I7 3770k

[qweoiuqweoiu]

Ok.. its been years since i last built my own PC.. and now I finally get the chance to build a new one so basically im new with overclocking.. i only learned about it through reading forums, tutorials and etc.

heres my build
MoBo: Sabertooth z77
CPU: i7 3770k
Cooler: Corsair H100
Ram: Corsair Vengeance 1600 16gb

with some tweaking on bios i got this results..

Idle:

With Prime95:

i was hoping to go higher but without exceeding temp of 80 (because i read on some post that 80degrees is the safe temp for the CPU) so any suggestions on what voltage i should go for??

and another question.. should the core speed just stay on 4490-4500 MHz even on idle mode?? because mine just stay on that number..

edit: woops sorry wrong pic..

 

[asuslover]

I have the same chip and asus v pro.....and yes i got stable at 4.5 at all time with prime 95 for 10 hrs.. Stable but the celcius is about 86 but is up and down and is not solid... Second mine just stay at 4.5 lol

 

[asuslover]

How come ur i7 said 8 thread but mine said 12 thread...

 

[bucknutty]

The 3770k is a quad core with HT so 8 threads. Your i7 must be the i7 3930 if it has 12 threads.

 

[jemm]

i was hoping to go higher but without exceeding temp of 80 (because i read on some post that 80degrees is the safe temp for the CPU)

I don´t know where you´ve read it, but by Intel specifications your CPU should not go over 67.4°C -- under load your CPU is reaching 67C, which is fine!

 

[larkspur]

I don´t know where you´ve read it, but by Intel specifications your CPU should not go over 67.4°C -- under load your CPU is reaching 67C, which is fine!

Tcase is not Tjmax, don't confuse them. Tcase is a measurement of the cpu's case temperature taken from the center of chip's package on the topside under the heatspreader. Tcase is significantly less than Tjmax.

Core temperatures refer to temperature of individual cores and their relevant limit is Tjmax. At Tjmax the chip throttles down to avoid damage.

To be "safe" core temperatures should be at least 20c less than Tjmax. The i7-3770k has a Tjmax of 105c so keeping it under 80c is 25c under Tjmax which is good and recommended for any 24/7 OC. Obviously increased temperatures lower the longevity of the chip, but Tcase is not Tjmax.

 

[jemm]

To be "safe" core temperatures should be at least 20c less than Tjmax. The i7-3770k has a Tjmax of 105c so keeping it under 80c is 25c under Tjmax which is good and recommended for any 24/7 OC.

Can you please provide a link to a documentation to legitimate your assumption above?

According to Intel, "to allow optimal system operation and long-term reliability, the processor must not exceed the maximum case temperature specifications as defined by the applicable thermal profile." http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-033342.htm

What I wrote was based on documentation, not speculation from other forums. As it is a help thread, not a discussion thread, then I will provide the OP with some links with useful information.

Guide to Understanding Intel Temperatures http://www.techreaction.net/2009/10/14/guide-to-understanding-intel-temperatures/

Processor operation temperature FAQ http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-033342.htm

 

[jemm]

The moderator deleted my post when I said Tcase is Tjmax!

 

[larkspur]

Guide to Understanding Intel Temperatures http://www.techreaction.net/2009/10/14/guide-to-understanding-intel-temperatures/

That explains it very well, thank you for the link. RealTemp, which is what qweoiuqweoiu is using, measures distance to Tjmax (which is different from the distance to Ross, or Marshalls and also different from the distance to KMart too).

@qweoiuqweoiu To answer your question about voltage: Keep the voltage as low as you can while still getting a stable clock. Just up the multiplier by 1 without upping the voltage and test for stability. 4.8ghz is not totally unreasonable but will almost certainly need more voltage and it might be too hot to get there. Also decide how far you need to OC for your usage. I'm not sure what you're using the computer for but giving up your processor's longevity for a frame or two in a game is kind of silly. Figure out a nice sweet spot where clocks are good, performance is great and voltage and temps are still nice-n-low.

 

[jemm]

That explains it very well, thank you for the link.

You are very welcome!

But what it "explains it very well"? The link doesn´t say anything about "To be "safe" core temperatures should be at least 20c less than Tjmax".

According to Intel, "TCASE Max is the maximum temperature that the TCASE sensor should reach." http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-033342.htm

As I wrote above, the TCASE for the I7 3770K is 67.4C. Where am I wrong?

 

[larkspur]

You aren't wrong about Tcase being 67.4c. But Tcase and Tjunction are different measurements. Aside from maybe Speedfan (the link mentions it but I have it and am still not sure whether it's reading Tcase or Tjunction) temp monitor programs measure Tjunction.

The link is good because it specifies the difference between Tjmax (which is what the OP is measuring) and Tcase (which is a different measurement entirely). Tcase is significantly less than Tjmax, I'm not sure if there is some Intel document that states that it is less. Sorry for the lack of links, Intel hasn't traditionally been a big fan of people overclocking their processors.

Intel specifies in their warranty that "to be safe" you shouldn't OC your CPU at all. OCed CPUs are voided under warranty (though I heard they offered a separate purchasable OC warranty awhile back). Therefore you aren't going to find any official Intel sources telling you what is safe outside of stock clocks and voltages.

Tjmax is the maximum reading of Tjunction on each core and that reading is what the cpu uses to decide whether or not to start thermal throttling. And so experience both personally and in the overclocking community tells me that keeping your CPU at least 20c under Tjmax is a good idea if you are going to OC. Going beyond this is like hitting the 6000rpm+ on your tachometer with an overheating engine - even if there isn't a red-line painted on the gauge it still isn't good for the engine. So 20c under is just a nice round number that may be more conservative or less conservative depending on the amount of risk a person is willing to accept. Ultimately, remember that the less heat/voltage, the longer potential lifespan of your cpu and any overclocking carries risk.

 

[jemm]

You aren't wrong about Tcase being 67.4c

I have never said that, I have just reproduced what Intel says -- Intel is the one to blame then, you can complain with them here www.intel.com

Here you can find the link where Intel says that an i7-3770K TCASE is 67.4C http://ark.intel.com/products/65523

 

[photonboy]

3570K vs 3770K

The 3570K is about $100 cheaper. The 3570K will perform IDENTICALLY to a 3770K for gaming because games won't utilize the hyperthreads (and generally don't utilize more than three physical cores anyway.)

The HYPERTHREADS are rarely utilized. Some programs like Handbrake, Acronis True Image, and a few others can use all 8 threads fully but in practice it's very difficult to find a scenario that justifies the 3770K.

My advice is get the 3570K and put the $100 difference towards something else like a better graphics card, speakers, or audio card.

CHEERS.

 

[larkspur]

No, no, no. I said you aren't wrong. That means you are right! : ) Tcase is indeed 67.4c for the i7-3770k. It's the maximum temperature that a diode in the very center-top of the cpu can reach. It's just a different way of measuring temperature than software programs use.

Intel publishes Tcase as you linked. Tcase is a measurement that is typically LESS than Tjmax. Tjmax is the maximum temperature that Tjunction can reach. Tjunction is a SEPARATE Intel temperature measurement that is read from inside each individual cpu core). RealTemp (the program that the OP is using to measure temps) measures Tjunction. Tjunction is NOT Tcase. Tcase is LESS than Tjunction. Is it clearer?

 

[jemm]

Ops, it is true!

I know that "Tjunction is NOT Tcase", also I know that "Tcase is LESS than Tjunction."

I just don´t know why you keep saying it to me, as I have never said otherwise.

 

[photonboy]

PLEASE IGNORE MY LAST POST:

Somehow I didn't notice you had already purchased the CPU (had a network glitch and only part of page loaded).

Updated points:

1. Overclocking the 3770K will NOT benefit many, if any games. I've tested this extensively.

2. Overclocking adds heat (thus fan noise) even in IDLE MODE.

3. If you overclock TOO HIGH, I believe one of the cores is actually disabled.

*My advice is leave the CPU at stock speeds, and only overclock if you actually need it (like perhaps converting videos).

Overclocking sounds cool, but if it simply adds heat and noise with no benefit why do it?

 

[jemm]

The OP has already overclocked the CPU -- the temps looks really good around Tcase, though it is not really necessary.

 

[qweoiuqweoiu]

thanks for the answers.. well im just trying to get my PC overclock settings to be stable so that when i need to overclock it ill know what to do.. i wont leave it on OC for long ill put it back to stock speeds as soon as i get the OC stable..

Update: so i attempted to go for 4.6ghz with 1.280V and run prime95 in small FFTs for 8 hours.. My temp maxed at 87 degrees. (this is TJmax) but for 8 hours it doesnt failed.. so that means that the OC is stable.. just wondering if 87degrees is normal..

 

[photonboy]

What is "NORMAL" will vary depending on ambient room temperature, your case cooling, and your CPU cooling.

Any CPU can wear out, but the greater the temperature and increase in Voltage the higher the probability.

I couldn't find the maximum recommended temperature for this CPU but here is the Intel link:
http://ark.intel.com/products/65523

For this particular CPU, I think I would limit overclocking to the maximum achievable overclock WITHOUT increasing the CPU voltage and ALSO without going above 80C.

That's certainly up to debate, but I like to play it safe.

Chances are you'll go back to STOCK settings and never bother overclocking again.
Video Conversion:
Since this is one of the few places where you can potentially make use of all eight threads and/or an overclocked of your CPU I thought I'd comment on this:

I've found the HANDBRAKE video conversion tool is capable of utilizing all threads. Certain features can limit the number of threads used, but I believe I actually converted a video using all EIGHT threads at 100%. This is the ONLY program I've used that achieved this. Other programs were either bottlenecked by the HARD DRIVE, or the lack of multi-threaded coding in the program.

Now that I have my GTX680 though, it's possible that I might end up using the NVENC hardware decoder that's on my graphics card rather than the CPU.

My research on video conversion has lead to the conclusion however that currently the BEST QUALITY is achieved by using a SOFTWARE approach (the CPU) rather than hardware decoders or encoders. The entire video conversion area is a bit of a mess though.

I'm still investigating the best approach to converting BluRay discs for portable use.

 

[larkspur]

i wont leave it on OC for long ill put it back to stock speeds as soon as i get the OC stable..

Cool. Since you aren't planning to run a 24/7 overclock and will likely be satisfied with stock clocks, there is another thing you can try if you enjoy fine-tuning your system. It's not at all necessary and I don't suggest doing it unless fine-tuning your system is enjoyable/satisfying for you.

Results vary but you can undervolt your cpu to further lower the operating temperature (and raise the potential lifespan (key word - potential). I'm pretty sure that, just like overclocking, undervolting also voids your warranty (which is ironic because your cpu's potential lifespan may be increased) so do so at your own risk. Undervolting can be done either at stock clocks or with some chips even with a slight overclock. Intel's stock voltage settings are pretty generic and they are conservative (they overshoot) with their stock voltage setting. If you are interested in undervolting, check out Ian's brief discussion (at the end) in the following article: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5763/undervolting-and-overclocking-on-ivy-bridge

 

[toyftw]

3570K vs 3770K

The 3570K is about $100 cheaper. The 3570K will perform IDENTICALLY to a 3770K for gaming because games won't utilize the hyperthreads (and generally don't utilize more than three physical cores anyway.)

The HYPERTHREADS are rarely utilized. Some programs like Handbrake, Acronis True Image, and a few others can use all 8 threads fully but in practice it's very difficult to find a scenario that justifies the 3770K.

My advice is get the 3570K and put the $100 difference towards something else like a better graphics card, speakers, or audio card.

CHEERS.

Good info to know - thanx

Tom