Overclocking i5 3570k

[riahim]

I am trying to overclock my CPU and I think I accidentally ran OC tuner. I have since then re-loaded the default values, but it appears that my CPU does not down clock. It is always around 3.6 GHz whether I am at idle or 100% utilization.
Could someone help me with figuring out how to check if the default values are lowered and what to check to allow the CPU to down clock. I'd like to get this sorted out before I attempt to overclock. Ideally, I'd like to overclock to around 4.2/4.3 GHz but I want to allow the CPU to downclock as needed. Btw, I have a P8Z77-V LK mobo. Thanks!

edit: I'd like to add the EIST shows enabled, turbo mode is enabled, and C1E/C3/C6/Package C State Support are all on auto. I don't remember the default values of these...

 

[littleleo]

I have the same CPU and the base speed is 3.4Ghz and the Boost clock is at 3.8Ghz. Some of the motherboard mfrs had their boards run the CPUs at near boost speed. I wouldn't worry about it since the 3.6Ghz is below the full boost speed. As to the top OC you can get it depends on your CPU. All are different, you may get the speed you want or higher or less. There is no way to know for sure until to find out from testing the highest speed you can run your rig and keep it stable. Good luck!

 

[riahim]

I have the same CPU and the base speed is 3.4Ghz and the Boost clock is at 3.8Ghz. Some of the motherboard mfrs had their boards run the CPUs at near boost speed. I wouldn't worry about it since the 3.6Ghz is below the full boost speed. As to the top OC you can get it depends on your CPU. All are different, you may get the speed you want or higher or less. There is no way to know for sure until to find out from testing the highest speed you can run your rig and keep it stable. Good luck!

Yeah, problem is before I messed with the settings my CPU was around 1.6 at idle. I think resetting the default values might have missed something. In addition, if I OC to lets say 4.2Ghz, I'd like it to actually be able to fall back during idle rather than stay at that rate...

 

[Geef]

I think its called Intel Speedstep. It drops the MHz down when its idle. I know mine drops to like 800MHz when its not doing anything. You gotta turn it on in the bios if it has the option.

One other thing. A lot of motherboards do things like disable speedstep if your overclocking. Also some disable your Turbo Boost speed and just keep it at what you overclock to all the time.

 

[k1114]

It's not at 3.8ghz because turbo on all cores is 3.6 unless enhanced turbo was enabled. What is the cpu usage at idle? Is speedstep on? Are you using cpuz to check speed?

 

[riahim]

I think its called Intel Speedstep. It drops the MHz down when its idle. I know mine drops to like 800MHz when its not doing anything. You gotta turn it on in the bios if it has the option.

One other thing. A lot of motherboards do things like disable speedstep if your overclocking. Also some disable your Turbo Boost speed and just keep it at what you overclock to all the time.

Yup. I have intel SpeetStep Technology set to enabled

 

[riahim]

It's not at 3.8ghz because turbo on all cores is 3.6 unless enhanced turbo was enabled. What is the cpu usage at idle? Is speedstep on? Are you using cpuz to check speed?

Hmm interesting. Guess I must have had enhanced turbo on at some point since I was getting 3.8ghz before at load and around 1.6 at idle. Thb, I haven't messed with the bios in years and I can't seem to find that option. What I did though is go into the bios and hit load optimized defaults. After doing that I see my CPU is basically stuck at 3.6ghz speed at idle and at load. I'm using both the task manager and CPUZ to check speeds.

 

[k1114]

Try resetting cmos. Sometimes optimized defaults are defaulting to auto ocing or messing with other settings that are not the same as default.

 

[riahim]

Try resetting cmos. Sometimes optimized defaults are defaulting to auto ocing or messing with other settings that are not the same as default.

This fixed it, thanks! Also, I ocd my cpu to 4.2ghz and it seems to be working well but I'm experiencing some stuttering occasionally. Is 4.2 to high? Should I increase voltage?

 

[k1114]

Did you stress test to see if it was stable? Voltage is to stabilize it. Stuttering doesn't mean it's unstable and my first guess would be to look at temps.

 

[Karadjgne]

The i5-3570k should run at 4.3GHz with only changing the multiplier, leaving everything else set at factory optimized default.

Set OC to manual, lock all 4 cores at 43 multiplier. At that speed c-states below C-3 should be disabled, you can leave c-1e/C3 enabled (that's plain sleep not deep sleep), speedstep enabled, set max turbo to 43, drop vcore to 1.19v or set cpu offset to '- LLC to 50-66% (medium to med-high), disable cpu power phases. Set the top 2x current limits (long and short) to 255, leave the bottom 2x default.
There may or may not be others to change, but that's a start.

 

[riahim]

The i5-3570k should run at 4.3GHz with only changing the multiplier, leaving everything else set at factory optimized default.

Set OC to manual, lock all 4 cores at 43 multiplier. At that speed c-states below C-3 should be disabled, you can leave c-1e/C3 enabled (that's plain sleep not deep sleep), speedstep enabled, set max turbo to 43, drop vcore to 1.19v or set cpu offset to '- LLC to 50-66% (medium to med-high), disable cpu power phases. Set the top 2x current limits (long and short) to 255, leave the bottom 2x default.
There may or may not be others to change, but that's a start.

Thanks very much for the suggestions. I changed my settings to correlate to your recommendations and I noticed that I'm still having a bit of issues. If I give it a constant vcore of 1.19v my cpu never downclocks. Always stuck at 4.3ghz. I'm not sure if this is normal behavior? Also, if I put it into offset mode, I still get that stuttering. To early to say it that stuttering is still happening with a fixed vcore. I'm going to take some pictures to share my settings and maybe you can tell me if you spot anything wrong?

 

[Karadjgne]

Yeah, that's the only bad part about a fixed oc/vcore it doesn't use the EIST anymore, but that's not really much of an issue at idle loads, temps still go way down due to lack of cpu usage. So with a fixed vcore, you can disable the EIST.

Every cpu responds slightly differently to settings at OC, so you'll need to play with the settings, maybe use + offset or bump vcore upto 1.20v or maybe even lower it. My 3570k runs quite happily at vcore of 1.114v, under loads it drops to 1.108v according to cpu-z, but that too must be taken with a grain of salt, depending on the version. If I run the Asus cpu-z, it gives me vcore, if I run the MSI skin version it gives me VID, which is slightly different voltages in the cpu.

 

[riahim]

Yeah, that's the only bad part about a fixed oc/vcore it doesn't use the EIST anymore, but that's not really much of an issue at idle loads, temps still go way down due to lack of cpu usage. So with a fixed vcore, you can disable the EIST.

Every cpu responds slightly differently to settings at OC, so you'll need to play with the settings, maybe use + offset or bump vcore upto 1.20v or maybe even lower it. My 3570k runs quite happily at vcore of 1.114v, under loads it drops to 1.108v according to cpu-z, but that too must be taken with a grain of salt, depending on the version. If I run the Asus cpu-z, it gives me vcore, if I run the MSI skin version it gives me VID, which is slightly different voltages in the cpu.

Yeah my temps aren't bad at all. I just didn't know if it's bad to leave it clocked up so high if it doesn't need it.I do notice that whenever I use offset mode the vcore is around 0.9V and I can only adjust the sign and the offset amount. I'm thinking that I may not be giving it enough voltage...
Huh, you're CPU vcore drops under load? I thought the exact opposite should happen.

 

[Karadjgne]

Nope. Vcore is what you set as maximum, the offset can add or subtract from that. The cpu will use as much as it needs. If you set vcore high, it'll allocate more voltage potential. Doesn't mean it actually uses it though.

Add LLC onto that, and it's vdroop (± baseline voltages) and that'll be the range the cpu uses. If it doesn't land in that range, you get errors, usually nt_kernal or whea, and it bsod. Having high vcore means the cpu has little chance of being out of range, lower vcore increases the possibility, not the probability until you go too low.