Some advice needed with LLC and VDroop

BirdsOfWar

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Mar 10, 2013
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So i finally get what VDroop is .. almost.

I get that it, under load, reduces the volts. Is this a setting that is built into the processor? As in i cant turn it off right?

So that's what LLC is for? on my asrock z77 extreme4 i have "auto" and "level1-5"

Level 5 is no compensation i think because it has the most VDroop still when under load.

But the odd thing is.. im more stable at level 5 then say level 3/2 (what the guide im using to overclock said to use)

I still got 4 random WHEA errors, which i think im going to ignore for now, since there not popping up like before. Before they would happen immediately after turning on prime, and i would have a ton of them if i ran all night (if prime even made it that far) but 4 of them after 24 hours all around the same time (4am 5am and 6 / 6:30am i got some). But prime is still running, no more errors in event viewer for the next 19 hours and my temps are good. (71c max)

Do you guys think that no compensation is good? Maybe by turning off speedstep and CE1 is the reason i am more stable and not because LLC is on level 5 (which is off i think)

asrock z77 extreme4
i5 3570K
4.4Ghz (trying to move to 4.5 but i want to figure this out)
zalman CNPS9500A cooler
g.skill ripjaw x series 8gb at 1333 mhz (stock is 1600 i thought maybe it would help, though i think that was only back in the day of upping the FSB overclock method, and i will probably put it back to 1600)

 
Solution
LLC should typically be on medium/high to max, if you are going for a higher overclock.

I personally don't buy into the Vdroop, offset voltage, steepstep, etc crap.

LLC basically eliminates Vdroop. Scary? Only if you are running too much voltage to start with. To get my chip stable, I turned off all the power saving junk, turned off speedstep, turn LLC way up, and set voltage to around 1.232

Voltage never goes above 1.25, and temps never go above 65ish under full load.

One thing you will find about Ivy Bridge = There is an invisible voltage "wall". If your chip is stable and happy at 4.4ghz, there is no reason to push for 4.5 ghz. WHEA errors will only go away if you 1) increase voltage, or 2) reduce clock.

My comfort level...

Adroid

Distinguished
LLC should typically be on medium/high to max, if you are going for a higher overclock.

I personally don't buy into the Vdroop, offset voltage, steepstep, etc crap.

LLC basically eliminates Vdroop. Scary? Only if you are running too much voltage to start with. To get my chip stable, I turned off all the power saving junk, turned off speedstep, turn LLC way up, and set voltage to around 1.232

Voltage never goes above 1.25, and temps never go above 65ish under full load.

One thing you will find about Ivy Bridge = There is an invisible voltage "wall". If your chip is stable and happy at 4.4ghz, there is no reason to push for 4.5 ghz. WHEA errors will only go away if you 1) increase voltage, or 2) reduce clock.

My comfort level with temperatures is mid 80s for stress testing, no higher than 60ish under normal load. I'm not suggesting you use this as a guideline, it's my personal experience and preference.

 
Solution

BirdsOfWar

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Mar 10, 2013
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No i toatlly agree that 85 is fine for stress testing. I mean the TJ max is 105 .. so dont go above 90C and wala! Thanks for the tips

How do you not buy into the vdroop ? Are you saying you dont belive its real lol? i mean i doubt that since the rest of you post is logical. Yeah seems like level 3 is working for me and 4.5 ghz may be unreasonable for me (since temps are creeping up to 87! ouch. And its only 100 mhz so if super stable at 44 i may as way keep it there.

HOLLA!
 

Adroid

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I'm just saying - I don't buy the power savings and downclock garbage. I want my CPU to run fast all the time. It's a relatively new technology and I don't trust it. It's just a preference, some people overclock using the offset voltage etc - I don't.