2500K+gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4 B3 simple OC

[sbohdan]

I've just finished the overclock of my new sandybridge system. I ran prime 95 for 10 hours and the overclock is super stable, so I thought I would share the exact steps of how I did it with those of you who own a 2500K (it probably would work same on the 2600K) and a Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4 Mobo (I assume this is a fairly common combo for those of you who like to use the OC potential of your unlocked 2500K CPU). Prior to my OC attempt I've read many other guides and tried them all but non worked as stable as what I did even though I followed them exactly. My OC is also the most simple of them all and works rock solid with the power saving options on (in all the guides I've seen the EIST and C1E were disabled). So here it is:

enter M.I.T. and then the advanced frequency settings:


here leave the CPU clock ratio @ default (33x for 2500K), I did not touch the BCLK and chose profile1 for the memory. Bios set my memory to 1600 by default but it is capable of 2133Mhz, so I just chose the SPD profile of my RAM. In case your memory's SPD isn't read properly, you can adjust it manually in the memory menu.



next, enter the Advanced CPU core features and leave the CPU clock ratio @ default (33x), change the turbo ratio value for each core to 47 and raise the turbo power limit to 200W. leave everything else @ auto.



next, in M.I.T enter the Advanced voltage settings and enable load-line calibration. change the CPU Vcore to 1.425V. I left everything else on auto again.



thats all. The OC is rock solid, you still have all the power saving features on but will have the OC WHEN you need it.
BTW, all this resulted in 4.7Ghz (exactly 4689Mhz). CPU-Z shows 1.404V because of V-drop. I know this isn't top OC, since sandybridge is said to reach 5Ghz but I feel that having air cooling, this is a safe and to me a satisfactory OC, that I can use 24/7.

[sbohdan]

Any comments? what do you guys think? is it OK like this or not?

[skier]

pretty good clock, some people get 5GHz on Air, but that really just depends on the CPU- 4.5G minimum and 5.2G maximum regardless of cooling (subzero cooling still remains very close to 5GHz)

stable is stable

[sbohdan]

pretty good clock, some people get 5GHz on Air, but that really just depends on the CPU- 4.5G minimum and 5.2G maximum regardless of cooling (subzero cooling still remains very close to 5GHz)

stable is stable

I ran prime 95 for 10 hours and the CPU temp was 71C, which is in my opinion pretty high. to push the CPU further I would have to run the fans on 12V instead of 5V, giving up the silence that I have now and I figured it's not worth to me the extra 2-300Mhz to have a noisy computer. I'm pretty happy with this stable overclock with the power saving features enabled

[digitalforce]

I have this exact same MOBO and CPU. I had my old Q6600 overclocked a lot but Sandy Bridge overclocking is a whole different world.

I guess what I am confused on is the "turbo" overclocking. I don't want me CPU or OS or anything to decide "when" I need more power. Can you clarify that?

Also, I am running the stock cooler until I find a better/cheap option...

[DragonFury]

Turbo is an ability that is built directly into the CPU from the manufacturer. what it does is this, (if you are not overclocking the CPU and leaving it stock) on those times when you are using the CPU on heavy loads the CPU will up the clock speed (by using a higher multiplier) to make the job your are doing go faster. It is a dynamic overclocking designed for non/new overclockers that want a bit more umpth out of their CPU's. this is about as simple as I can make it. If you planning on manual overclocking, Turbo becomes moot.

[sbohdan]

Turbo is an ability that is built directly into the CPU from the manufacturer. what it does is this, (if you are not overclocking the CPU and leaving it stock) on those times when you are using the CPU on heavy loads the CPU will up the clock speed (by using a higher multiplier) to make the job your are doing go faster. It is a dynamic overclocking designed for non/new overclockers that want a bit more umpth out of their CPU's. this is about as simple as I can make it. If you planning on manual overclocking, Turbo becomes moot.

yes and no. Yes, all this aplies when all is @ stock but notice that I've adjusted turbo speed to 47x multiplier, so when I'm just reaading a web page, the speed is @ 1.6Ghz but as soon as I do ANY CPU intensive task, the multi jumps up to 47x. I wouldn't call that moot, although it certainly isn't an OC record. What I realy like about this is that the CPU isn't constantly @ 4.7Ghz and this way the temps and power consumption are down when idle.

@ digitalforce: I wouldn't OC with stock cooler if I was you...
just get something that can handle the additional temps (I would recommend the cooler I have because it's cheap - got it for $30 after rebate - but it cools pretty good and is fairly quiet also)

[DragonFury]

I would not recommend you using the turbo feature if you are manually overclocking.

[sbohdan]

I would not recommend you using the turbo feature if you are manually overclocking.

and why not? its perfectly stable.

[DragonFury]

you are already using the multiplier to overclock, whats the point in using it? but if it works then it works.

[sbohdan]

you are already using the multiplier to overclock, whats the point in using it? but if it works then it works.

No, if you notice in the above BIOS screenshot, I left the base multiplier at stock 33x and raised the turbo multi to 47x. when in idle the CPU down clocks itself to 16x and as soon as there is any heavy workload it jumps up to 47x

[antillesred2]

this is my mobo / cpu combo and i am really interested in this OC. i have done a lot of web research trying to find more about this method, but i cannot find anyone else who has done an OC this way. it makes PERFECT sense (essentially, don't hijack the built in OC: just TWEAK it!)... i am a noob to system building and OC'ing and want a VERY conservative OC (but at least want to UTILIZE my K processor). i am wondering if there are any alternative settings you could recommended that would allow me to leave the UD4 vCore setting at the auto preset and leave the LLC setting at the auto preset. say, turbo ratio's of 41 with 170W turbo power limit? i'm inexperienced... just throwing out some numbers that seem like they'd be in the ball park.

[antillesred2]

additional question: why is enabling LLC necessary? why can't it simply be left in the auto setting to give the UD4 more flexibility to alter the voltage to the CPU when it does not require additional voltage? in general, how firm is the VCORE setting in the BIOS? does this setting function as a MAX? if LLC is not enabled does the actual voltage to the CPU vary too widely from the VCORE setting? can the UD4 sent voltage to the CPU in excess of the VCORE setting (obviously a concern here)... ? i think the theme of my two posts is pretty clear. would love some feed back, especially a concise rec for a conservative stock voltage version of this OC.

[DragonFury]

you are already using the multiplier to overclock, whats the point in using it? but if it works then it works.

No, if you notice in the above BIOS screenshot, I left the base multiplier at stock 33x and raised the turbo multi to 47x. when in idle the CPU down clocks itself to 16x and as soon as there is any heavy workload it jumps up to 47x

I am figuring out the true new nature of the 1155 CPU's first hand. the only way on overclocking these CPU's is by turbo'n in actuality these CPU's are not "unlocked multi" as I was told or read. instead intel only unlocked the turbo multiplier not the actual multiplier that we have on "Extreme CPU's". So I stand corrected.

[antillesred2]

the only way on overclocking these CPU's is by turbo'n in actuality these CPU's are not "unlocked multi" as I was told or read. instead intel only unlocked the turbo multiplier not the actual multiplier that we have on "Extreme CPU's". So I stand corrected.

no - that's not right either you can absolutely alter the "actual multiplier" - sbohdan made a CHOICE not to, because utilizing Intel's turbo tech let's him have OC when he needs it, and have no OC (and thus no extra heat and power consumption) when he doesn't. These chips are FULLY unlocked. it just turns out they have some great tech inside them that's all around better than a 24/7 CPU ratio OC.

[sbohdan]

I have to agree with antillesred2 - the multi is also fully unlocked and if you google around, most OC's are made by raising the base multi not the turbo. I chose this way of OC'ing because of the fact, that this way the CPU is not ALWAYS OC'd, only when it's needed.

@ antillesred2: as far as I know, you don't need to change the voltage (just leave it at AUTO) and everything else as well to have 4.5Ghz OC. all you have to do is change the turbo multi on each core to 4.5Ghz on each core and save the settings. I've tried this the first time (I've read this in couple of reviews) and it works. 4.5Ghz OC should be working stable with the default voltage and then you might be OK with the intel cooler - just make sure you test the max. temps with prime95 and anything over 70C would be to high in my opinion.
in case of overheating, you could TRY improving the cooling in your case (wire management, intake and output fans) and I would clean off the default thermal paste from the cooler and replace it with a better TIM...

[DragonFury]

Now I been playing nice, I even apologized for a statement that I made that was not 100% correct. Now I am getting told (in essence that I am an idiot) I do happen to be sitting on a 2600K CPU right this second, I have just completed two motherboard reviews. Both motherboards state that I cannot adjust the base multiplier (actual CPU) any higher then what the factory set it to. in this case a 34 base multiplier, I have tried upping the base multi higher then 34 and guess what no overclock on the CPU. I am not trying to argue with you, I am simply stating a fact that I am observing currently with my current computer set up. The 2600K or new 1155 CPUs are only performance based not enthusiast grade CPUs, from my experience the only CPU from Intel that could even remotely be able to adjust the Base multi is extreme series CPUs right now the only extreme CPU out on the market is on a socket 1366 platform.

[sbohdan]

Now I been playing nice, I even apologized for a statement that I made that was not 100% correct. Now I am getting told (in essence that I am an idiot) I do happen to be sitting on a 2600K CPU right this second, I have just completed two motherboard reviews. Both motherboards state that I cannot adjust the base multiplier (actual CPU) any higher then what the factory set it to. in this case a 34 base multiplier, I have tried upping the base multi higher then 34 and guess what no overclock on the CPU. I am not trying to argue with you, I am simply stating a fact that I am observing currently with my current computer set up. The 2600K or new 1155 CPUs are only performance based not enthusiast grade CPUs, from my experience the only CPU from Intel that could even remotely be able to adjust the Base multi is extreme series CPUs right now the only extreme CPU out on the market is on a socket 1366 platform.

sorry, I haven't been implying you being an idiot. Not at all. The fact is that I DID TRY OC the 2500K by raising the base multi and it worked. I did check it wit prime for stability and I also checked what is the performance difference with Vantage (CPU score), sandra and PCmark. there was a substantial difference between the 33 and 47 multi. The only thing I can think of that maybe the 2600K is different in this way from the 2500K (I have never met with the former yet).

[antillesred2]

@ sbohdan: Thanks very much for the response!!! i think i'll stay conservative and bump my turbo's to 43 and the turbo power limit to 170 and call it a day. proud owner of a ZALMAN CNPS9900A (and the superior goo that came with it) purchased with the rebate from Newegg last month, so cooling should be overkill if anything. thanks very much for your original post and presenting this very clever OC.

[XstollieX]

I have just completed two motherboard reviews. Both motherboards state that I cannot adjust the base multiplier (actual CPU) any higher then what the factory set it to.

What boards are you referring to if you don't mind me asking?