Need some advice about OC'ing my new i5-2500K

[AeroZ]

Hello,

 

just started overclocking my new setup.

At the moment I chose XMP as the overclock tuner. Everything is on auto. CPU ratio is 45. CPU-Z shows 1.384-1.392v. With that setup I ran Prime95 for 10 minutes (blend test) without errors. Max temp was 67C. Average about 65C. Idle temps are around 38-42C (maybe need to change fan control settings from bios to get idle temps lower?).

At the moment I'm happy with 4.5Ghz but is it best to set everything on auto or should I change my settings like those in El_Capitan's thread?

Also should SpeedStep be enabled or not?

 

Thanks!

Edited September 6, 2011 by AeroZ

[smokeyvdberg]

Dude that's an awesome cpu to overclock!! I personally like overclcocking in the bios I find it gives me more control!!

[El_Capitan]

Manual overclocking will always yield lower CPU voltages than auto overclocking. You should be able to overclock to 4.5GHz on a i5 2500K with about 1.35V's, thus allowing lower temperatures. You might be able to get to 4.7GHz - 4.8GHz with the current voltages you're seeing now, maybe slightly higher temps, though.

[AeroZ]

Manual overclocking will always yield lower CPU voltages than auto overclocking. You should be able to overclock to 4.5GHz on a i5 2500K with about 1.35V's, thus allowing lower temperatures. You might be able to get to 4.7GHz - 4.8GHz with the current voltages you're seeing now, maybe slightly higher temps, though.

Ok. I left the Ai Overclock tuner to XMP but changed everything else to what I read from your thread. Ofcourse I left the ratio to 45 and had to lower the voltage offset to 0.005 to lower the cpu voltage to 1.360-1.368v. Anything else? With those settings I'm getting max 70C with blend test.

Edited September 6, 2011 by AeroZ

[El_Capitan]

The higher temps are probably from the build-up of stress testing. What type of cooler do you have? That's probably your only limiting factor (if you're one to worry about high temps) from overclocking to 4.8GHz or higher. Some overclockers say 80C is fine for max temps on the SB CPU's, but it's easy to keep the temps down on these when watercooled, so I follow the 72.6C as the recommended max temp.

[AeroZ]

The higher temps are probably from the build-up of stress testing. What type of cooler do you have? That's probably your only limiting factor (if you're one to worry about high temps) from overclocking to 4.8GHz or higher. Some overclockers say 80C is fine for max temps on the SB CPU's, but it's easy to keep the temps down on these when watercooled, so I follow the 72.6C as the recommended max temp.

I got Noctua NH-U9B SE2. But is 41C for idle ok? I set the cpu fan control to manual and set high temp to 65C so when I stress tested again the cooler kept the cpu temp 65C max. Anything else I should fine tune?

[El_Capitan]

I got Noctua NH-U9B SE2. But is 41C for idle ok? I set the cpu fan control to manual and set high temp to 65C so when I stress tested again the cooler kept the cpu temp 65C max. Anything else I should fine tune?

Idle's fine, you don't have to worry about that. Load temps is what's important. You can keep going on that overclock and see where your temp limit is with your highest overclock.

[AeroZ]

Idle's fine, you don't have to worry about that. Load temps is what's important. You can keep going on that overclock and see where your temp limit is with your highest overclock.

I should just add more ratio and try to keep the same voltage at first and if I get errors with blend test then upper the voltage a bit? What's the safe voltage limit for this cpu?

Edited September 7, 2011 by AeroZ

[El_Capitan]

I should just add more ratio and try to keep the same voltage at first and if I get errors with blend test then upper the voltage a bit?

Correct. I always write down my stable frequency (or log them in your OP) for a particular voltage. You can even save them in your BIOS profiles (but they'll be invalid after a BIOS flash). I had a i5 2500k be stable at 4.6GHz at -.010 Offset in the BIOS. Nuclear has his at 5.0GHz at 1.37V's (in the BIOS, I think, with 1.38V's at load). Once you find you need a lot more voltage for a frequency to be stable, and your temps are getting close to 72.6C, then you know your safe limit. Anything above that is at your discretion.

 

Even though my max temp is 69C for a core when stress testing at 4.8GHz (i7 2600k), running it for a week, I don't get past 64C. You'll rarely get temps as hot as when you're stress testing, for example, if your CPU gets to something like 74C during your stress tests, but you're stable, you can always monitor your max temp with Real Temp 3.60 and see if you ever get close to 73C. Most likely you'll never reach 70C with normal everyday usage.

[AeroZ]

Correct. I always write down my stable frequency (or log them in your OP) for a particular voltage. You can even save them in your BIOS profiles (but they'll be invalid after a BIOS flash). I had a i5 2500k be stable at 4.6GHz at -.010 Offset in the BIOS. Nuclear has his at 5.0GHz at 1.37V's (in the BIOS, I think, with 1.38V's at load). Once you find you need a lot more voltage for a frequency to be stable, and your temps are getting close to 72.6C, then you know your safe limit. Anything above that is at your discretion.

 

Even though my max temp is 69C for a core when stress testing at 4.8GHz (i7 2600k), running it for a week, I don't get past 64C. You'll rarely get temps as hot as when you're stress testing, for example, if your CPU gets to something like 74C during your stress tests, but you're stable, you can always monitor your max temp with Real Temp 3.60 and see if you ever get close to 73C. Most likely you'll never reach 70C with normal everyday usage.

Yeah, I'm using real temp. I'll do some more tests today and when I find a suitable ratio and voltage with temps below 70C then I'll leave it on over night. Blend test is the only one that I need?

Edited September 7, 2011 by AeroZ