Intel i5 2500K Showing as 3.3GHz Within CPU-Z when OC'ed to 4.4GHz

[lspeak666]

Hi guys,

I built a new system last week which consists of:

CPU: Intel i5 2500k (3.3GHz Stock clock)
MOTHERBOARD: MSI Z77A-G43 (Z77 Chipset - BIOS Version: v2.3, release date 2012-04-19)
RAM: G-Skill RipJawsX 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit
PSU: Corsair HX 850W ATX Modular SLI Compliant Power Supply
GFX: EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 448 Cores (FTW Edition)
CHASSIS: Cooler Master CM Storm Scout
HDD: 500GB Seagate Barracuda SATAIII (6GB/s)

It's worth noting that the GFX they sent me was faulty so I'm currently having to use the onboard graphics chipset as a temporary workaround whilst I wait for them to send me another

Now the default multiplier for this CPU is 33 and the base clock is 100MHz. I have cranked this up to 44 and have increased the voltage by 0.020000v. It's running fine at 33 degrees idle on the stock cooler -and runs at 58 degrees under load after 2 hours of Prime95 stress-testing.

Now I downloaded CPU-Z to see the magic and upon doing so, found that CPU-Z is only reporting that the CPU's clock speed is at 3.3GHz. Even under load, it is still saying 3.3GHz. BIOS is reporting that it is running at 4.4GHz...

This has been driving me crazy for the past day or so and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on what could be causing this issue. I am relatively new to overclocking so I may have missed something important. Constructive criticism/Help would be appreciated :]

I'll include pictures of my BIOS settings and the CPU-Z results with Prime95 running below, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance

CPU Features:

CPU Specs:

CPU-Z Results on Load:

Overclock Settings in BIOS

Power Settings in BIOS:

 

[saint19]

Just to know, which of those pictures is the "ECO Mode" tab? and "ECO" option in the left side?

 

[foscooter]

That is the (great) thing about Sandy Bridge Processors: Unless they are under full load, they downscale their speed.

If you had the CPU at full load, CPU-Z would show 4.4GHz.

Oops, sorry...just re-read your OP.

 

[saint19]

That is the (great) thing about Sandy Bridge Processors: Unless they are under full load, they downscale their speed.

If you had the CPU at full load, CPU-Z would show 4.4GHz.

Not true.

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

Not true.

What part of that isn't true? SpeedStep throttles speed when not under load, and at 100% load, it'll either go to the highest applicable Turbo speed or highest speed period, if you're OC'ing with the main multi.

 

[lspeak666]

That is the (great) thing about Sandy Bridge Processors: Unless they are under full load, they downscale their speed.

If you had the CPU at full load, CPU-Z would show 4.4GHz.

Oops, sorry...just re-read your OP.

My CPU is under full load, as you can see by the Prime95 running behind CPU-Z and Speedfan reporting 100% usage on all 4 cores.

Just read the i5 2500k overclock guide which is sticky'ed onto the Overclock > CPU's forums board...gonna give it a try when I get home, will update :]

 

[Tab54o]

Well I have the same processor and mine is overclocked and i can say it never runs at 3.3GHz it runs at either 1600 Idle or 4.2GHz full load.

 

[foscooter]

I just read the OC sticky:

[Note: Core Temp/Real Temp/ Primes95 have not been completed updated to recognize the P67 hardware so your clocks on these programs will show stock.]

I would imagine that this is still true for Z68 & Z77 motherboards too!

 

[saint19]

What part of that isn't true? SpeedStep throttles speed when not under load, and at 100% load, it'll either go to the highest applicable Turbo speed or highest speed period, if you're OC'ing with the main multi.

Correct, SpeedStep works in that way, but when you have all power options disable (as the users says), the CPU will always run at max speed independent if you are playing or only using the calculator.

 

[erunion]

CPU-Z is right. For some reason your bios isn't overclocking. Is your ECO mode still at 3.3? Overclock that too. Maybe your CPU is still in eco mode.

Does that board come with an overclocking tool for windows? Check the settings in that. My ASUS overclock tool can override bios settings.

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

Correct, SpeedStep works in that way, but when you have all power options disable (as the users says), the CPU will always run at max speed independent if you are playing or only using the calculator.

Well, that's true, of course. I just figure most people that aren't hardcore OC'ers leave SpeedStep enabled, lol. I do, if only so I can enable the Balanced power plan at night to let it clock down (High Performance otherwise).

 

[saint19]

I just read the OC sticky:

[Note: Core Temp/Real Temp/ Primes95 have not been completed updated to recognize the P67 hardware so your clocks on these programs will show stock.]

I would imagine that this is still true for Z68 & Z77 motherboards too!

That can be a good point, Z68 is supported and show the correct speed but I'm not sure at Z77 (I think it's but we would test that now)

@lspeak666: You can test if the problem is the program or not.

1) Set you CPU at stock clock in BIOS and run SP 1M
2) Set you CPU at 4GHz in BIOS and run again SP 1M

If both times are different, the problem is the program.

 

[erunion]

Looks like guru3d has screen shots of cpu-z working on a z77 board.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-sabertooth-z77-review/9

 

[flrst]

you have turbo mode disabled in the bios, enable it, fixed

 

[amuffin]

*sighs*

 

[Jeffrey Hoover]

i am running the asrock z77 extreme 4 with 16gb 1866 ddr3, 2 nvidia gtx670 in sli with 2500k o.c.ed to 4.7 ghz ans in cpuz my processor is listed as a 3.3 2500k however below it will say 1600 or 4700 depending on load. should i quit complaining about not bein able to o.c. more than what i am. it looks like everywhere i go i see lower numbers plus asrock offers the turbo 30 or turbo 50 depending on your board and i have that enabled