Question i7-3770 won't go past 41x multiplier

[tennis2]

I (literally) just got an i7-3770. Now, ending with Ivy Bridge, non-K CPUs could have their multipliers increased by 4 over stock when on a Z-series board, which would mean I ought to be able to get this puppy to 4.3GHz (with enough voltage of course). I've got it on my AsRock Z77 Pro4-M, and I set/left the multiplier to 42 all-core in BIOS (same as my outgoing 3570K was running at), but the 3770 just goes to 41x (4.1GHz) and sits there. Checked Windows power management, everything looks kosher. Any ideas on how to get to the finish line?

 

[Darkbreeze]

That CPU is locked. You can't go past the maximum of the factory standard boost clock. It has nothing to do with 4 over stock. The limit is whatever the maximum default boost is. Max boost on that CPU is 3.9Ghz so it's baffling that you can even do 4.1Ghz, and I'd be happy with that. The Pro4 is a budget board anyhow and anything beyond that configuration is likely more than the VRMs onboard can handle anyhow.

The "four" part that you are referring to is that on Ivy bridge you can "overclock" the four stock cores, but not the hyperthreads. Therefore, 4 over stock, I guess. Never heard it put that way but the four physical cores can be overclocked "over stock", but generally not more than whatever the maximum factory boost is. I'd literally be happy with 4.1Ghz if I were you and I'd highly recommend that you do the required stability and thermal testing to ensure that your are compliant.

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[tennis2]

Well, I guess you learned something today! It can be done (since I have) Here's proof. And this

Anyway, I just found this. It's +4 ABOVE each per-core turbo multiplier. It seems I can't achieve 4.3GHz all-core. Only for 2 cores loaded.

• 4.3 GHz per top two cores at high load (will spike there when gaming)
• 4.2 GHz per top three cores at high load (multiple open applications running)
• 4.1GHz for all cores when all 4 are under significant load (running Prime 95 on all cores)

I did set those multipliers and I'm seeing them hit (4.1-4.3GHz). It's just hard with Windows to isolate active cores because Windows likes so spray workloads around. I'm certainly fine with 4.1GHz all-core. Like I said, I was doing 4.2GHz on my 3570K anyway, so this is close enough for me.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I've never seen that before. You're right, that's news to me. So have you figured out why your board isn't allowing it. While this is an older platform, it's still interesting because we still see a lot of users with these. In fact, a lot of members here are still using them, although usually the K skus, but still same era and I'm sure this will come up again because these are not THAT old really.

I might have to look into this further.

 

[theonerm2]

I've never seen that before. You're right, that's news to me. So have you figured out why your board isn't allowing it. While this is an older platform, it's still interesting because we still see a lot of users with these. In fact, a lot of members here are still using them, although usually the K skus, but still same era and I'm sure this will come up again because these are not THAT old really.

I might have to look into this further.

It's because you're only allowed 4 bins. The all core multiplier is 37 so 37+4 is 41. I remember hearing about this a long time ago but I've never had personal experience with it as I've always got the K sku. Be happy with the 3770 at 4.1GHz until you can upgrade... Because you have no other choice. Intel has cut this out of the newer processors.

 

[tennis2]

^This.
Stock all core turbo multiplier is 37x
Stock 3 core multiplier is 38x
Stock 1 & 2 core multiplier is 39x.

So you can add +4 to each of those for 41x, 42x, and 43x respectively.

This is possible on sandy and ivy bridge i5 & i7 CPUs. I knew this going into the purchase, I just figured I could get 4.3GHz all core.
Also, needs a Z77 motherboard though AFAIK. That's the biggest limiter to most people (and why I was having such a hard time googling through the chaff for a solution/ reason)

Paid $50 BTW and I needed a 2nd or 3rd gen CPU to upgrade my grandma's PC this weekend anyway. Had an i5 for $20, so instead I took the i7 and am giving her my i5-3570K. That's essentially a $30 upgrade for me then! Good till next fall at least!

 

[digitalgriffin]

Well, I guess you learned something today! It can be done (since I have) Here's proof. And this

Anyway, I just found this. It's +4 ABOVE each per-core turbo multiplier. It seems I can't achieve 4.3GHz all-core. Only for 2 cores loaded.

• 4.3 GHz per top two cores at high load (will spike there when gaming)
• 4.2 GHz per top three cores at high load (multiple open applications running)
• 4.1GHz for all cores when all 4 are under significant load (running Prime 95 on all cores)

I did set those multipliers and I'm seeing them hit (4.1-4.3GHz). It's just hard with Windows to isolate active cores because Windows likes so spray workloads around. I'm certainly fine with 4.1GHz all-core. Like I said, I was doing 4.2GHz on my 3570K anyway, so this is close enough for me.

I'm calling BS. Intel has never allowed overclocking on non K parts. The best you can do is modestly increase the base bus clock (ie: 100 to 105) which would give a mild overclock. But the gains here are risky and limited.

 

[tennis2]

Check my links hoss. It was definitely a thing, but got removed starting with Haswell. Just because you've never heard of it, doesn't mean it's false.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I'm calling BS. Intel has never allowed overclocking on non K parts. The best you can do is modestly increase the base bus clock (ie: 100 to 105) which would give a mild overclock. But the gains here are risky and limited.

Intel has always allowed AT LEAST overclocking to the maximum factory boost speed IF you use an unlocked board with a locked CPU. Well, maybe not always, but since Sandy bridge at least. And apparently, in some cases, 400mhz higher than the all core turbo. It's definitely not BS, or I wouldn't have been a part of this discussion for longer than it took to say you're full of crap.

@tennis2, that's a good score for that price. Hard to beat that.

 

[digitalgriffin]

or I wouldn't have been a part of this discussion for longer than it took to say you're full of crap.

Having a rough day?

yes, I knew intel would allow you to overclock to the boost. But it's certainly not unlocked and certainly not all core to max boost. That would pretty much defeat why intel created K parts in the first place. To milk us silly for every last nickle possible.

 

[TJ Hooker]

I did set those multipliers and I'm seeing them hit (4.1-4.3GHz). It's just hard with Windows to isolate active cores because Windows likes so spray workloads around.

Yeah, I found the same thing when I was playing around with the turbo speeds with my 6700K. The only way I could get the max single core boost (4.2 GHz) while running a single threaded load (cinebench 1T) was to set the core affinity for both the benchmark and monitoring utility (hwinfo64) to the same core.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Having a rough day?

yes, I knew intel would allow you to overclock to the boost. But it's certainly not unlocked and certainly not all core to max boost. That would pretty much defeat why intel created K parts in the first place. To milk us silly for every last nickle possible.

I think you misunderstand what I am saying. For most Intel platforms from Ivy on, maybe even Sandy, not sure, if you have a locked CPU with a boost up to, say, 4Ghz all core, with a base of 3.5Ghz, and you are using a Z board, you could typically "OC" by setting the multiplier to 40 with the result being a 4Ghz full time OC on a locked CPU. You can't tell me it can't be done, because I've done it on tens of occasions, even with some of the Xeons.