How does overclocking show itself in games?

jimmyEatWord

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Mar 10, 2016
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i mean i overclock using the software provided by gigabyte "easytune" , and i can't notice the difference , how is it supposed to be when in games ?

i would also appreciate tips on how to start overclocking by yourself in the motherboard's bios settings , cause my mb doesn't have an oc wizard , you have to tweak everything by your own , and the parameters are too many , where do i start ?
 
Solution
Well, a 6600k is overclockable, the Z170 chipset allows for overclocking, so to generally overclock - I'll give you a broad overview on the process.

You'll need some software to download and install first.
1) hwmonitor. It monitors all your temps and voltages and loads.
2) prime95. It's a stress test.

Overclocking:

1) boot into the bios.
2) find the OC options (gigabyte it's in M.I.T.). Change multiplier from 'auto' to manual.
3) Safe max vcore voltage is around 1.45 volts. Set yours to 1.40 just to be safe.
4) Max temps are about 75 degrees under load
5) take the multiplier, increase it by one. Save and exit.
6) get into the OS. fire up the hwmonitor. fire up prime95.
7a)watch your temps. If temp levels off below 70-75...

Rookie_MIB

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Well, remember that during normal, everyday use, you might be using a few percent of your computers capability. Unless you're doing video rendering or what not, if you hit more than 10% load, I'd be surprised. Right now I'm watching some youtube, have a few tabs open, and am typing this response out. Load is about 11% (laptop, i5-2467). A full blown desktop has much more power.

So - say your overclocking increases your capability by 10%. That means instead of using 10% of your computer, you're using 9% or so. Thus you get a 1% reduction in CPU usage.

On the other hand, if you're running a game which is CPU limited (let say your CPU is running 99%). If you overclock and get a 10% increase in performance, your computer thus can utilize that 10% increase (if the CPU needs more oomph), or if it's -almost- CPU limited (99% usage), it would drop to 89-90% total CPU usage. You'll notice a 10% increase.

You just can't notice a 10% overclock when the computer is only loaded to 10%, it's when it's really loaded that you'll notice a 10% overclock.

As for how to overclock, there are quite a few things to have first.

1) Better CPU cooler. Overclocking generates more heat, that heat needs to be removed, and usually the stock cooler is marginal.
2) RTFM (read the freaking manual) :) That will explain where the settings are.
3) Google your motherboard model and CPU and add in 'overclock'. This would probably pull up what other people have achieved with your mobo and CPU combination.

Be aware that not all CPU/mobo combinations can overclock. Cheaper boards especially. Most Intel non-K CPUs with a good motherboard will only get maybe 2-5% OC by increasing the BCLK frequency, and if it's non-K, you won't be able to adjust the multiplier.

If it's an AMD setup, you again might only be able to get a few percent, and you'd have to again adjust the BCLK.

Overall, you're best off getting a -k Intel setup and going to town with a good cooler if you really want to OC.
 

jimmyEatWord

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Mar 10, 2016
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it's a 6600K on a gigabyte gaming 3 motherboard , my ram is a pair of ripjaws ddr4 , i don't know the frequency but i think it would be like 2400 ? my gpu is an r9 390x strix asus , thanks for your help , like i told you my motherboard doesn't have anything like an oc wizard , so i have to do everything manually i think
 

Rookie_MIB

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Well, a 6600k is overclockable, the Z170 chipset allows for overclocking, so to generally overclock - I'll give you a broad overview on the process.

You'll need some software to download and install first.
1) hwmonitor. It monitors all your temps and voltages and loads.
2) prime95. It's a stress test.

Overclocking:

1) boot into the bios.
2) find the OC options (gigabyte it's in M.I.T.). Change multiplier from 'auto' to manual.
3) Safe max vcore voltage is around 1.45 volts. Set yours to 1.40 just to be safe.
4) Max temps are about 75 degrees under load
5) take the multiplier, increase it by one. Save and exit.
6) get into the OS. fire up the hwmonitor. fire up prime95.
7a)watch your temps. If temp levels off below 70-75 degrees, you have more room. Stop test, get back into bios, go to step 5.
7b) if temps are 70-75 degrees, you're at the average max safe limit. Go to step 8
7c) if prime95 crashes, or windows freezes or BSODs, you're too high. Get into bios, lower multiplier by 1, go back to step 6.

8) you're done, enjoy the overclock.
 
Solution

jimmyEatWord

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Mar 10, 2016
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thanks for your informative post , so i gather that it is mainly the base clock (multiplier) and the voltage i should take care of ? and that a stress test program gives you the parameters you gotta set in your bios better ? like intel's xtu tool
 

Rookie_MIB

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Yes to the base clock multiplier and voltage. For anyone looking to do a simple overclock to get more performance, those are the two main parameters you'll tweak.

The stress tests I listed doesn't give you any parameters (unlike the automatic tuning utilities), what it does is load the CPU so that as the heat level rises in the CPU, that it won't cause the CPU to malfunction. Some CPUs handle heat better, and some coolers are far better than others as well, so you need to sneak up on what works best for your particular combination.

The stock settings for the CPUs as you get them are a compromise between heat, reliability, performance, noise, and CPU cooler costs. With those interested in getting the most performance they can, they'll eliminate a few of those compromises (ie: dealing with a louder set of fans and CPU cooler costs by purchasing water coolers or more expensive air units) to shift the performance level up - sometimes quite a bit.

If you look at it, your average Skylake i7 has a 3.4 base clock. Some people are getting up to 4.7 on air coolers, and that's nearly a 30% increase so it's not a trivial amount of performance which can be picked up. But - not everyone is going to want to pay $90.00 for a big Noctua D15. Hence the compromise.