Which motherboard to overclock 6400 on. Motherboards for intel core i5 - Best options to choose


This material will provide a step-by-step method for increasing the performance of the junior 4-core model of the LGA1151 platform - “Cor i5-6400”. It is impossible to overclock this semiconductor crystal by changing the CPU frequency multiplier. But there is an alternative method, which will be described later.

Background

Until a certain point, Intel Corporation provided the opportunity to increase the clock frequencies of its semiconductor solutions to computer enthusiasts, and this made it possible to achieve a significant increase in performance in practice. The latest generation of central processors is solutions based on LGA1156. With the release of the next LGA1155 platform, it was possible to increase the clock frequency only by changing the CPU frequency multiplier in processor models with the “K” index. All other semiconductor crystals of this family were deprived of this opportunity. If they were used, it was only possible on some models of motherboards to increase the bus frequency by 2-3 MHz and thereby obtain a slight increase in performance. A similar situation persisted over the next three generations of processors, and only with the release of LGA1151 certain changes emerged in this direction. The CPU architecture has been redesigned, and after this the generator does not directly affect such PC components as and As a result, without changing the CPU multiplier, you can change the frequency of the clock generator (that is, and due to this, increase the performance of the computer system. This is how i5 overclocking is done -6400 Shinen time today.

Chip characteristics

First, let's look at the technical specifications of the Core i5-6400. The list of its parameters includes the following:

    Release date: 3rd quarter of 2015.

    Technological process - 14 nm.

    The number of cores and software threads for processing code and data is 4.

    The clock frequency range is 2.7-3.3 GHz.

    Level 3 cache - 6 MB.

    The maximum amount of addressable RAM is 64 GB.

    The number of active RAM channels is 2.

    Integrated graphics accelerator - HD Graphics model 530 with an operating frequency range of 350-950 MHz.

    Thermal package - 65 W.

    The maximum temperature is 71 o C.

As can be seen from the designation of this CPU model, there is no “K” index in its marking. Accordingly, it will not be possible to overclock it with the usual increase in the multiplier. Therefore, there is only one way to solve this problem - increasing the frequency and thereby increasing the performance of the Cor i5-6400. Overclocking in this case is really justified: initially the processor's frequencies are significantly lower, and increasing them will lead to a large increase in performance compared to other similar models with higher frequencies.

Overclocking Features

Now let’s note certain disadvantages that are associated with increasing the performance level of the Core i5-6400 processor solution. Unlike the situation when the multiplier of a CPU with the “K” index is simply increased, in this case a number of possible problems actually arise. These include the following:

    The motherboard for overclocking the i5-6400 must be flashed with a special version of the BIOS. Formally, it was developed by the manufacturer of this computer component, but all possible problems that may arise after this fall entirely on the shoulders of the PC owner, and the manufacturer in this case does not bear any responsibility.

    After overclocking the semiconductor crystal, the integrated graphics solution cannot function. In most cases, such system units include a discrete video card, and no problems arise. If in the process of work only the built-in solution is used, then overclocking is impossible.

    Reduced performance of AVX & AVX2 instructions. Fortunately, they are not very common in program code. But when this happens, the performance of such a computing system will greatly decrease (it will be lower than even the normal operating mode).

    After such an increase in speed, there is no way to control the temperature of the CPU silicon crystal. Most sensors turn off or distort readings. The only sensor that continues to function in this mode is the thermal converter of the CPU package, and this is quite sufficient in such a situation.

    To overclock, you must disable all energy-saving modes and Turboboost technology. Activating them in performance boost mode leads to unstable PC operation.

    Essentially, there are no significant problems in the previous list, and most overlockers don't even notice them.

    system configuration

    Now about the requirements for the PC configuration to carry out such overclocking:

      There must be a special BIOS version for the motherboard with an overclocking option.

      Improved power supply with a power of 700 W or more.

      RAM modules with an operating frequency of 3200 MHz.

      Advanced cooling system for the CPU and system unit.

    Equipment preparation

    Overclocking an i5-6400 processor on a motherboard with a regular BIOS is impossible. There is no option by default that would allow you to change the clock generator frequency. In order for it to appear, you need to find special firmware on thematic resources on the global web and download it. It then needs to be installed into the basic I/O system. After that, restart your PC and check for this option. Only after this can you try to overclock the PC.

    Technique for increasing productivity

    Now directly about the overclocking algorithm of the Kor i5-6400. Overclocking this silicon solution is carried out as follows:

      Download special firmware for the motherboard BIOS, which allows you to change the frequency of the clock generator. Most overlocker forums have such information. Then we install it on our motherboard.

      We reboot the computer system and go into the BIOS. Here we disable the “Turboboost” option, all technologies related to energy efficiency, and the integrated graphics solution. Save the changes and restart the PC.

      We check the stability of the system unit using the AIDA 64 utility.

      Reboot the computer again and go into the BIOS. Here we reduce the RAM operating frequency to the minimum (as much as the motherboard BIOS parameters allow), and increase the clock generator frequency in the smallest possible step. We save these parameters. Restart the system unit.

      We retest the stability of the PC using the previously specified software. We continue to perform the last two steps until the system functions stably. When simply increasing the frequency is not enough for stable operation, we use voltage on the CPU. In practice, the frequency can reach 4.5-4.8 GHz, and the voltage - 1.4-1.425V, depending on the quality of the semiconductor crystal of the central processor, which underlies the PC. When such values ​​are reached, further overclocking becomes impractical: the computing system then ceases to operate stably.

    Checking performance after increasing speed

    After increasing performance, it is necessary to check the stability of the functioning of a computer system based on Intel Core I5-6400. Overclocking, as noted earlier, negatively affects the execution of AVX & AVX2 instructions. Therefore, test software should not include programs based on such instructions. The best choice for checking the stability of a computer system in this case is AIDA 64. This utility practically does not use problematic program code. Yes, and there are versions of it that do not use such instructions.

    results

    Increased performance allows you to achieve phenomenal results from the Cor i5-6400. Overclocking this chip allows you to achieve a level of performance comparable to the flagship products of this manufacturer. At the same time, the difference in price is really impressive. The only exception in this regard is software with AVX & AVX2 instructions. But they are not that common, and this is unlikely to be a deterrent for most computer enthusiasts. Overclocking such a solution is really justified. But it is important to understand: all this is done at your own peril and risk.

Last summer, the laboratory returned to the topic of serial: several samples were taken and their frequency potential was studied under the same conditions. Of course, the statistical accuracy is not very high, but our tests still allowed us to get a general idea of ​​​​the capabilities of the new CPUs.

As part of the experiments, we got acquainted with the capabilities of six processor models:

  • We explore the overclocking potential of the AMD Athlon X4 860K: test of ten processor copies;
  • We explore the overclocking potential of the AMD A6-7400K: test of six processor copies;
  • We explore the overclocking potential of the Intel Pentium G3258: test of six processor copies;
  • We explore the overclocking potential of the AMD A4-6300: test of six processor copies;
  • We explore the overclocking potential of eight AMD A10-7870K processors;
  • We explore the overclocking potential of the AMD FX-8320: test of eight processor copies.

All of them are budget class, and the CPUs themselves are almost all made by AMD. But this time we decided to test a higher price class, in which Intel is mainly represented. However, the problem with its range is that officially only two processors in the mass LGA 1151 line are intended for overclocking - Intel Core i5-6600K and Intel Core i7-6700K. Therefore, given the price tags, the choice is obvious - Intel Core i5-6600K. It is he (or rather, eight samples) that will become the object of our attention.

No, we do not deny the well-known fact: overclocking on LGA 1151 is also possible for a CPU with a locked multiplier; There was even a whole material devoted to this, “Review and testing of the Intel Core i3-6100 processor: overclocking the forbidden.” But we will return to this topic a little later, especially since everything is still not clear with it, although for now it is mainly ASRock that is “muddying the waters”. And in completely opposite directions, first removing overclocking in motherboard models on the older Intel Z170 system logic set, and then releasing models on the younger Intel H170 and Intel B150, originally designed for overclocking:

  • ASRock allows you to overclock Skylake processors with a locked multiplier using an external clock generator.

So, thanks to our regular partner - the Regard company, here is a test of the frequency potential of eight copies of the Intel Core i5-6600K.

A little lyrics or “how to overclock?”

The procedure for overclocking “K” series processors is indecently simple and for this you only need to have a motherboard based on the Intel Z170 system logic set (in the case of Intel B***, H*** and Q*** chipsets, this is not officially possible).

To overclock, the user only needs to operate with the CPU Core multiplier and CPU Core voltage.

CPU voltage and frequency using the example of the BIOS of the ASRock Z170 Extreme6 model.

When overclocking RAM, you need to pay attention to three more: VCCIO (voltage of the memory controller integrated into the CPU), VCCSA (voltage of PCI-E controllers and others in the CPU, can also affect overclocking of RAM) and the memory itself.

The only thing that complicates the task is the lack of a standard for the names of BIOS parameters, so they differ between different motherboard manufacturers.

ParameterMaximum unofficially recommended value, VASRockASUSBiostarEVGAGigabyteMSI
CPU Core 1.40 CPU Vcore VoltageCPU Core/Cache VoltageCPU Vcore VoltageVcoreCPU VcoreCPU Core Voltage
CPU VCCIO 1.10 VCCIO VoltageCPU VCCIO Voltage and CPU VCCIO Boot VoltageCPU VccIO VoltageVCCIOCPU VCCIOCPU IO Voltage
CPU VCCSA 1.20 VCCSA VoltageCPU System Agent Voltage and CPU System Agent Boot VoltageCPU SA VoltageVSACPU System Agent VoltageCPU SA Voltage
DRAM Voltage 1.40-1.45 DRAM VoltageDRAM VoltageDRAM VoltageDIMM VoltageDRAM Voltage (CH A/B)DRAM Voltage

Test samples

The labeling of new CPUs has undergone virtually no changes compared to previous generations of processors.

The most important two lines in it are “FPO” and “ATPO”: when combined (using the example of our sample - L533B120-00859), they form a serial number. The FPO line itself is also called a “batch code”, and it is by this that they are guided when selecting the desired CPU instance in the absence of access to a test bench.

In addition, the batch code contains actual information about when and where this sample was manufactured:

  • The first character indicates the place of production - 0 = San Jose, Costa Rica; 1 = Cavite, Philippines; 3 = Costa Rica; 6 = Chandler, Arizona; 7 = Philippines; 8 = Leixlip, Ireland; 9 = Penang, Malaysia; L = Malaysia; Q = Malaysia; R = Manila, Philippines; X = Vietnam; Y = Leixlip, Ireland;
  • The second symbol is the year of production (in our case, 2015);
  • The third and fourth characters are the week of production (in our case, the 33rd week or the period from August 10 to 16);
  • From the fifth to the eighth character is the batch identifier (in our case, B120).

Well, ATPO is the actual serial number of the processor in the batch.

All tested samples belong to the same batch, only the serial numbers are not consecutive:

  • L533120-00119;
  • L533120-00242;
  • L533120-00243;
  • L533120-00859;
  • L533120-00912;
  • L533120-01054;
  • L533120-03136;
  • L533120-03592.

Test stand

To check the overclocking potential of the processors, the following test bench was used:

  • Motherboard: ASRock Z170 Extreme6 (BIOS L1.82; sample from this review);
  • Processor: eight copies of Intel Core i5-6600K Skylake-S 3500 MHz;
  • Cooling system: Thermalright Silver Arrow SB-E with one Thermalright TY-143 fan;
  • Thermal interface: Arctic Cooling MX-2 (review);
  • RAM: DDR4-3000 Kingston HyperX Savage (HX430C15SBK2/16) 2 x 8 GB (16-15-15-36; 1.35 V; kit from this review);
  • Power supply: Corsair HX750W 750 Watt (not tested separately; slightly modified in terms of element base);
  • System storage: Samsung SM951 256 GB (Samsung UBX + 16 nm MLC ToggleNAND Samsung, BXW2500Q; copy from this review);
  • Housing: open stand.

Software:

  • Operating system: Windows 10 x64 Home with all current updates from Windows Update (build version - 10586.122).

Testing methodology

Unfortunately, we did not release a separate material on Skylake-S representatives, which would consider their overclocking nuances (perhaps this will be implemented later). Therefore, now we will simply briefly describe the algorithm of our tests.

To find the instability threshold, the OCCT 4 and Prime 95 programs were used, and 3DMark was used as an additional test. OCCT offers visual monitoring of voltages, frequencies, throttling and temperatures, which is why this application is present in the screenshots. But you need to take into account the fact that it cannot determine the current frequency of the Skylake generation processor, and therefore always displays the nominal one. Accompanying it in the resulting screenshots will be CPU-Z version 1.74.0 x64 and temperature monitoring of the AIDA64 and HWMonitor software packages.

The duration of the test is at least 30 minutes - this time is enough to determine the approximate potential of the processor; complicating the conditions like “test for at least several hours, add 0.01 V, reduce the frequency by 20 MHz” will not provide a fundamental difference, but the testing itself will take much longer time.

The most important question is the magnitude of the stresses. What voltage is considered the maximum permissible? Intel does not provide official data on this matter; the company's documentation provides only the technical range of VID values. But this is only a possible range, not actual safe values. And for a long time they have been much lower than the technical boundaries. The problem is further complicated by the small size of the crystal and (most importantly!) the thermal interface used. The quality of the latter is such that users are already creating legends about it. Both of these factors place serious demands on the cooling system, and a safe CPU Core voltage is considered to be no more than 1.40 V.

In addition, the value of the standard VID is of some interest to users. To determine it, you need to disable energy saving technologies and Turbo Boost. The resulting voltage on the CPU will be the desired VID. The importance of VID lies in its relationship with overclocking potential: the higher it is, the lower the processor is usually overclocked to lower frequencies.

And a little about voltage monitoring. On the previous LGA 1150 processor socket, this was a headache for reviewers: structurally practically no different from previous generations, it did not require the supply of four supply voltages (CPU Core, iGPU, VCCIO and VCCSA), limiting itself to one, from which the CPU itself through its own built-in converter receives the voltage it needs. On LGA 1151, luck happened: Intel abandoned this, and therefore it again became possible to control voltages directly, without relying only on software monitoring, which sometimes gave absurd readings.

We did not bother overclocking the memory subsystem in any special way, but simply activated the SPD profile at a frequency of 2666 MHz with timings 9-10-9-21-118-1T. The CPU Cache frequency was fixed with a multiplier of 35. This is recommended to be done when overclocking processor cores, otherwise this frequency may increase synchronously with the main processor frequency. Note that this is only a feature of the platform, and not the ASRock motherboard used in the test bench.

By the way, about the system board. Its role was taken by the ASRock Z170 Extreme6, which remained with us after the October review.

The board has its limitations (such as features for managing memory timings), but overall it is Bye satisfies our needs. And “for now” only because recently the whistling of chokes has been periodically heard from the processor power subsystem, although until now no serious loads have been placed on it by overclocking processors - the model was used for testing RAM and SSDs.

The most optimal LoadLine Calibration mode is Level3 - it is in this mode that the CPU Core voltage experiences the least fluctuations. Using the example of setting the value “1.400 V” in the BIOS settings:

  • Level 1 – 1.390 V at idle and 1.437 V under load;
  • Level 2 – 1.383 and 1.430 V, respectively;
  • Level 3 – 1.389 and 1.405 V, respectively;
  • Level 4 – 1.375 and 1.335 V, respectively.

The power consumption of Intel Core i5-6600K processors at standard and reduced voltage turned out to be so small that for tests we had to abandon the ammeter used when writing reviews of AMD CPUs - at low currents (less than 4-5 A), its readings begin to deviate greatly from real values ​​(up to to the point that at currents of about 1 A the ammeter shows “0.00” on the display). Nevertheless, this device is aimed at working with large (up to 50 A) rather than small currents. Therefore, in this review, for measurements, we used a DT9205A multimeter, rated for currents up to 20 A, which was connected directly to the “gap” of the additional ATX power supply.

For the sake of accuracy, I note: at currents above 7-8 A, the ammeter readings were similar to those of a multimeter. And some particularly curious readers who want to repeat the procedure themselves should take note of the fact that not all multimeters are designed for currents up to 20 A (my second, older, Mastech MY64 multimeter, for example, is only designed for 10 A). Exceeding the permissible currents may damage the device.

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Last year's update to the processor microarchitecture in the form of Intel Skylake did not bring any surprises in terms of increased performance of desktop solutions, and we received the usual 5-10% superiority over the previous generation. But during the announcement of overclocking models, a very interesting point was noticed: they received not only an unlocked multiplier, but also the ability to change the frequency of the base clock generator without loss of stability. This fact gave hope to enthusiasts for the revival of mass overclocking of processors that were not initially aimed at the overclocking audience. But the miracle did not happen, and Intel blocked this feature in regular models. Fortunately, this limitation turned out to be only at the software level, and in mid-December the news feeds of technical resources were filled with messages about overclocking of Socket LGA1151 platform models without the “K” index. This fact was repeatedly confirmed during our practical acquaintance with the new hardware platform, as you can see for yourself on the pages of our resource.

But at your request, we again decided to return to the very interesting topic of overclocking non-overclocking Intel Skylake processors, devoting a separate article to it. Let's try to summarize all the accumulated information and give practical recommendations for optimizing system parameters. And the most important thing is to answer whether there is any practical value in all this, which is especially important given the not-so-favorable economic situation in the country. All experiments will be carried out using the model as an example. This processor was kindly provided by our partner - online store PCshop.ua, where it can be buy for about $380.

A little history

What is overclocking or overclocking? This concept should be understood as a set of methods that allow computer components to operate at frequencies that are higher than the factory ones. The main goal of overclocking is to get maximum performance from the available hardware. Now this activity can be called trivial. Any user can freely buy a suitable motherboard, a processor with an unlocked multiplier and overclock it in a couple of clicks. There is no feeling of excitement and satisfaction from the work done. But this was not always the case.

At the dawn of its inception, overclocking was carried out exclusively by well-trained technicians, using a soldering iron, jumpers and other hardware modifications. In short, the entire optimization process boils down to increasing the processor clock frequency, which is the product of two parameters - the multiplier and the base frequency. And since in most cases it is impossible to change the multiplier, you have to operate with the bus values. This became possible due to the fact that models of the same series differ only in frequency. That is, after manufacturing, a batch of processors undergoes a series of tests, based on the worst results of which it is labeled. This is how we get some models with a clock frequency, for example, 300 MHz, and others - 700 MHz. But not all examples are so unsuccessful. For example, they may be deliberately slowed down due to the need to expand the range of the line, so with the necessary knowledge, this unfortunate injustice can be corrected. At the same time, we get the performance of the older model at a minimum cost. Isn't this wonderful?

In particular, we can recall 1998 and the popular processors Intel Celeron 300 and Intel Celeron 333. With a recommended price of $150 and $192, respectively, they were overclocked compared to the Intel Pentium II 450, costing $669. Yes, in this case, the risk of equipment failure increases, but this was in the past and occurred due to poor cooling, imperfect protection methods and the inability of the user to stop there in time. Now progress has reached such a level that you are unlikely to be able to “burn out” the processor.

The truly golden era of overclocking can be considered the release of the first generation of Intel Core processors for Socket LGA775 in 2006. Overclocking itself has become much more convenient. To do this, it was enough to configure the necessary parameters in the motherboard BIOS or simply use special utilities for the OS. The younger models Intel Pentium E5xxx and Intel Core 2 Duo E7xxx, which in capable hands outperformed their more expensive counterparts Intel Core 2 Duo E8xxx or even Intel Core 2 Quad, became the favorites of enthusiasts. By the way, even now some Intel Core 2 Quad models and their Intel Xeon server analogs are working in user system units. Thanks to the presence of four physical cores and good overclocking potential, they allow you to build an entry-level gaming system (by modern standards).

During this same period, overclocking became a truly widespread phenomenon, and not just a way to save money. It is even turning into a sports discipline thanks to the popular resource HWBOT. The essence of the competition is simple - to get the maximum result in benchmarks (3DMark, PCMark, Cinebench, Super PI, etc.) and fix it using the validation process. In this case, top-end components and extreme cooling methods are used (phase transition systems, liquid nitrogen and dry ice). This state of affairs was also facilitated by the hardware manufacturers themselves, who began to actively produce products specifically designed for overclocking. But such freedom did not last very long. Realizing that overclocking was becoming very popular, Intel decided to make money on it.

The latest easily overclockable processors (on the bus) are models for Socket LGA1156 (Intel Nehalem microarchitecture), which were released back in 2009. Subsequent solutions lost this ability (starting with the Intel Sandy Bridge microarchitecture for Socket LGA1155), since the processor reference frequency (BCLK) became rigidly linked to all CPU nodes (processor cores, last level cache, integrated graphics core, ring bus, controller memory, PCI Express and DMI buses). Therefore, even a slight change in it (above 104-107 MHz) led to unstable operation of the system.

For enthusiasts, the manufacturer has prepared two overclocking models: and. The processors received unlocked multipliers, through which the clock frequency is formed. But the price of these solutions has also increased compared to conventional versions. That is, if you want to overclock, pay more. A pass into the world of overclocking has become available only to wealthy users and has lost its original meaning.

Yes, you can recall the available dual-core (Socket LGA1150, Intel Haswell microarchitecture) with an unlocked multiplier, but this is an isolated case.

However, with the release of the sixth generation Intel Core, the situation has changed, and now it is possible to overclock processors that are not related to the K-series, although this is not actively encouraged by the CPU manufacturer. This will be discussed in more detail in the next section of our article.

Overclocking Intel Skylake processors without the “K” index in theory

In Intel Skylake processors, engineers have separated the PCI Express bus and chipset into a separate domain, the frequency of which remains fixed, regardless of changes in BCLK.

The base frequency remains strictly linked only to the internal components of the CPU: processor cores, last-level cache, integrated graphics core, ring bus and memory controller. Fortunately, the latter work great at higher frequencies. That is, in the new platform it is possible to overclock not only by manipulating the multiplier, but also by increasing BCLK.

This was confirmed when we first met overclocker models. But for some reason, Intel blocked the ability to overclock in conventional processors, and even minor changes to the base bus were not successful. The technology is called “BCLK Governor”. But, as mentioned above, the limitation is not hardware in nature, and it is “treated” at the software level. To do this, just update the motherboard microcode.

The results were not long in coming. An overclocker under the nickname “Dhenzjhen” overclocked the Intel Core i3-6320 processor with a locked multiplier from the nominal 3.9 GHz to 4.955 GHz. To do this, he used a SuperMicro C7H170-M motherboard with a special BIOS version. Soon, other manufacturers also released updated BIOS versions, but only for motherboards based on the flagship chipset. Solutions to, and remained deprived, although, apparently, there should be no obstacles to this. Most likely, manufacturers decided to boost sales of only more expensive models, which is a pity. It is noteworthy that only ASRock has posted special versions of the microcode on its official website. Other vendors - ASUS, BIOSTAR, GIGABYTE, EVGA and MSI - distribute them through overclocking forums, fearing a negative reaction from Intel. As it turns out, there were reasons for this. And soon the company was unwilling to allow overclocking of conventional processors from the Intel Skylake line. Despite this, you can still easily find the necessary BIOS versions on the Internet, which continue to appear with corrections and additions. So everything is in order here.

But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. And when overclocking non-overclocking processors on the bus, a number of nuances and limitations arise:

  • Power-saving technologies stop working, and the processor always operates at the maximum frequency at the maximum supply voltage. Intel Turbo Boost Technology also becomes inactive.
  • Monitoring the temperatures of processor cores begins to produce incorrect data.
  • The graphics core integrated into the processor is disabled.
  • The execution speed of AVX/AVX2 instructions is reduced several times.

However, you shouldn’t get upset prematurely. Experienced overclockers already recommend disabling all additional technologies: Intel Turbo Boost, Intel Enhanced SpeedStep and energy-saving C-states, since any fluctuations in the multiplier and voltage can negatively affect the stability of the system during overclocking. Temperature monitoring can be done using the CPU Package sensor, for example, using the HWiNFO utility. Disabling the built-in video will upset few people, since most overclockers have a discrete video card.

The only really unpleasant moment is the drop in the execution speed of AVX/AVX2 instructions. And this is very strange, considering that overclocking models do not have this drawback and overclock perfectly on the bus. But in essence, they are no different from regular ones, except for an unlocked multiplier and a slightly higher frequency. We can assume that this is again a software limitation. AVX/AVX2 are mainly used in application programs such as video encoding, 3D modeling and some graphics editors. Most everyday programs, including games, practically do not use AVX instructions. GRID Autosport and DiRT Showdown can be considered exceptions, but as practice shows, there is nothing critical about this. Suffice it to recall the processor, which generally lacks support for vector instructions, but this does not prevent its owners from playing modern games.

Preparing for overclocking via BCLK

As you can already understand from the above, absolutely all processors of the Intel Skylake generation are suitable for bus overclocking: from Intel Celeron to Intel Core i7. But the greatest practical interest is in the junior models of each line, since at a minimal price, overclocking allows them to easily overtake and even surpass the performance level of their more expensive older brothers. You can verify this for yourself in reviews and . For clarity, here is a list of the most interesting models for overclocking in the form of a summary table:

Model name

Number of cores/threads

Base / dynamic frequency, MHz

Factor

But in addition to a suitable processor, you will need a motherboard based on the Intel Z170 chipset. In our case, there will be three of them: , and ASUS Z170-P. Why is this done? Let's try to use their example to find out whether we can get decent overclocking on affordable boards or whether we will still need specialized solutions for this. And we will be overclocking not the simplest processor - Intel Core i7-6700. If the boards can cope with it, then with some Intel Core i3, even more so. Before you start experimenting, you need to find the required BIOS for your motherboard and flash it. To do this, we looked at HWBOT in the corresponding forum section.

Now you can go directly to the preparatory settings.

  • First, go to the UEFI BIOS and in the “Advanced\CPU Configuration” section set the “Boot Performance Mode” option to “Turbo Performance”, and in the “CPU Power Management Configuration” subsection turn off “Intel Turbo Boost”, “Intel Enhanced SpeedStep” and energy-saving C-states by selecting “Disabled”.
  • Next, go to the “Extreme Tweaker” or “Ai Tweaker” section (depending on the motherboard manufacturer, the names may be different) and switch the “Ai Overclock Tuner” option to “Manual” mode. In this case, we will have full access to change all parameters at our own discretion.
  • Next, we fix the maximum multiplier of all processor cores in the “1-Core Ratio Limit” item.
  • To prevent RAM from becoming a limitation during overclocking, use the “DRAM Frequency” item to set its frequency several points below the nominal value, since when the bus changes, its frequency will also increase.

You can look at all the BIOS settings of motherboards in the video below:

Setting up BIOS ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER to overclock Intel Core i7-6700

Setting up BIOS ASUS Z170-P D3 to overclock Intel Core i7-6700

Setting up BIOS ASUS Z170-P to overclock Intel Core i7-6700

Now you can proceed directly to overclocking the Intel Skylake non-K processor. The process itself is quite simple and boils down to increasing the bus frequency (BCLK Frequency) and gradually increasing the voltage supplied to the processor (CPU Core Voltage Override).

How to choose the right frequency? Let us recall that the processor frequency is calculated using the formula:

CPU Freq = CPU Ratio × CPU Cores Base Freq

Let's say we want our Intel Core i7-6700 with a “x34” multiplier to operate at 4400 MHz. To do this, we divide 4400 / 34 and get a BCLK of 129 MHz. The same rule applies to other processors. For convenience, we present the BCLK value to achieve typical frequencies of 4500 - 4700 MHz for the previously discussed processors:

Model name

BCLK frequency, MHz

Factor

Clock frequency, MHz

Intel Pentium G4400

Intel Core i3-6100

Intel Core i3-6300

Intel Core i5-6400

Intel Core i7-6700

In this case, you need to monitor the temperature and check the stability of the system after overclocking.

Let's take a closer look at the permissible voltage and temperature values. Experienced overclockers consider a threshold of 1.4-1.45 V safe for everyday use. But, taking into account the not the best thermal interface under the heat distribution cover of the processor, we would recommend values ​​closer to 1.4 V. If you plan to overclock RAM, then you need to Pay attention to three more important parameters:

  • CPU VCCIO Voltage (VCCIO) - voltage on the memory controller built into the processor. It is recommended not to exceed 1.10 V.
  • CPU System Agent Voltage (VCCSA) - voltage on the system agent and other controllers built into the processor. It is recommended not to exceed 1.20V.
  • DRAM Voltage (Vdram) - supply voltage on RAM modules. Values ​​up to 1.4 V can be considered conditionally safe.

For a more detailed look at the capabilities of each option, we suggest visiting our.

Now regarding the temperature. If Intel specifies T CASE =71°C, this means that the maximum permissible temperature within the processor's Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) that can only be measured by an external sensor is 71°C. The clock skipping mechanism (throttling) is activated when 100°C is reached, according to internal core sensors. Therefore, roughly speaking, a T CASE value of 71°C can be considered equivalent to 100°C for internal core sensors.

Overclocking and testing

The following list of equipment was used for the experiments:

CPU

Intel Core i7-6700 (Socket LGA1151, 4.0 GHz, L3 8 MB)

motherboards

ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER (Intel Z170, Socket LGA1151, DDR4, ATX)

ASUS Z170-P (Intel Z170, Socket LGA1151, DDR4, ATX)

ASUS Z170-P D3 (Intel Z170, Socket LGA1151, DDR3, ATX)

RAM

2 x 8 GB DDR4-2400 HyperX Fury HX424C15FBK2/16

2 x 8 GB DDR3L-1600 HyperX Fury HX316LC10FBK2/16

Video card

ASUS GeForce GTX 980 Matrix Platinum (4 GB GDDR5)

HDD

Seagate Enterprise Capacity 3.5 HDD v4 (ST6000NM0024), 6 TB, SATA 6 Gb/s

power unit

Seasonic X-560 Gold (SS-560KM Active PFC)

Philips Brilliance 240P4QPYNS

Video capture device

AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable

operating system

Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit

The test Intel Core i7-6700 processor has a “batch code” L542B978 - 96000, which contains information about the place, date and batch of manufacture. In our case, it was produced in week 42 of 2015 (between October 12 and 18) in Malaysia with lot number 96000.

Overclocking was carried out on ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER, ASUS Z170-P D3 and ASUS Z170-P motherboards in three modes:

  • No increase in tension.
  • Intermediate overclocking with a slight increase in voltage for stable operation at 4400 MHz.
  • Maximum stable acceleration.

The voltage of 1.095 volts in the BIOS (according to monitoring data 1.104 V) is taken as nominal, since the boards independently set it at maximum load in a fully automatic mode. We checked stability by passing a benchmark and a 15-minute stress test in RealBench 2.41. This time is quite enough to determine stability. In this case, the heating was one of the highest, which is unlikely to be achieved in real use conditions. By the way, classic stress tests like Linpack or Prime95 are not suitable for this role, since they actively use AVX instructions, which, when overclocking neo-overclocker processors, slow down and cannot recreate the maximum load. Monitoring was carried out using the HWiNFO and CPU-Z utilities.

The first to go into battle was the ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER gaming board with excellent overclocking capabilities. At voltage 1 , 104 V and manually raising the reference frequency to 121 MHz, the speed of the Intel Core i7-6700 was brought to 4113.86 MHz, which is an increase of 21% relative to the nominal.

At the same time, system power consumption increased slightly: from 51 W at idle (all energy-saving technologies are activated) and 223 W under stress load to 61 W and 230 W, respectively. The maximum temperature under stress load did not rise above 51˚C.

On ASUS Z170-P D3 we managed to achieve 4107.23 MHz with the same 1 , 104 V and a BCLK value of 121 MHz.

Power consumption increased from 48 W and 223 W to 62 W and 230 W, respectively. The maximum temperature did not rise above 53˚C.

ASUS Z170-P submitted to a slightly lower processor frequency, namely 4060.70 MHz at a voltage of 1 , 104 V and BCLK value 119.5 MHz.

In this operating mode, power consumption increased from 48 W and 225 W to 59 W and 230 W, respectively. The temperature did not rise above 52˚C.

To accelerate the Intel Core i7-6700 to a frequency of 4400 MHz on the ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER, it was necessary to increase the base frequency to 129.5 MHz and the voltage to 1.215 V, although, judging by the readings of the utilities, at times it reached 1.232 V. The frequency increase was 29 .4% relative to the nominal value.

Power consumption figures were 64 W at idle and 240 W under load - still quite modest values. The temperature stays in the range of 60-64 ˚C.

For stable operation of the Intel Core i7-6700 at 4400 MHz on the ASUS Z170-P D3, it was necessary to set a slightly higher voltage - 1.230 V (according to monitoring data - up to 1.248 V).

Power consumption was at 63 W and 249 W, respectively, and temperatures were at 70˚C.

On ASUS Z170-P, for 4400 MHz it was necessary to increase the voltage to 1.215 V (according to monitoring data - up to 1.232 V).

At the same time, power consumption was 63 W and 265 W at idle and load, respectively. The maximum temperature did not rise above 63˚C.

Let's move on to the most interesting part - maximum overclocking.

On ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER we managed to achieve a frequency of 4708.22 MHz by increasing BCLK to 138.5 MHz. As a result, we received a 38% increase in the nominal frequency. At the same time, the voltage was increased to 1.415 V (1.472 V according to monitoring data), and to compensate for its drawdowns in the BIOS settings, the “Load Line Calibration” (LLC) parameter was set to “LEVEL -6”.

At the same time, the power consumption of the processor increased to 74 W and 322 W at idle and under load, respectively, and the processor itself warmed up to 98˚C under stress load.

The maximum stable frequency on the ASUS Z170-P D3 was 4523 MHz when the reference frequency was raised to 133 MHz. The increase was 33% relative to the nominal value. To do this, we had to raise the supply voltage to 1.415 V (1.408 V according to monitoring data) and set the “LLC” value to “LEVEL -5”.

In this mode, power consumption increased to 71 W and 310 W, respectively. Under stress load the temperature did not exceed 85˚C.

On the ASUS Z170-P, we forced the processor to run stably at 4691 MHz with a BCLK of 138 MHz. In this case, it was necessary to raise the voltage to 1.415 V, and set “LLC” to “LEVEL -6”.

In this mode, power consumption was 73 W and 325 W, respectively, and the temperature at peak load reached 96˚C.

To visually evaluate the obtained overclocking results, we suggest taking a look at the summary table:

ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER

Overclocking Intel Core i7-6700

Processor frequency, MHz

BCLK frequency, MHz

CPU voltage, V

Energy consumption of the entire system idle / load, W

Maximum temperature, ˚C

Analyzing the results of overclocking the Intel Core i7-6700, we can safely say that all tested motherboards coped with the task. True, some are better, and some are a little worse. If you want uncompromising overclocking, then a solution on the level of ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER may well give it. In this case, everything is thanks to the enhanced 10-phase digital power subsystem, which perfectly copes with its direct responsibilities under any type of load and at the highest voltages, without a hint of drawdown. The board clearly has a large margin of safety for extreme overclocking. However, solutions like the ASUS Z170-P or ASUS Z170-P D3 can be recommended to budget-conscious users. For example, these boards also have a 7-phase digital power system, good cooling and ample customization options. That is, they have everything necessary to achieve decent overclocking. The main thing is to take care of a good cooling system. But you should also understand that overclocking is a lottery. It is not a fact that your processor will be able to repeat the achieved results. Fortunately, all the Intel Skylake models that visited our laboratory reached the 4.6 GHz mark. So, on the other hand, you may have better luck than we do.

In conclusion, we suggest taking a look at the results of RealBench v.2.41 at the maximum frequency of Intel Core i7-6700

The places were distributed according to the obtained maximum processor frequency: ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER, ASUS Z170-P and ASUS Z170-P D3. On average, the productivity increase was about 24% relative to the nominal value.

Energy consumption

Overclocking the Intel Core i7-6700 pleasantly pleased us, but let's evaluate how much its power consumption has increased after such optimizations. To do this, we will use the results obtained on the ASUS MAXIMUS VIII RANGER motherboard.

Looking at the graph, you can see that while the voltage on the processor remains unchanged, the increase in power consumption is linear with increasing frequency. But as soon as we significantly increase the voltage on the processor, a sharp jump in consumption is observed. As a result, the power consumption of the Intel Core i7-6700 at maximum overclocking increased by 100 W compared to the nominal value. This is the price to pay for increased productivity. This should be taken into account when conducting experiments and take care of a high-quality power supply.

Analysis of the practical benefits of overclocking

Let's imagine that you want to build a mid-priced computer. Which is better to choose? A simpler processor and components for overclocking, or a more powerful processor and cheaper components. Let's try to figure it out.

CPU

Intel Core i3-6100 tray - $127 (3175 UAH)

Intel Core i5-6400 BOX - $199 (4986 UAH)

Motherboard

DeepcoolGAMMAXX 300 - $23 (584 UAH)

power unit

total amount

$349 (8712 UAH)

$345 (8612 UAH)

As you can see, the assemblies turned out to be almost the same in price. But thanks to overclocking to 4.5 - 4.7 GHz, the Intel Core i3-6100 outperforms the Intel Core i5-6400 by 3-5%, depending on the type of load. To be fair, it should be noted that 3-5% includes not only gaming applications, but also specialized ones (rendering, mathematical calculations, coding, and so on). But if you take a computer exclusively for games, then an overclocked Intel Core i3-6100 can produce FPS comparable to a configuration on an Intel Core i5-6600 running at nominal. In addition, no one is stopping you from saving on the power supply and motherboard. In the first case, it all depends on the appetite of your video card, and in the second, on the required functionality and loyalty to a particular manufacturer. In this case, the profit can be much more significant.

What is the situation in the higher price range? Let's take a look at such an assembly.

CPU

Intel Core i5-6400 tray - $192 (4785 UAH)

Intel Core i5-6600 BOX - $239 (5969 UAH)

Motherboard

ASUS Z170-P - $141 (3518 UAH)

MSI B150M MORTAR - $96 (2400 UAH)

ZALMAN CNPS10X Performa - $34 (855 UAH)

power unit

Aerocool KCAS-600 - $58 (1455 UAH)

Aerocool KCAS-500 - $50 (1257 UAH)

total amount

$425 (10609 UAH)

$385 (9610 UAH)

As a result, we get a 10% more expensive and 5% slower build on the Intel Core i5-6400 compared to the Intel Core i5-6600. But if you overclock the Intel Core i5-6400, then it already outperforms its older brother by 10-15% and even approaches the much more expensive Intel Core i7-6700 ($369 or 9207 UAH). This can be verified by testing example. In this case, overclocking is fully justified, especially if you initially looked to the side. The price difference between them is $71 (1,772 UAH). And the money saved can be applied to a more powerful video card or used for other needs.

Let's say a few words about the Intel Core i7-6700. The difference between it and the Intel Core i7-6700K is about $31 (778 UAH), but both of them overclock well. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to achieve any significant savings, but as always, the choice is yours.

conclusions

To summarize the material, we have two news for you: good and bad. Let's start with the bad. If you work with specialized programs, such as video encoding, 3D modeling and the like, that use AVX/AVX2 instructions, then overclocking non-overclocking Intel Skylake processors is contraindicated for you. This is because in this case the speed of execution of these same instructions decreases and, as a result, there is a drop in overall performance. If you still need to get more performance and you plan to overclock the processor, then the only choice is between IntelCorei5 - 6600K and Intel Core i7-6700K.

Now the good news. In all other cases, overclocking is not only possible, but also necessary - especially in gaming builds. The same Intel Core i3-6100, when overclocked, can produce comparable performance to full-fledged 4-core processors running at nominal. And the younger Intel Core i5-6400 not only outperforms its older brothers in the line, but can even get closer to the Intel Core i7-6700. At the same time, for decent overclocking (most Intel Skylake processors easily reach the 4.5-4.6 GHz mark), it is not necessary to buy an expensive top-end motherboard, but you can get by with affordable models. The main thing is to take care of good cooling and a high-quality power supply.

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Hello admin! I read that an inexpensive quad-core processor from Intel - Core i5-6400 (2.70 GHz) based on the Skylake architecture has a locked multiplier, but despite this it can be overclocked to a frequency of 4.3 GHz and will work at the level of the i7-6700K processor (4.0 GHz), which is twice as expensive (18 thousand rubles)!How does the i5-6400 overclock if its multiplier is locked?

Overclocking a processor via bus using the example of i5 6400 and Asrock Z170 Pro 4s motherboard

So, first, let's figure out what overclocking is, clock speed and processor performance. Overclocking is a forced increase in the characteristics of equipment to increase its efficiency. The power of a CPU is directly related to its clock speed, which is calculated by multiplying the clock frequency of the BCLK (bus) by a multiplier (ratio).

You've probably noticed that Intel's stones (slang for processor) are divided into two types, some with the K index at the end (i5-6600K, i5-2500K, i7-5820K, etc.), others without it ( i7-2600, i5-7600, i5-4590). So, for the first ones, the multiplier is unlocked and can be easily changed. And if you remember the formula I gave earlier (bus frequency X coefficient = processor frequency), it becomes clear that if it is increased, the final performance will increase. For the second category of processors, this multiplier is blocked by the manufacturer and they themselves do not imply overclocking. But thanks to some enthusiasts in this area, increasing efficiency is still possible by increasing the bus clock speed. I would like to immediately note that after overclocking the processor on the bus, the warranty on it subsides.

Many people ask: Why do you need an overclock?

The answer is very simple. By accelerating the heart of the computer, its output characteristics will be significantly higher than in the stock version. For example, our i5 6400, which will be discussed further, will ultimately work like an i5 6700 without overclocking, not bad, right? The logical conclusion from all this is banal saving of money. Why pay more when you can pay less and overclock?

The second constant question: Why drive on a tire if the warranty is no longer valid? You can buy a K-processor and overclock it?

Here the answer is the same. Economic expediency. The thing is that K-processors are significantly more expensive than their counterparts without an index. And no one will know about overclocking in service centers if you reset the BIOS settings. This is just an attempt by the developers to intimidate us and force us to pay more, but you and I know the ropes, right?

Another important point worth mentioning is that the built-in video core is disabled for overclocked stones. But if a discrete video card is used, then I think the loss is not great. And why do you need to drive a processor without a good video camera?

Now that we have dealt with the theory, we can begin to practice.

To overclock on the bus we need:

The processor itself without the K index (let’s take the Intel Core i5-6400 Processor on Skylake architecture).

The motherboard is needed exclusively for the 170 chipset (Asrock Z170 Pro 4s)

A special version of the BIOS that can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

Then in BIOS, on the OC Tweaker/CPU Configuration tab,increase the BCLK value. I didn’t put too much strain on the computer heart and stopped at 159, which is equal to 4.3 MHz (processor clock speed).

Due to the fact that we overclocked the processor on the bus, and not on the multiplier, the RAM frequency also increased.

In order for the stone to work stably and not reset new frequencies to the base ones, we raise its voltage to 1.3V (from 1V) in the Voltage Configuration tab. Don't be afraid, Intel's SkyLakes easily reach the 1.4V mark with good cooling, the main thing is not to overdo it.


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