Thanks for the heads-up, DB.
Maikurosofuto,
I've reviewed each post in this thread, so to summarize, here's where you seem to be at:
i7- 10700K
5.1Ghz All Cores
79°C
LLC4
Adaptive Vcore, Offset - 0.105V (1.326V Peak running Prime95)
P95, AIDA64, CineBench R20, RealBench
• Stable using IETU Settings
• Unstable with IETU Settings in BIOS
Overclocking requires that we minimize as many variables as possible, of which there are dozens. So in order to compare apples to apples, we must always be
very specific. Unless you're accustomed to closely observing the relationships between Core voltage, power consumption, V/F curves and thermal behavior, using both numerical values as well as graphical patterns, most users don't realize how various utilities and their assorted tests can differ drastically in the nature of the workloads they impose on a processor, which can dramatically affect stability.
“Stress” tests vary widely and can be characterized into two categories;
stability tests which are
fluctuating workloads, and
thermal tests which are
steady workloads. Prime95 v29.8 Small FFTs
(AVX disabled) is ideally suited for testing power consumption and thermal performance, because it conforms to Intel's Datasheets as a
steady-state 100% workload. You can also use v26.6 Small FFTs, which is an identical workload, but without any AVX code. (
As per Intel's Datasheets,
TDP and Thermal Specifications are validated without AVX.)
Utilities that don't
overload or
underload your processor will give you valid power and thermal baselines. Here’s a comparison of utilities grouped as
thermal and
stability tests according to % of TDP, averaged across six processor Generations at stock settings rounded to the nearest 5%:
Although these tests range from
70% to 130% TDP workload, Windows Task Manager interprets every test as
100% CPU Utilization, which is processor resource activity,
NOT actual workload.
Core temperatures respond directly to Power consumption (Watts), which is driven by Core voltage and workload. Prime95 v29.8 Small FFTs
(AVX disabled) provides a
steady 100% workload, even when TDP is exceeded by overclocking. (The topic of TDP is another involved discussion, which for the purposes of this thread, is unnecessary and will likely confuse the issue).
As you can see from the scale, Intel Extreme Tuning Utility is a fluctuating workload that's only about 80%. Conversely, AIDA64 has 4 CPU related stress test selections (CPU, FPU, Cache, Memory) which have
15 possible combinations that yield
15 different workloads and Core temperatures. That's a lot of variables and inconsistencies, which may explain when you plug IETU settings into BIOS, why utilities with heavier workloads crash. The vast majority of users don't specify exactly
which test(s) they ran, nor do they typically mention ambient room temperature (normal is 22°C), which can as well be a HUGE variable.
Concerning LLC (Load Line Calibration); the purpose is to compensate for the difference between the "set" no load Core voltage in BIOS and the actual Core voltage when under a 100% workload. For example, if a wall socket in your house is probed with a voltmeter, then a very high load such as air conditioning switches on, you'll see the voltage "sag" by a volt or two, which is normal and expected. The same applies to processors, which is know as "Vdroop". Even the highest quality PSUs and efficient motherboard VRMs are affected.
When adjusting LLC, the goal is to find a setting which allows the Core voltage in Windows during a steady-state 100% workload to match the Core voltage set in BIOS. Intel intends that there should be at least a minimal sag or "undershoot", but any surge or "overshoot" is
not recommended for CPU longevity. Motherboards with tight VRM regulation may vary by as little as 16 to 24mv, which, for example, means if BIOS is set for 1.260, then 100% workload in Windows should ideally vary from ~ 1.244 to 1.236. Keep in mind that since Vcore
settings are in 5mv (.005) increments, but the resulting
values are in 8mv (.008) increments, you will find that certain settings will cause the values in Windows to "toggle" between voltages more than others.
When workloads spike higher due to processing dense segments of code, power consumption also spikes higher which causes Core voltage to momentarily spike lower or "sag". It's during these moments of lower Vcore when the processor is most vulnerable to BSOD crashes. Therefore, when adjusting Core voltage and LLC in BIOS, it's critical to closely observe Core voltage behavior in Windows. A better method to successfully accomplish this task with the least amount of frustration is to run a steady-state 100% workload, which refers back to Prime95 v29.8 Small FFTs with all AVX test selections disabled.
When used in conjunction with HWiNFO, if you right-click on parameters such as Vcore, Package Power and Package Temperature (typically the hottest Core), it will open a graph for each, which will allow you to expand your view beyond the blinders of numerical values and take advantage of "the big picture". You can't expect to make these critical adjustments accurately when running fluctuating workloads that look like a bad day on the stock market.
After you've found the most ideal LLC setting, you can then move on to stability testing with fluctuating workloads.
Here's how different workloads look on a graph:
Shown above from left to right: Small FFTs, Blend, Linpack and IntelBurn Test.
Note the
steady-state signature of Small FFTs, which allows accurate measurements of power consumption, Core voltage and Core temperatures.
A steady 100% workload is key for testing so the CPU, cooler, socket, motherboard and voltage regulator modules can thermally stabilize.
Being fully aware of your test conditions and minimizing the variables involved will help you to achieve stability. As
Phaaze88 has already been pointed out, although Silicon Lottery provides examples of various Core voltages used for different overclocking combinations, they're also specific regarding their QVL and test conditions. They also state that beyond Core voltage, LLC and AVX offsets, other BIOS adjustments such as PLL, SA and I/O voltages, Uncore or Ring ratio are typically unnecessary. To experienced overclockers, this suggests that for your overclock, which is not unreasonable, higher Vcore should be all that's needed.
As
Unolocogringo and
Karadjgne have observed, we know that since your RAM is somewhat less than a matched set, it introduces yet another set of variables. So to rule out RAM stability issues, while testing CPU overclock stability it's standard procedure to approach CPU overclocking and RAM overclocking separately;
not simultaneously. I suggest that you run your RAM at stock settings,
not XMP.
After you achieve a stable CPU overclock, you can later tweak RAM settings, but beware that
unstable RAM is the most expedient way to corrupt your software, which my esteemed colleague,
Darkbreeze, has very clearly and adamantly emphasized. As such, since BSOD crashes are an inevitable part of the overclocking process, always perform a full system backup prior to conducting
any overclocking endeavors.
Although you're running the latest version of IETU, here's a link to the latest version of its successor,
Intel® Performance Maximizer for 10th Generation Intel® Core™ Processors. Not to introduce further variables, but you might want to give it a try instead of IETU.
You might also want to read my
Intel Temperature Guide. Section 8 covers Overclocking and Voltage. Just click on the link in my signature.
CT
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