Overclocked i5 9600K on MSI Z390

[Alex Adamson]

So I've overclocked my i5 9600k to 4.6 GHz (up from 3.7). I used Prime to stress test and the core temps are inbetween 60 to 70 C. Idle they're about 25-30 C.

Before overclocking at 3.7 GHz my idle was the same at about 25-30 C, and stress testing was about ~50C. I'm wondering if 60-70 is too hot for a Prime 95? The CPU ratio is the only thing I changed so should I change anything else?

I'm using the Z390 MSI mobo, and the Noctua NH-U14S CPU cooler.

 

[Danny75]

You haven't mentioned voltage. Perhaps the motherboard automatically applies more if you don't choose voltage yourself. Make sure the CPU cooler fan is set to spin at 100% at around 60 or 65C as well.

Would be good if you said which exact MSI Z390 it is as some may have same board and be able to help.

 

[Alex Adamson]

You haven't mentioned voltage. Perhaps the motherboard automatically applies more if you don't choose voltage yourself. Make sure the CPU cooler fan is set to spin at 100% at around 60 or 65C as well.

Would be good if you said which exact MSI Z390 it is as some may have same board and be able to help.

Thanks for your reply.

I just checked and the voltage (of the CPU core) was 1.218. I didn't touch it but I'm pretty sure that's more than it was before I OC, where I think it was 1.060 before.

How would I change cooler settings? I'm quite new to messing around in the BIOS.

Sorry, I didn't realise there was more than one. It's the MSI Z390-A Pro.

 

[Danny75]

Thanks for your reply.

I just checked and the voltage (of the CPU core) was 1.218. I didn't touch it but I'm pretty sure that's more than it was before I OC, where I think it was 1.060 before.

Cool, so then when Prime with AVX runs it should actually exceed that and you can also check what Vcore voltage it's using then. Which program are you using to monitor this stuff?

Also try Cinebench R20 and see what temps you get.

How would I change cooler settings? I'm quite new to messing around in the BIOS.

Sorry, I didn't realise there was more than one. It's the MSI Z390-A Pro.

No worries. There might be a section in the BIOS called Hardware Monitor where fan control usually is.

 

[Alex Adamson]

Cool, so then when Prime with AVX runs it should actually exceed that and you can also check what Vcore voltage it's using then. Which program are you using to monitor this stuff?

Also try Cinebench R20 and see what temps you get.


No worries. There might be a section in the BIOS called Hardware Monitor where fan control usually is.

I was using Core Temp. I just checked and the volts do go up about 0.300 V when Stress testing, from about ~0.9 to ~1.2-1.25. But when idling it can go as low as ~0.65 Although this time the temps were about 5 C cooler then when I tested last night.

I just ran Cinebench and during the test all core temps were around 55C. Although on Cinebench it says that I have 6 cores @3.7GHz even though I overclocked to 4.6. Is this just because the default of my CPU is at 3.7?

 

[Danny75]

Recommend HWiNFO64 as monitoring tool.

You'll have to sniff about in the BIOS or look for information on that specific board, on how to make all cores run at your chosen overclock. I'll download the manual to see if I can spot anything helpful but I don't have any practical knowledge of overclocking on that platform or board so far. Could also try the MSI forum if you don't get much help here.

 

[Danny75]

This vid could be useful, Z370 overclocking should be similar to Z390:

43:20 for overclocking. "CPU Ratio Apply Mode: All Core". And might be a good idea to also change "CPU Ratio Offset when running AVX" to 3, just like he does. Hopefully that should keep voltage the same* when AVX is used, and it'll just run the cores at 300MHz less speed to be able to cope.

*Along with applying CPU Loadline Calibration Control: Mode 4.

 

[Alex Adamson]

This vid could be useful, Z370 overclocking should be similar to Z390:

43:20 for overclocking. "CPU Ratio Apply Mode: All Core". And might be a good idea to also change "CPU Ratio Offset when running AVX" to 3, just like he does. Hopefully that should keep voltage the same* when AVX is used, and it'll just run the cores at 300MHz less speed to be able to cope.

*Along with applying CPU Loadline Calibration Control: Mode 4.

So the ratio apply mode was already All Core; but I changed the offset and CPU loadline calibration control to mode 4. Now during idle the voltage and temp is fluctuating a bit more with the V going from about 0.6 to 1.2. And the core temps going from 25C to 45C during idle.

When stress testing using Prime the temps the temps don't go above 60C anymore and stay around 55.

I really appreciate your help but I'm a little confused. Was 60-70C too high for stress test or was the voltage the problem? And what is AVX, and if I'm going to use the offset to -3 when using AVX hows that different from just setting the core ratio to 4.3 instead of 4.6? Thank you for your help.

 

[Danny75]

So the ratio apply mode was already All Core; but I changed the offset and CPU loadline calibration control to mode 4. Now during idle the voltage and temp is fluctuating a bit more with the V going from about 0.6 to 1.2.

That's fine. It's what it should be doing.

And the core temps going from 25C to 45C during idle.

My guess is it hits 45C during bootup or when Windows is doing something in the background. As long as most of the time when idling it's 25C or thereabouts, that's fine.

I really appreciate your help but I'm a little confused. Was 60-70C too high for stress test or was the voltage the problem?

No, it's because it's impossible to judge whether temps are too high, unless you state the voltage you are using. Your temps seem good as far as I can tell.

And what is AVX, and if I'm going to use the offset to -3 when using AVX hows that different from just setting the core ratio to 4.3 instead of 4.6? Thank you for your help.

They are a set of instructions that some programs use, that can exceed the chosen max voltage and make the CPU hotter. Using the offset means that with programs that don't use AVX (and these are the vast majority of programs out there), all cores will run at 4.6GHz. And using a fixed Vcore along with LLC Mode 4 should mean that the max voltage is never exceeded. So it's worth doing.

You're welcome and hope that explains but if not keep asking.

 

[Alex Adamson]

That's fine. It's what it should be doing.

My guess is it hits 45C during bootup or when Windows is doing something in the background. As long as most of the time when idling it's 25C or thereabouts, that's fine.

No, it's because it's impossible to judge whether temps are too high, unless you state the voltage you are using. Your temps seem good as far as I can tell.

They are a set of instructions that some programs use, that can exceed the chosen max voltage and make the CPU hotter. Using the offset means that with programs that don't use AVX (and these are the vast majority of programs out there), all cores will run at 4.6GHz. And using a fixed Vcore along with LLC Mode 4 should mean that the max voltage is never exceeded. So it's worth doing.

You're welcome and hope that explains but if not keep asking.

That explains it, thank you. So would you say everything looks good now? Should I leave it as is?

 

[Danny75]

That explains it, thank you. So would you say everything looks good now? Should I leave it as is?

You're asking someone who loves to tinker...

I would lock the Vcore to 1.3v and keep pushing up the multiplier by one each time, and testing. You could conceivably end up (depending on how good the silicon on your particular chip is) with something like 5.0GHz all core non-AVX and 4.7GHz all core AVX, with Cinebench R20 temps of around 70C which would be fine.

If you don't like to tinker and are happy with the speed, then leave as is.

 

[Alex Adamson]

You're asking someone who loves to tinker...

I would lock the Vcore to 1.3v and keep pushing up the multiplier by one each time, and testing. You could conceivably end up (depending on how good the silicon on your particular chip is) with something like 5.0GHz all core non-AVX and 4.7GHz all core AVX, with Cinebench R20 temps of around 70C which would be fine.

If you don't like to tinker and are happy with the speed, then leave as is.

How do I lock the Vcore? Have I already done that when I put the LCC to mode:4?

 

[Danny75]

How do I lock the Vcore? Have I already done that when I put the LCC to mode:4?

Nope. Have another look at the video from 43:20 on. It's a very good guide actually, he explains it very simply. And turns out the BIOS hasn't changed all that much from the Z87 MSI boards (which is what I'm using) other than a few new features/settings.

These are the changes that need making on top of the ones you already changed earlier:

1. Change OC Explore Mode to Expert (if you hadn't already).
2. Change CPU Ratio to 47 (you're going to test and if testing goes well you increase it by one each time and test some more).
3. Change CPU Ratio Mode to Fixed Mode.
4. In DigitALL Power, change CPU Core Voltage (otherwise known as Vcore) to 1.3v
5. Change CPU SA Voltage to 1.2v
6. Change CPU IO Voltage to 1.2v

That's it. Save and exit. He does a handful of other things like disable power saving states but no need to do that.

 

[Alex Adamson]

Nope. Have another look at the video from 43:20 on. It's a very good guide actually, he explains it very simply. And turns out the BIOS hasn't changed all that much from the Z87 MSI boards (which is what I'm using) other than a few new features/settings.

These are the changes that need making on top of the ones you already changed earlier:

1. Change OC Explore Mode to Expert (if you hadn't already).
2. Change CPU Ratio to 47 (you're going to test and if testing goes well you increase it by one each time and test some more).
3. Change CPU Ratio Mode to Fixed Mode.
4. In DigitALL Power, change CPU Core Voltage (otherwise known as Vcore) to 1.3v
5. Change CPU SA Voltage to 1.2v
6. Change CPU IO Voltage to 1.2v

That's it. Save and exit. He does a handful of other things like disable power saving states but no need to do that.

Thank you again.

 

[Danny75]

My pleasure, Alex. If you want to report back, once you've found the highest CPU Ratio (it will BSOD if not stable so you will know) or simply if you hit 5.0GHz and want to leave it there, I can help you check a couple of other things (memory and Ring Ratio*).

* Basically check that the memory is running at its rated speed, and then try bringing the Ring Ratio closer to the CPU Ratio. But before doing these two, it's good practice to leave them on default and mess only with the CPU overclocking, as you are doing.