Question Intel i5 12600KF Wont overclock past 4.9 ghz msi click bios 5

[DomisAcuteperson]

BIOS PHOTOS:
"Advanced Cpu Configuration" and Overclock settings:

https://imgur.com/a/x4odMDW

View: https://imgur.com/a/x4odMDW




I have a MSI A WIFI DDR4 B660 board Which is capable of overclocking I just updated the bios hoping that would be a fix but that didnt solve it (Now i have to reset all my other settings) I cannot overclock in XTU either for some reason im assuming its a bios setting or something i havent changed

 

[Aeacus]

I cannot overclock in XTU either for some reason im assuming its a bios setting or something i havent changed

Two possible culprits: unlucky in silicone lottery and/or too few MoBo VRM phases.

Do note that there is 0 guarantee that CPU is capable of running faster than max turbo frequency.

Most of the times, no thermal headroom is reason, why you can't get higher frequency out of a CPU. But even if you have plenty of thermal headroom, there is always a chance that CPU just isn't stable at higher frequencies. Like i said, there is no guarantee.

Amount of MoBo VRM power phases also ties in, on how high you can OC the CPU.
E.g your MoBo has 8 phase VRM,
review: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/msi-pro-b660ma-review

8 phase VRM is decent and does fine with stock CPU clocks. But it isn't quite enough for CPU OC.

For example, here's one, proper MoBo, that does well on CPU OC,
review: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gigabyte-z690-aorus-pro

Z690 Aorus Pro has 19 phase VRM. That's double + then some, compared to your MoBo.

 

[DomisAcuteperson]

It wont allow me to even change it to 50 or anything above only 49 Im sure my cpu could handle it when i type "50" or any value above it will revert to 49 I also cant up the value with just using the + key but i can minus it by clicking the - key? I have no issue overclocking anything else in the system only the cpu

The vrms on the otherhand are you sure that would make it so i cant go over 5ghz? I was just assuming it was some bios settings locking it or something

 

[Aeacus]

B660 chipset isn't actually intended for CPU OC. Just because Intel has enabled CPU OC feature, doesn't mean that MoBo manufacturers have to provide it. Sure, they unlock the CPU frequency and other fine tuning within BIOS, but they can also set limitations in BIOS.

My guess, MSI has deliberately put a limitation in the BIOS, whereby best you can get, is all P-core max turbo at all times (which still classifies as CPU OC). Most likely due to the small VRM phases amount the MoBo has. If MoBo would have more VRM phases, such limitation wouldn't be needed.

 

[DomisAcuteperson]

That's unfortunate msi advertised overclocking on their website so i assumed it would be capable

 

[Aeacus]

msi advertised overclocking on their website so i assumed it would be capable

Technically, MSI didn't lie and you can OC your CPU.

i5-12600KF P-cores base clocks are 3.7 Ghz and boost clocks are up to 4.9 Ghz. Meaning that CPU P-cores, for the most part, run at 3.7 Ghz while boosting up to 4.9 Ghz when needed.
Now, you were able to apply all P-core OC on your CPU, where all P-cores run at constant 4.9 Ghz (max boost clocks), rather than default 3.7 Ghz. <- That still is CPU OC. But you can't get the level of OC you want, e.g 5.0 Ghz.

Btw, even if you have high-end MoBo, even then you won't gain much from CPU OC. Latest CPUs are so efficient that they have little, if any, OC headroom.

Back in the day, with older CPUs, CPU OC was worthwhile.
E.g i have i5-6600K with 3.5 GHz base and 3.9 Ghz boost. With CPU OC, i could get it 4.5 Ghz all core (increase of 600 Mhz over boost), or with delid, ~4.7 Ghz all core (800 Mhz over boost). And there have been some delidded i5-6600K CPUs, that can hold 5 Ghz all core.

Your CPU, i5-12600KF, is so efficient, that most chips out there, can only hold all core stable at 5.0 Ghz (100 Mhz over boost). With this, there is so little OC headroom, that CPU OC, IMO, isn't worthwhile.

With our H115i 280mm watercooler, albeit with the fans cranking away at full speed, we peaked at 96C for a single one-second measurement during our stress tests. The chip hovered in the 75C to 85C range during the majority of the tasks. We could absolutely wring more out of this chip, and the 5.0 GHz overclock is above the 12600K's peak 4.9 GHz speed at stock settings, which is becoming increasingly rare with newer chips.

Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/review...-i5-12600k-review-retaking-the-gaming-crown/2

So, 100-300 Mhz OC over boost clocks is so little, that CPU OC with current, highly efficient chips, isn't worthwhile. There won't be any meaningful performance increase.
If the headroom would be bigger, like it is with my 6th gen CPU, where on minimum, i look towards 600 Mhz increase over boost clocks (or up to 1.1 Ghz over boost, if very lucky with delidded chip), then CPU OC makes sense.

All-in-all, CPU OC is dying niche and outside of record breaking, isn't worth the effort anymore.

 

[Zerk2012]

It wont allow me to even change it to 50 or anything above only 49 Im sure my cpu could handle it when i type "50" or any value above it will revert to 49 I also cant up the value with just using the + key but i can minus it by clicking the - key? I have no issue overclocking anything else in the system only the cpu

The vrms on the otherhand are you sure that would make it so i cant go over 5ghz? I was just assuming it was some bios settings locking it or something

Where did you see you can overclock the CPU on that board?

The B chipset is not made for overclocking the CPU. I you wished to overclock you should of bought a Z motherboard.

 

[Aeacus]

Where did you see you can overclock the CPU on that board?

On MSI website, it does tell that you can OC the CPU, but it is buried quite a ways down,
specs: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B660M-A-WIFI-DDR4

Path:

1. Scroll down a lot until you see "Audio", "BIOS & Software" and "Security" tabs.
2. Click on "BIOS & Software" tab, 3 more tabs are presented: "MSI Center", "Click BIOS 5" and "Rezisable bar".
3. Click on "Click BIOS 5" and look for:

CREATOR GENIE
Quickly overclock your CPU with a single button for more performance.

-----

And Intel does say that B660 chipset supports OC,
600-series chipset comparison: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=218829,218832,218831,218833

Even H670 chipset supports CPU OC. But that doesn't mean B660/H670 should be used for OC.

 

[uWebb429]

@Aeacus
Can you find one example of someone overclocking while using a B660 board? I think the info on the Intel website is a mistake.

If overclocking is possible, it should be easy to find an example or two.

Try running ThrottleStop and post a screenshot of the FIVR window.

MSI Pro B660M-A DDR4 Motherboard Review: Pro Board on a Budget

"Overclocking the CPU isn’t possible on B660-based chipsets, but the platform allows memory speed adjustment."

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/msi-pro-b660ma-review/3

 

[Aeacus]

@Aeacus
Can you find one example of someone overclocking while using a B660 board? I think the info on the Intel website is a mistake.

If overclocking is possible, it should be easy to find an example or two.

OP of this topic. He even gave screens for proof.

 

[uWebb429]

He even gave screens for proof.

BIOS options that do not work does not prove anything.

Some B660 boards use a separate clock generator. They support BCLK overclocking. None of the B660 boards support multiplier overclocking. You need a Z690 motherboard and a K series CPU for multiplier overclocking.

 

[Aeacus]

BIOS options that do not work does not prove anything.

They do work, but not to the extent OP wants them to.

None of the B660 boards support multiplier overclocking.

Intel and MSI, both, say otherwise.

I've said it 2 times in this topic, but i guess i have to say it for the 3rd and final time as well;

Each CPU has base frequency at which they operate at. And they also have turbo boost.
For i5-12600KF, those are:
P-core: base 3.7 Ghz, boost 4.9 Ghz
E-core: base 2.8 Ghz, boost 3.6 Ghz

When CPU is OCd, usually P-core base frequency is changed.
Overclock is when P-Core base frequency is increased over base value. E.g 3.7 Ghz -> 4.2 Ghz.
And underclock is when P-Core base frequency is decreased below base value. E.g 3.7 Ghz -> 3.5 Ghz.

OP can OC their CPU, increasing P-core base frequency up to 4.9 Ghz. <- This is still CPU OC.
Sure, there is limit set on how high OP can change the multiplier, which seems to be 49 for B660 chipset, resulting into 4.9 Ghz. Z690 chipset doesn't have multiplier limit on it, thus when having enough thermal headroom, one can surpass 5.0 Ghz for i5-12600KF.

I think the info on the Intel website is a mistake.

That, you can go and argue with Intel. I did not make the chipset nor the specs page. I just follow what manufacturer and board partner are saying.

Can you find one example of someone overclocking while using a B660 board?

Here, go crazy,
link: https://inf.news/en/digital/91289999c784d6efd6cf315c5d3e283c.html
i5-12600K, B660, multiplier 49, BCLK 100 Mhz.

 

[kerberos_20]

On MSI website, it does tell that you can OC the CPU, but it is buried quite a ways down,
specs: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/PRO-B660M-A-WIFI-DDR4

Path:

1. Scroll down a lot until you see "Audio", "BIOS & Software" and "Security" tabs.
2. Click on "BIOS & Software" tab, 3 more tabs are presented: "MSI Center", "Click BIOS 5" and "Rezisable bar".
3. Click on "Click BIOS 5" and look for:

oc genie ...
-----

that means, you just enable oc genie and it will do auto overclock cpu for you and thats it

When you press the button, the processor will scan your system and detect the best overclocking setup for you, and initiate it. This isn’t ideal for people who are super familiar with overclocking, as it doesn’t allow you as many settings. It is, however, extremely convenient for moderate-to-regular users of applications that demand more power from your system, whether it’s gaming or video editing.

 

[Aeacus]

that means, you just enable oc genie and it will do auto overclock cpu for you and thats it

Yes, i know it and i call it "poor man's OC". My MSI MoBo also has this "one button OC", but i don't use it, since it puts too much voltage down the pipeline.

Still, fact is, that B660 and H670 chipset MoBos can be used to OC the CPU. It used to be exclusive to Z-series MoBos but no more. Though, i don't advise to use B660/H670 for CPU OC. Better get Z690 chipset MoBo.

 

[uWebb429]

OP can OC their CPU, increasing P-core base frequency up to 4.9 Ghz. <- This is still CPU OC.

That is not overclocking. That is Intel Turbo Boost. All motherboards and all chipsets support using Intel Turbo Boost.

Overclocking is when you are able to set the CPU multiplier higher than the Intel maximum multiplier. Motherboards with the B660 chipset do not allow multiplier overclocking. Boards with the Z690 chipset are the only ones that allow multiplier overclocking beyond the Intel spec.

i have to say it for the 3rd and final time as well

You can say it 101 times but that still does not make what you are saying true. You do not understand what overclocking is.

The Intel specs show that 4.90 GHz is the maximum turbo frequency for a 12600KF. That number applies to this CPU when running on any board with any chipset.

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...600kf-processor-20m-cache-up-to-4-90-ghz.html

When you have a Z series board, the multiplier can go way higher than 49.
That is overclocking.

 

[Aeacus]

That is not overclocking.

Based on how CPU overclocking is defined, what i've been saying, is still overclock.

Overclocking is the process of running a computer component at a faster clock rate than the manufacturer’s specifications.

Source: https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5310/overclocking

In OP's example, Intel has specified P-core to run 3.7 Ghz at all times, while sometimes P-core can turbo up to 4.9 Ghz.
If you were to set P-core to run anything higher than 3.7 Ghz at all times, it is a faster clock rate than the manufacturer’s specifications, thus an overclock.

Fact is, Intel has not specified i5-12600KF P-cores to run at 3.8 Ghz ... 4.9 Ghz at all times. <- If you run P-core at those higher than specified speeds, at all times, it is OC.
What Intel has specified, that sometimes, i5-12600KF P-cores run between 3.7 Ghz .... 4.9 Ghz. There is a difference between "sometimes" and "at all times".