Overclocking i7 4790k

[v0id]

I'm the biggest noob when it comes to overclocking. I understand the mechanics and the reason, but have NEVER attempted it myself. I've seen multiple beginner guides online but want to touch base with a community that I've come to respect for their insight (you guys). Also, I couldn't find one on the forums. If there is please link me to it and we can end the discussion right now. If there isn't, I have a couple questions about overclocking my processor.

 

1. Do I try to overclock in BIOS or when I'm already in Windows? Is one better or safer than the other?
2. Either way, what do I increase? Voltage? BCLK? Multiplier? 
3. Does the overclock stay even if I'm at idle or doing very light tasks?
4. Is there a real-world benefit in games or is just for showing off how far you can go?
5. Finally, what speed should I shoot for as a noob?

I have a Kraken x61, bought for its looks I'm afraid, and I'd like to actually put it to good use. I have an ASUS Sabertooth motherboard. My reason for doing this is the lag I experience in Rome Total War II (I like huge armies), which I've read is very CPU intense. I got a 980Ti so I know that isn't being bottlenecked; I'm thinking if I up my processor I can get better results.

 

Advice?

[v0id]

Just found some vids and a thread already devoted to this, so I guess I'll give it a try. But if someone has something to add feel free. Thanks, can't believe I missed this thread! 

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/528557-overclocking-i7-4790k-on-msi-gaming-7-mobo/

[Interfectorem]

1) I highly recommend overclocking through the BIOS.

2) For a beginner, you only need need to worry about Vcore (Voltage) and the Multiplier. Since you have a beefy cooler, I would recommend setting a static 1.3v and a multiplier of 45 (45x100 <-(BCLK) = 4.5 GHz)

3)Yes, well it can depend on settings chosen in BIOS

4) Depends on the game, but yes. 

5) I would try 4.5 GHz and go up from there

 

You have an ASUS motherboard, so there's a plethora of overclocking tutorials out there that use the ASUS UEFI BIOS in their tutorials, so it should be easy to learn.

[beneficialq]

1. ALWAYS OC from the bios

2. Start by increasing the multiplier one by one, and increase voltage if the system becomes unstable if you are increasing the bclk

3. If you increase the multiplier it will remain the same as it is now at idle,

4. There is real world beninfits, in cpu intensive tasks

5. However high as you are comfortable with, just do not go over 1.5 volts on the cpu.

[AresKrieger]

1. Bios is what I'd do

2 Multiplier for k skews, voltage if you know what your doing for better overclocks (you don't)

3. No if you have you clock lower while idle already (and don't touch bclk)

4. Not if you don't already push the cpu

5. 4.5 can be acieived without any effort at all, you could easily do better but eh it's something

[Jacktastic-Mofo]

First off which cooler do you have?

Also this should be an easy OC to get, go into your BIOS and set your CPU voltage to 1.3v and your core multiplier to 45 and you should have a stable 4.5Ghz, then keep bumping your multiplier up until it's unstable while stress testing.

[v0id]

First off which cooler do you have?

Also this should be an easy OC to get, go into your BIOS and set your CPU voltage to 1.3v and your core multiplier to 45 and you should have a stable 4.5Ghz, then keep bumping your multiplier up until it's unstable while stress testing.

 

Kraken x61. If I do that and get 4.5GHz, does that become it's new stock clock or turbo? Like if I'm just sitting there, it won't be pumping away at 4.5GHz right?

[afyeung]

Kraken x61. If I do that and get 4.5GHz, does that become it's new stock clock or turbo? Like if I'm just sitting there, it won't be pumping away at 4.5GHz right?

Its your max clock. when you're not doing much it'll drop down to 1000mhz or something like that

[Jacktastic-Mofo]

Kraken x61. If I do that and get 4.5GHz, does that become it's new stock clock or turbo? Like if I'm just sitting there, it won't be pumping away at 4.5GHz right?

It'll boost up to 4.5Ghz unless you have the performance mode set to High Performance. The x61 should be able to get 4.5Ghz easily, and maybe even 4.6 or 4.7Ghz.

[v0id]

Its your max clock. when you're not doing much it'll drop down to 1000mhz or something like that

 

Ok so of I'm understanding this correctly, when I set the multiplier to something different I'm more or less letting the CPU know how far to go in terms of speed. So it has a 'new' max speed it can achieve based on what multiplier I set it to. That sound right?

[afyeung]

Ok so of I'm understanding this correctly, when I set the multiplier to something different I'm more or less letting the CPU know how far to go in terms of speed. So it has a 'new' max speed it can achieve based on what multiplier I set it to. That sound right?

Exactly. Most of the time it'll jump around clocks to save energy. But you can force to to stay at a certain speed all the time in Bios but that just wastes power.

[v0id]

Exactly. Most of the time it'll jump around clocks to save energy. But you can force to to stay at a certain speed all the time in Bios but that just wastes power.

 

Okay. So I set the multiplier in BIOS so I now have achieved 4.7GHz with a voltage of 1.3. I synced all cores too. BIOS is still telling me my stock speed is 4.0GHz, but my new 'turbo speed' is 4.7GHz. Under load (gaming) my temps are almost that when it was on stock, barely topping 60C. Is this a good indicator that I can go a bit further? I feel like 5GHz would be easily attainable since my temps are so good. Also, what formula is there so I'm applying the proper amount of voltage?

[afyeung]

Okay. So I set the multiplier in BIOS so I now have achieved 4.7GHz with a voltage of 1.3. I synced all cores too. BIOS is still telling me my stock speed is 4.0GHz, but my new 'turbo speed' is 4.7GHz. Under load (gaming) my temps are almost that when it was on stock, barely topping 60C. Is this a good indicator that I can go a bit further? I feel like 5GHz would be easily attainable since my temps are so good. Also, what formula is there so I'm applying the proper amount of voltage?

Run prime 95 to test your overclock. Games don't stress the cpu as much. Yeah, you may get by in games, but one day your pc might just crash. 4.7 at 1.3 is extremely good. Make sure it's stable in either Prime 95 or Intel XTU. You bump up your multiplier by x100, the if it's not stable add .025v at a time.

[jcastro_805]

Run prime 95 to test your overclock. Games don't stress the cpu as much. Yeah, you may get by in games, but one day your pc might just crash. 4.7 at 1.3 is extremely good. Make sure it's stable in either Prime 95 or Intel XTU. You bump up your multiplier by x100, the if it's not stable add .025v at a time.

AIDA64 Would be a better tool since it gives you more data about your CPU and is a more reliable tool, as stated in one of Linus's overclocking videos. You don't have to buy it, just use the free trial

[v0id]

Thanks for the assistance guys, I think I got enough to go on for now.