[SOLVED] How much can I overclock my CPU (i5 8600K)

[Foksrad]

Hello,
I want to overclock my CPU but I'm not an expert in this field.
My case has two fans (one in front and one in back) and I don't want my PC to overheat.

My PC specs are :
MB : Asus Prime z390-p
CPU : Intel i5 8600K
CPU Cooler : Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro
RAM : G. Skill Rampage V 32GB 3200MHz
GPU : Gigabyte GTX 1070 G1
PSU : Corsair CX750M
Case : Sharkoon rex8

Thanks for your answers,
Dylan Riat

 

[sizzling]

Every cpu is different, there is no single answer. It is a matter of trial and error. Just make sure to keep voltages and temperatures in a safe range. If not done already read a few overclocking guides first, there are many if you do a Google search for your cpu and/or motherboard.

 

[Foksrad]

But I don't really understand how the voltage works. The values are changing through different sites.

 

[sizzling]

But I don't really understand how the voltage works. The values are changing through different sites.

I’m no overclocking expert, far from it. I have overclocked my own pc’s but always after doing reading first about my motherboard and cpu. You may find different people recommending different safe voltages, this I believe is because there is no fixed safe voltage but what people feel is safe for the level of risk to long term life of the cpu that they are willing to accept. This is why I said read a few guides so you can compare different options.

My only other advice is considered that going from say 4.8 to 5.0 is only a 4% difference. Nice if you can achieve it but don’t go pushing too hard to achieve that extra 0.2 as you won’t really notice it in the real world.

 

[ChumP]

But I don't really understand how the voltage works. The values are changing through different sites.

You see different voltage figures because each CPU(of the same model) is different.
For example: I have a Ryzen 5 2600 clocked currently at 4GHz @ 1.236V. Some are saying that theirs is stable at 1.3V+ and others are saying that 1.26V is their sweet spot.

That's sillicon lottery for you in a nutshell and the reason why people are getting different results from overclocking towards the same target.

Voltage figures from others are just the starting point... you'll need to adjust the numbers yourself and find out the CPU's stability limits.

 

[WildCard999]

This is probably the most comprehensive guide out there for Intel CPUs and everything you need to know about the temps as well as overclocking.

How To - Intel CPU Temperature Guide

Update: December 17th, 2024 Preface The topic of processor temperatures can be very confusing. Conflicting opinions based on misconceptions concerning terminology, specifications and testing leaves users uncertain of how to properly check cooling performance. This Guide provides an...

forums.tomshardware.com

,

It's a long read but well worth it and should answer all of your questions regarding your 8600K.

Good luck on the overclocking.

 

[mdd1963]

With MCE enabled on your Asus mainboard, and a few clicks and saving a profile within Intel's XTU, you could easily experiment w/ assorted all-core max turbos at various clock speeds to see if the added heat and or required core voltage increases (if any) to achieve them are really all that desirable...

(With MCE enabled, are you already hitting 4.3 Ghz on all cores)
With a stock max turbo of 4.3 GHz, you can dial in what max turbo clock speed to use for 1, 2, all the way thru 6 cores active. If your frame rates for a given game are only boosted from 100 to 104 fps, you might not find it worthwhile, but, that will be your call. At default core voltages of 1.26V, perhaps your CPU will get to an all-core turbo of 4.6 or 4.7 GHz with minimal heat increases... (my own 7700K hits 4.7 GHz on all cores with no core voltage increase required, but, every CPU is different)

A few minutes of studying temps with HWMonitor and under a load-inducing app like CPU-z/bench/stress CPU or Prime95 will tell the tale...

 

[Foksrad]

Thank you for your answers !
And what will happen if I push my CPU to a higher frequence without increasing the voltage ?

 

[rodolphe.viard]

It will crash and give you a blue screen 😉

The rule is, let everything on auto,
then stress test and note your voltage and frequency and put them manually in bios.
Then you have two path to follow :

1°/ Better performance :
Bump your multiplier until it's not stable then bump voltage (increments of 0.025-0.05V)
Once you've reach the frequenc yyou want, lower the voltage as much as you can as long as it remains stable.

2°/ Better thermals
Keep stock frequency and reduce voltage as much as you can until it's not stable.

Edit: Tips stay below 1.35-1.38V and 85°C during stress test for daily usage.


Rodolphe.

 

[Foksrad]

Okay thanks and last, how can I know if it's stable ?

 

[rodolphe.viard]

Use a stress test software like Prime 95 (without AVX) and Intel burn test.
If it crashes (bluescreen), tells you that there is an error or have microfreezes, it is not stable. If it says it passes, it's stable.

I personnally use Intel burn test on high.


Rodolphe.