Overclocking i5 3570K With Only the CPU Multiplier Questions?

[ophaq]

Hello all, I am planning on overclocking my i5 3570K sometime soon (mostly for Guild Wars 2) and I was wondering about a few things before I do so. So if you would kindly answer my questions, I would greatly appreciate it!

Here are my specs relating to OCing (some listed might not be related):
-i5 3570K CPU.
-Corsair TX850 80+ Gold.
-Gigabyte UD3H motherboard.
-4x2 8Gb of Ripjaws X memory.
-Corsair H80 liquid cooling.
-Radeon HD 7970 IceQ X2

My CPU's Vcore is at 1.080V and VTT at 1.056V (or 1.060V) in BIOS.

The Questions:
1.) What is the max (or average) OC on an i5 3570K by only adjusting the CPU multiplier and leaving everything else on auto (I read that some got to 4.4Ghz while others got to only 4.2Ghz)? I am planning (or hoping) to get to around 4.4Ghz. If not that, then 4.2Ghz or 4.3Ghz.

2.) The most important question: If I increase the CPU multiplier too far, will my computer still be able to POST and allow me into the BIOS so that I can re-adjust the CPU multiplier to a boot-able/more stable clock?

3.) While adjusting the clock multiplier, I am going to turn off Turbo Boost (probably permanently). As I am doing that, should I turn off the C-states as well while testing for stability or is that not necessarily needed? After all, I am just turning up the CPU multiplier and I'll probably have to stability test again after I turn them on anyways.

4.) How many hours of Prime95 blend should I do? Should I also install Intel Burn Test? If so, how many runs of that?

5.) Will my GPU bottleneck with my OC'd CPU?.

6.) Anything else?

 

[Rustyy117]

Hello all, I am planning on overclocking my i5 3570K sometime soon (mostly for Guild Wars 2) and I was wondering about a few things before I do so. So if you would kindly answer my questions, I would greatly appreciate it!

Here are my specs relating to OCing (some listed might not be related):
-i5 3570K CPU.
-Corsair TX850 80+ Gold.
-Gigabyte UD3H motherboard.
-4x2 8Gb of Ripjaws X memory.
-Corsair H80 liquid cooling.
-Radeon HD 7970 IceQ X2

My CPU's Vcore is at 1.080V and VTT at 1.056V (or 1.060V) in BIOS.

The Questions:
1.) What is the max (or average) OC on an i5 3570K by only adjusting the CPU multiplier and leaving everything else on auto (I read that some got to 4.4Ghz while others got to only 4.2Ghz)? I am planning (or hoping) to get to around 4.4Ghz. If not that, then 4.2Ghz or 4.3Ghz.

2.) The most important question: If I increase the CPU multiplier too far, will my computer still be able to POST and allow me into the BIOS so that I can re-adjust the CPU multiplier to a boot-able/more stable clock?

3.) While adjusting the clock multiplier, I am going to turn off Turbo Boost (probably permanently). As I am doing that, should I turn off the C-states as well while testing for stability or is that not necessarily needed? After all, I am just turning up the CPU multiplier and I'll probably have to stability test again after I turn them on anyways.

4.) How many hours of Prime95 blend should I do? Should I also install Intel Burn Test? If so, how many runs of that?

5.) Will my GPU bottleneck with my OC'd CPU?.

6.) Anything else?

Hi,

1) I'm not sure why you'd only want to adjust the CPU multi, but in any case it'll depend on how good a CPU you have and what your motherboard sets as the Auto Vcore, roughly 4.2Ghz would be an average.

Really what you want to do is set your RAM to its rated values (Freq, Timings, Voltage...), set the Vcore manually (to something like 1.2V to start with) and then start upping the multi and testing for stability.

2) If your overclock is so unstable it cannot post then after trying to post a few times it'll most likely reset the BIOS back to defaults for you, or you can do this manually yourself by removing the CMOS battery for 10 minutes and then putting it back.

3) Yes turn off Turbo boost, I've seen an issue before where the overclock wouldn't register in the O/S when C states where enabled, though it was solved with a BIOS update, Leave them on and see if it works for you (should work just fine).

4) Run prime for how ever long you can (within reason), most people test for about 8 hours, Use intel burn test aswell (20 runs with max load, watch your CPU's core temps carefully!!!).

5) No.

6) Keep temps below 75C and voltage below 1.35V and have fun.