kinda weird that I suddenly needed a positive offset. I loaded the setup defaults in the bios the next day, and suddenly a positive offset was required. There must have bin some setting or so that I missed when the offset was still below zero, and what got resetted when I loaded the defaults.

[Maverik5124]

So far its stable at 1.35V, but I'll have to see what happens when I test it with prime.

But what you said earlier, it is kinda weird that I suddenly needed a positive offset. I loaded the setup defaults in the bios the next day, and suddenly a positive offset was required. There must have bin some setting or so that I missed when the offset was still below zero, and what got resetted when I loaded the defaults.

Ya that could be it. But I can't think of a setting that would do this. But I guess you shouldn't worry about it if the voltage and temps are fine. Good luck! I hope it's stable :D