[SOLVED] i5-4790K extreme instability, clock speed flucuating between 1GHz and 3.5GHz

[noahlbliss]

Hello, I have an i5-4790K with an ASUS Z97M-Plus motherboard and I was intending to overclock my CPU but I can't find a stable configuration, not even at 3.5GHz at 1.325V. Works fine until I run Prime95 and windows crashes almost immediately.

Looking at CPU-Z I see that the clock speed is wildly fluctuating between 1GHz and 3.5GHz while idling, even after I have tried to turn off all automatic tuning. Temps are below 50C so that's not a problem. I unfortunately don't have any parts to swap, so that's great.

Just bought a new motherboard because ended up bending the socket pins on my Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H like an idiot, but at least I was able to have stable performance on that motherboard. Any help would be massively appreciated.

 

[theonerm2]

Are you sure you didn't bend pins on that board too? It's very easily done.

 

[nobspls]

That is not an instability you are seeing in CPU-Z.

The Intel CPU drop the frequency way down to save power when idle, and it also helps keep your temperatures low.