High Vcore voltage on a i5 4690k?

[Heraji]

I'm planning to overclock my 4690k somewhere in the future. However, my core voltage is around 1.139 V on stock while running Prime95.
When is run the CPU stress test in Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool it goes up around 1.129 V.
I use CPU-Z to read the voltage, maybe it's not showing the right voltage? Speccy shows 1.872 V so I know Speccy isn't showing the right numbers.

Is that core voltage normal? How good is the overclock potential of my chip? Should I try some other tool to read the voltage?

My motherboard is an Asus Maximus VII Ranger.

Thanks in advance

EDIT:
I just checked BIOS, here it says:
CPU Core voltage: 1.040 V
CPU Cache voltage: 1.2 V
Initial CPU input voltage: 1.872 V (I believe this is what Speccy is reading)

 

[CompuTronix]

Look at "CPU CORE" in Speccy. Just below it is "MEMORY CONTROLLER" voltage ... don't get them confused.

If your "Core" voltage was 1.300, that would be considered the maximum recommended value.

Which version of Prime95 are you using?

Thanks,

CT

 

[Heraji]

Look at "CPU CORE" in Speccy. Just below it is "MEMORY CONTROLLER" voltage ... don't get them confused.

If your "Core" voltage was 1.300, that would be considered the maximum recommended value.

Which version of Prime95 are you using?

Thanks,

CT

Thank you for the quick answer I can't seem to find anywhere in Speccy where it says CPU CORE :/

I use version 285 of Prime95.

In Speccy I can find:
VIN3: 0.960 V
VIN4: 0.730-1.132 V
VCORE: 1.872

 

[CompuTronix]

The voltage you see in Speccy which is "1.872" is "Input" voltage, not "Core" voltage.

CPU-Z is very rarely inaccurate, so I would depend on it's value.

Also, do NOT run any versions of Prime95 later than 26.6. Here's why:

Core i 2nd, 3rd and 4th Generation CPU's have AVX (Advanced Vector Extension) instruction sets. Recent versions of Prime95, such as 28.5, run AVX code on the Floating Point Unit (FPU) math coprocessor, which produces extremely high temperatures. The FPU test in the stability testing utility AIDA64 shows similar results.

Prime95 v26.6 produces temperatures on 3rd and 4th Generation processors more consistent with 2nd Generation, which also have AVX instructions, but do not suffer from thermal extremes due to having a soldered Integrated Heat Spreader and a 35% larger Die.

Please download Prime95 version 26.6 - http://windows-downloads-center.blogspot.com/2011/04/prime95-266.html

Run only Small FFT’s for 10 minutes.

Use Real Temp to measure your Core temperatures, as it was designed specifically for Intel processors: Real Temp - http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2089/real-temp-3-70/

Your Core temperatures will test 10 to 20C lower with v26.6 than with v28.5.

Please read this Tom’s Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Thanks,

CT

 

[Heraji]

The voltage you see in Speccy which is "1.872" is "Input" voltage, not "Core" voltage.

CPU-Z is very rarely inaccurate, so I would depend on it's value.

Also, do NOT run any versions of Prime95 later than 26.6. Here's why:

Core i 2nd, 3rd and 4th Generation CPU's have AVX (Advanced Vector Extension) instruction sets. Recent versions of Prime95, such as 28.5, run AVX code on the Floating Point Unit (FPU) math coprocessor, which produces extremely high temperatures. The FPU test in the stability testing utility AIDA64 shows similar results.

Prime95 v26.6 produces temperatures on 3rd and 4th Generation processors more consistent with 2nd Generation, which also have AVX instructions, but do not suffer from thermal extremes due to having a soldered Integrated Heat Spreader and a 35% larger Die.

Please download Prime95 version 26.6 - http://windows-downloads-center.blogspot.com/2011/04/prime95-266.html

Run only Small FFT’s for 10 minutes.

Use Real Temp to measure your Core temperatures, as it was designed specifically for Intel processors: Real Temp - http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2089/real-temp-3-70/

Your Core temperatures will test 10 to 20C lower with v26.6 than with v28.5.

Please read this Tom’s Sticky: Intel Temperature Guide - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-1800828/intel-temperature-guide.html

Thanks,

CT

For some reason I get "Bad Gateway 502" with the realtemp link. So I'm just using HWMonitor instead.
With Prime95 V26.6 my core voltage hits 1.129 V, however, the temperatures hits over 80C for cores and package. I'm on stock cooler, so I guess that could be the reason. My idle temps are around 40-44C.

Aren't my temps way too high? Tcase is 72C..

EDIT: I stopped Prime95 after 2 minutes due to the high temperatures.

EDIT2: I'll just read through the Intel Temperature Guide now, thanks CompuTronix

 

[CompuTronix]

Yes, Tcase is 72C, but it's not quite so straight forward as Intel would like you to believe.

As you saw in the Guide, there's a 5C gradient between Tcase (CPU temperature) and Core temperatures, so Tcase + 5 = 77C.

What is your ambient temperature?

CT

 

[Heraji]

Yes, Tcase is 72C, but it's not quite so straight forward as Intel would like you to believe.

As you saw in the Guide, there's a 5C gradient between Tcase (CPU temperature) and Core temperatures, so Tcase + 5 = 77C.

What is your ambient temperature?

CT

Ambient temperature is around 20-21C.

I'll buy a Corsair H110i at some point when I decide to overclock. Not going to touch overclocking with this stock cooler I can re-apply thermal paste with some Noctua NT-H1 if necessary, only if my stock cooler becomes a problem of course.
I've seen people running their 4690k at much lower voltage on stock than I do. But I guess my 1.129 V core voltage is fine?

 

[CompuTronix]

Are your BIOS settings in "Auto"?

 

[Heraji]

Are your BIOS settings in "Auto"?

Yes

EDIT: In BIOS it says "Auto" - 1.040 V

 

[CompuTronix]

If you change your Core voltage settings to manual or adaptive, you can reduce your voltage and temperatures.

3 Step Guide to Overclock Your i7 / i5 Haswell Platform - http://www.overclockers.com/3step-guide-to-overclock-intel-haswell/

You can use the information in this Guide to reduce your settings without actually overclocking.

 

[Heraji]

If you change your Core voltage settings to manual or adaptive, you can reduce your voltage and temperatures.

3 Step Guide to Overclock Your i7 / i5 Haswell Platform - http://www.overclockers.com/3step-guide-to-overclock-intel-haswell/

You can use the information in this Guide to reduce your settings without actually overclocking.

Ah thanks I'll take a look at it tomorrow when I have more time on my hands.

Just a quick question, can it harm the CPU to run it in "Auto" mode because it might get more voltage than necessary?

 

[Kewlx25]

The issue with the Haswell is AVX causes the CPU to increase its voltage. Whatever you set as your voltage is the minimum voltage. When AVX is in use, the voltage will go even higher, which can damage your chip, regardless of the temp. Xeon chips actually reduce their mhz instead of increasing voltage.

 

[CompuTronix]

Just a quick question, can it harm the CPU to run it in "Auto" mode because it might get more voltage than necessary?

Generally, no. Motherboard manufacturers and BIOS vendors must adhere to Intel's specifications, so the Auto settings used BIOS are appropriate for maintaining stability under any circumstances.

However, having said this, we know that Auto settings tend to apply somewhat more core voltage than is typically necessary, which can almost always be reduced so as to lower temperatures.

This is why knowledgeable and experienced overclockers will always insist that using Auto BIOS settings is not recommended.

 

[CompuTronix]

The issue with the Haswell is AVX causes the CPU to increase its voltage. Whatever you set as your voltage is the minimum voltage. When AVX is in use, the voltage will go even higher, which can damage your chip, regardless of the temp.

This applies when "Auto" or "Adaptive" voltage is set in BIOS. If "Manual" voltage is set, it remains constant, which can potentially cause a Blue Screen when an AVX load is encountered.

Prime95 versions 27.7 or 27.9 or the most recent version, 28.5, all use AVX code which causes extremely high temperatures.

Prime95 version 26.6 was the latest version prior to AVX, so it does not cause extreme temperatures.

CT