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i7 860 Overclocking

S

-SHiFT-

n00b
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
27
Anyone got some general tips? Here are a few questions I'm looking for an answer for:

a) Max Vcore for safe 24/7 operation
b) Approximate BCLK I'm going to get with an acceptable Vcore that will give me safe 24/7 operation without lowering the life of the processor too much
c) Appropriate max load temperatures, and according to what program? I'm assuming I should be using CoreTemp or RealTemp, but with what Tjunction max?
d) Do I need to be running 1:1 with my memory? I'm assuming no because I see a lot of 2:8 and 2:10 ratios in CPU-Z from the treads I've read.

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Just realized I might have posted this in the wrong thread, if it is, would be awesome if someone could move it. :)
 
1.40v, 4.0 GHz 20x200 for me. idle is usually around 35c, load 75ish.
 
With 75C on load what program are you using? RealTemp? What is the Tjunction max that you have set in that program?

I've been told by a few co-workers that I will hit unsafe temperatures far before I will hit an unsafe Vcore.
 
a) You shouldn't need to go any higher than 1.4V for a 4GHz OC. In fact you can probably keep it between 1.3-1.37 (depending on your processor). Mine is stable at 1.33V. (20x200). Like your coworker mentioned, its going to be hard for you to hit an unsafe voltage before the thing is way too hot.
b) 200BCLK should be the highest you go unless you are trying to accomplish something retarded.
c) Tjmax 99 degrees Celsius. Max load temps at 1.4V with decent cooling shouldn't pass 80-85 while running prime95/IBT. CoreTemp and RealTemp give identical results to me, so I don't think there is a difference.
d) Absolutely not. Run at whichever ratio allows you to match the DRAM frequency to your ram's specs (or as close as possible without going over).

Heres what I am currently running:

Multiplier: 20
BCLK: 200
CPU Vcore: 1.33750
IMC: 1.34V
CPU PLL: 1.8V
PCH 1.05V
DRAM 1.65V (USE THE RATED VALUE FOR YOUR RAM)
DRAM ratio: 2:10 (My RAM is rated at 2000MHz. Adjust the ratio until your ram is running as close to rated speed as possible without going over).
CPU & PCIE Spread Spectrum DISABLED
C states DISABLED
SpeedStep DISABLED
Full Power Phase mode ENABLED (This is the setting which disables (enabled = no power saving) the power saving ability of your p55 mobo, its probably called something else on non Asus mobo's, I found it impossible to do any OCing with it disabled)
C1E ENABLED
HT ENABLED


Good luck with the overclock, these little 860's have some muscle :D
 
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Thanks, I've actually got a very similar setup to yours.

Except I'm using a P7P55D Vanilla board and RIpjaws rated at 1600MHz. I even have the Sapphire HD 4870 1GB ;)
 
-SHiFT- said:
Thanks, I've actually got a very similar setup to yours.

Except I'm using a P7P55D Vanilla board and RIpjaws rated at 1600MHz. I even have the Sapphire HD 4870 1GB ;)
Click to expand...

Try some similar settings (with 2:8 DRAM ratio for your ram. I think in our BIOS you will just be able to choose 1600MHz in the AI tweaker tab if your BCLK is 200). Start at 1.33V Vcore and work your way up until its stable in Prime95/Intel Burn Test. Unless you have some bad luck with your processor or I am forgetting some settings it should be stable at or less than 1.37V. You should be able to leave all of the voltages other than the CPU and DRAM on "Auto" mode as well (set them manually if you prefer). The BIOS on the Asus P55's pwns. Good luck & have fun! (I'm kinda sad my OC is finally dialed in, I love playing with it lol).
 
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I settled for a more conservative OC with a lower vCore: 1,2875 vQPI/vtt : 1,25 Blk : 185 @ 3,885. I'm in the lower/mid 70's C degrees with a TRUE.

What HSF do you have ?
 
Noctua NH-U12P with Noctua NF-P12 in Push Pull.

Kdot & blurp do you happen to know the stepping / revision of your chip?
 
-SHiFT- said:
Noctua NH-U12P with Noctua NF-P12 in Push Pull.

Kdot & blurp do you happen to know the stepping / revision of your chip?
Click to expand...

rev B1.

Also... I just found an instability at 1.33V after leaving IBT on overnight. So I lied. 1.35V is probably more reasonable for stable 4GHz.
 
Last edited:
-SHiFT- said:
With 75C on load what program are you using? RealTemp? What is the Tjunction max that you have set in that program?

I've been told by a few co-workers that I will hit unsafe temperatures far before I will hit an unsafe Vcore.
Click to expand...

CoreTemp. I was encoding a blu-ray rip, all threads at 100%. intelburntest will get it to ~80c or so.
 
Hi, I just ordered an 860 and GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD3 mobo, with G.SKILL Trident 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) ram. I have overclocked with the 775 socket and using front side bus but this new socket will be new to me. Essentially I'd like some beginner tips on what to expect with this new mobo and cpu setup. What will the bios be like? My mobo supports ddr3 2200, can I increase my ram to 2200? What up with ram timings with this setup, can I decrease it from 9-9-9 to 8-8-8 or 7-7-7? Thanks for guiding me, I'm very excited about this new setup!!
 
I think most people would say the sweet spot for i7 overclocking is DDR3-1600, that's why I got it instead of 1333 at least.

In any case if not for Intel Retail Edge Big Deal in December I would probably go for an i5 processor instead.
 
I watched a video someone posted and I think I have a good understanding of what to expect. When I get the cpu, i'll come post the results. I'll be aircooling with the cooler in my sig. If I can get the ram stable at ddr3 2200 I'll be surprised.
 
aamsel said:
Couple questions for all you 860 owners:

I am not trying to thread-crap this into another 920 vs 860 thread, but I had an 860, sold it,
and am now getting an i7 again this week. I don't consider that there is much difference in
overall CPU power (if any) between a 920 and 860, A big thread on Xtremesystems showed that
the overall capability of the two chips is virtually a dead heat.

I only use one video card, and don't care if the current chips are the last ones for the 1156 (which they probably are not).

So....

1.) It seems like the voltage for a 4.0 o/c (if possible) on an 860 might be even higher than for a 4.0+ on a 920, true or false?
Also the heat would seem to be also about the same for both? If so, is the lower wattage of the 860 really doing anything
for you (versus a 920) other than saving a few dollars annually in electricity?

2.) For 860 mobos I am down to the P7P55D Deluxe, Maximus III Gene, and Maximus III Formula.
Only the Maximus III Formula has a decent combo discount at Newegg.
Any motherboard recommendations on the above boards as to which is the best of these?

3.) I am assuming the the 860 has only had one stepping so far, and that it is too new for there
to be known "good batches"? Correct?

4.) Finally, of you folks who went 860, would you have chosen 920 if the motherboards were about
the same price and triplets of DDR-3 were not required?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Like most of the i7 860 owners, I thought twice about with CPU to get (860 - 920). I settled with the 860 because:
1) P55 chipset tend to be more power efficient.
2) Cost of course : for less money , I could get a more featured mobo. The Gigabyte P55-UD4P is flawless.
3) I don't SLI or crossfire so 2 x 16x pci-e lanes was not an issue. I did SLI once 9800GX2 ... a sttutering nightmare ...

I really think, after reading all over the net and benchmarking my current setup, that both CPU are 'more or less' the same. I'm not convinced either that they have different OC potential. I'm @ 3,88 with vCore 1,2875 not pushing anything here.

Nonetheless, I really like my setup. ;-)
 
currently running my 860 @ 3.6ghz with vcore at 1.175

Load temps (100% with wprime, handbrake) around 61C.

I am using a coolmaster tx3 heatsink. Although a cheap heatsink, works very well for light duty overclocking.

I could probably push the processor quite a bit more, but happy with the low vcore (and temp) at this speed.

In order to speed up processor, there seems to be a big increase (VERY non-linear) in vcore for the additional step in speed and stability.

EDIT:
Also of note (and this probably goes without saying):
Be sure to pay attention to the direction of the heatsink.
By turning my heatsink 90 degrees (and using intel's recommendations as opposed to what I thought was best), I saw temps drop 5 degrees under full load.
 
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I find to get past 160 BCLK I have to start adding heaps of VTT, more than Intel's max recommendation of 1.2

i7 860 on a P55UD4P.
I've got it stable now 22x160 (3520) on 1.265/1.15 vcore/vtt.
 
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dcl said:
I find to get past 160 BCLK I have to start adding heaps of VTT, more than Intel's max recommendation of 1.2

i7 860 on a P55UD4P.
I've got it stable now 22x160 (3520) on 1.265/1.15 vcore/vtt.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I'm LinX x25 stable with 21x185 (3880) with a vCore 1,2875 & vQPI/VTT 1,25. Turbo Off for me. Same CPU/Mobo.
 
blurp said:
Like most of the i7 860 owners, I thought twice about with CPU to get (860 - 920). I settled with the 860 because:
1) P55 chipset tend to be more power efficient.
2) Cost of course : for less money , I could get a more featured mobo. The Gigabyte P55-UD4P is flawless.
3) I don't SLI or crossfire so 2 x 16x pci-e lanes was not an issue. I did SLI once 9800GX2 ... a sttutering nightmare ...

I really think, after reading all over the net and benchmarking my current setup, that both CPU are 'more or less' the same. I'm not convinced either that they have different OC potential. I'm @ 3,88 with vCore 1,2875 not pushing anything here.

Nonetheless, I really like my setup. ;-)
Click to expand...

Same reasons I went with an 860. I liked saving a little money and using less power, definitely would have gone 920 if I intended to sli/crossfire.



What's a safe vtt voltage for 1156 chips? Intel lists 1.55 cpu and 1.21 vtt as the max, but that cpu voltage is way too high on air and most people are settling around 1.3 vtt, so they listed that one low.

I've been busy with research, so mine is currently running 3.5ghz at stock voltages for my chip (1.2625 cpu and 1.10 vtt). That's bclk 160x22, higher C states disabled, so the turbo keeps all 4 at x22 under any load, but will still go x9 and under volt at idle.
 
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Is everyone posting here using Gigabyte boards?
Just wondering.
When the 860 first rolled out, seemed like there were some people buying
various eVGA boards and some ASUS. I realize that this thread isn't a
cross-section of 860 users everywhere, but is anyone using another board
with the 860?

Also, in some reviews and posts I have read, it was the ASUS P7P55D Deluxe
that was supposedly getting 860's to 4.0 at the lowest voltages.

Anyone support or dispute that?
 
biff_18 said:
...
Also of note (and this probably goes without saying):
Be sure to pay attention to the direction of the heatsink.
By turning my heatsink 90 degrees (and using intel's recommendations as opposed to what I thought was best), I saw temps drop 5 degrees under full load.
Click to expand...

What case is your ASUS in, and what direction (N-S, E-W, etc) is your heatsink, and how many fans?
 
I have an antec 300.

the heatsink's pipes run across the i7, East - West in the antec (see diagram from intel below to help give a better idea).
The fans blow from south to north. (I have a push pull... One on the bottom, one on the top).
(Adding the second fan dropped the temps at full load around 3 more degrees.)

here is a little nugget of info I found on Intel's website when I was playing with heatsinks on my i7 (warning PDF):
http://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/applnots/29226901.pdf

Page 12 shows the following (in my case, the chip sits 90 degrees counter clockwise of the below diagram):
i7860heatsinkinfo.jpg
 
aamsel said:
Is everyone posting here using Gigabyte boards?
Just wondering.
When the 860 first rolled out, seemed like there were some people buying
various eVGA boards and some ASUS. I realize that this thread isn't a
cross-section of 860 users everywhere, but is anyone using another board
with the 860?

Also, in some reviews and posts I have read, it was the ASUS P7P55D Deluxe
that was supposedly getting 860's to 4.0 at the lowest voltages.

Anyone support or dispute that?
Click to expand...

I'm running an evga p55 ftw. Works great for me.
 
biff_18 said:
I have an antec 300.

the heatsink's pipes run across the i7, East - West in the antec (see diagram from intel below to help give a better idea).
The fans blow from south to north. (I have a push pull... One on the bottom, one on the top).
(Adding the second fan dropped the temps at full load around 3 more degrees.)

here is a little nugget of info I found on Intel's website when I was playing with heatsinks on my i7 (warning PDF):
http://download.intel.com/design/chipsets/applnots/29226901.pdf

Page 12 shows the following (in my case, the chip sits 90 degrees counter clockwise of the below diagram):
i7860heatsinkinfo.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks!
In your case, with the Antec 300 this certainly makes sense.
You are exhausting most of the heat through the blowhole on top, correct?
 
aamsel said:
Thanks!
In your case, with the Antec 300 this certainly makes sense.
You are exhausting most of the heat through the blowhole on top, correct?
Click to expand...

yes sir.

I probably would have thought twice about it if I didn't have the blowhole. :D

With the top exit, it is a no brainer.
 
biff_18 - just wanted to report back that I tried your tip about correct cooler placement and it worked! got ~4-5'C improvement. My cooler fan is now blowing towrads the TOP of my CM690 case as per yours.

cheers again!
 
Boy_lah said:
biff_18 - just wanted to report back that I tried your tip about correct cooler placement and it worked! got ~4-5'C improvement. My cooler fan is now blowing towrads the TOP of my CM690 case as per yours.

cheers again!
Click to expand...

excellent. Glad to see I am not the only one who reaped the rewards. :D
 
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