Intel I7 4770K Overclock Limit

RoboX · Oct 20, 2019

I'm trying to overclock an I7 4770K mounted on an MSI Z87-G41 motherboard with 2X4GB DDR3 1886. (Latest Bios, Water Cooling)

To find the maximum CPU frequency I set the RAM to 1600 with 1.5v, and I set the ring ratio to 30 (3.000 Mhz) with VCCIN 1.9v, I also disabled LLC EIST and C-state.

By doing stability tests with LinX, the CPU Ratio at 45 does not hold up (crash) even with 1.4v of vcore. The voltages are set in override mode.

At the moment, I'm finding stability only with a CPU ratio of 42 (and I'm trying to find a lower voltage, such as 1.32v).

From what I read on these CPUs and on the results achieved (or in terms of maximum frequency, or in any case of lower frequencies but with decidedly lower voltages) I believe that in my case there is something wrong.

Can you tell me if it's a normal situation?

Also, how can I act to try to achieve stability at higher frequencies or, if I have to stop at a frequency of 4200, at least with a lower voltage?

I enclose some screenshots of the bios of how I set in this multiple (very bad) result:

upload image

HeadlessKnight · Oct 20, 2019

Hi
LinX is too hard on Haswell, if you want to achieve stability in it you won't get much I am afraid. To add insult to injury the 4770k was not known to be a brilliant overclocker. Any chip that can do 4.4 GHz+ is within the golden range.
For a reasonable stress test IMO I suggest OCCT 4.4.1 (Large data set test for two hours at least (harder than the average stress test but more gentle than LinX and Prime95). Avoid any newer version of OCCT as it will make the CPU draw insane current that will be untouched by any real world app.
If you want even less stressful tests that can give real-world-like workloads you can try Asus RealBench, x264 stability test 2.06 and Blender.

Gunderman456 · Oct 20, 2019

I lapped, delidded and used liquid metal on mine and could only reach 4.5GHz (5+ years) stable on an open water loop.

Look here (sig rig) for some help and advice on Bios settings:

https://www.overclock.net/forum/180...net/forum/18082-builds-logs-case-mods/1442038-build-log-hawaiian-heat-wave.html

rluker5 · Oct 20, 2019

I thought 4770k's were 200mhz or so slower than 4790k's. If the cooling and TIM are ok you shouldn't have a problem with 4.4-4.5 at 1.35. My old one did 4.7 at that(now in daughter's rig, no binning just a retail purchase) and is running 4.2 at 1.1v right now. The only other one I had went to my son and that one did 4.5 at 1.35. I did delid them, daughter's could do 2-300mhz more after this and son's got nothing out of it.
Sometimes different motherboards give different volts to IOA, IOD, SA and chipset. You could try giving a couple dozen additional millivolts to the 3 on the cpu and maybe 10mv extra to the 1.05v chipset. That will also help with ram oc if you ever do that. You can always get rid of the extra volts later.
And start stock, find min volts and progress your way up. Some issue may become apparent that way like an ov protection that trips at a certain number, or vdroop under load, or system doesn't like to work well over 1.3v or something.

And with a Z87 Deluxe, I did trip oc protection a few times when I gave it over 1.5v in 2014 when I got in the 5ghz club. Wouldn't give it that much for long though. I didn't like to set it over mid 1.3s for extended periods. This is the last time I gave it over 1.5v before I upgraded it to a 5775c: https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/21783144?

Hope you figure it out. It is still a good chip at 4.2

looniam · Oct 20, 2019

pretty good checklist and test suggestions here:
Haswell Overclocking Guide [With Statistics]

admittedly i have little to no experience OCing haswell however, i believe those G41 pcmate motherboards were rather budget orientated and may impose limitation(s).

RoboX · Oct 27, 2019

I found the established at 4200 with a vcore of 1.2v (20 cycle of linx with good temperature).

If I increase the frequency, the necessary vcore increases excessively, minimum 1.4

Is this situation normal?

Furthermore, if I delid the cpu and do the tests with 10-15 degrees less than the 100 (actual at 4500 under linx), could it change something in the stability at 4500@1.4v?

Imprezzion · Oct 27, 2019

If it really runs 100c in LinX at 4.5Ghz it is crashing because of the voltage and thermal throttling and not because it's unstable per sé.

The G41 is far too weak VRM wise to run 1.30v+ reliably as well. The droop would be huge and VRM's will overheat in minutes causing stability problems as well.

I'd be happy with 4.2 @ 1.2 or maybe try 4.3 on as low as possible voltage but that board and a non delidded CPU really isn't going to give you any more.

Arxontas · Oct 28, 2019

I remember watching Linus' review of the 4770k and thinkin' to myself "***?"

They gave Linus a Golden Sample 4770k that could do an absolutely ridiculous 4.6 GHz at a mere 1.20V VCore or something equally ridiculous.

Down to Earth, the 4770k's sold to mere mortals such as you and me, sucked to an incredible degree when it came to overclocking.

Intel Temperature Guide guy at Tom's Hardware recommends no more than 1.3V VCore for 24/7, and mine does 4.4 GHz at that voltage with HT on and stays below 75C with a Noctua NHD-15S cooler.

Your results aren't bad, they are just normal for how bad 4770k is.

P.S.: MY 4770k isn't delidded and I have an ASUS Maximus VI Hero Z87 mobo.

Mugenski · Nov 15, 2019

I hit a wall on my 4770k trying to get over the 4.4ghz hump. Never did get anything over 4.4ghz stable. Ran at 4.4 @ 1.22v for the first few years. Started to get a little instability so I bumped to 1.25v. Just today I decided to recheck my OC on the 4770k and I left bios stock and just set uncore to 40 and cores to 44. Voltages and everything else auto. Funny enough the auto voltages were pretty close to what I ended up with. 1.25v and 1.33v under OCCT/AVX load.

Try lowering your Uncore/Ring to 40, cores to 44 @ 1.35v If stable slowly lower your core voltage until unstable.

Intel I7 4770K Overclock Limit

RoboX

HeadlessKnight

Gunderman456

rluker5

looniam

RoboX

Imprezzion

Arxontas

Mugenski

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