2600k @ 4.4GHz w/ Antec Kuhler 620 do I need better cooling?

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wings2004

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 17, 2012
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I am trying to figure out if what I am seeing is appropriate and if I should consider upgrading my cooling solution for my CPU.

I have the system in my sig - the voltage to the CPU is auto running at right around 1.345v, my systems cooling, depending on ambient, is right around 70-75C at load. I'm using this system for Folding (on both the CPU and GPU) and I don't know if these temps are too hot for sustained 24/7 usage (I'd like to keep this system for a few years). My case is a Thermaltake V4 Black edition and I have fans at pretty much every mounting point there is.

Because of clearance issues the only place I can put the radiator is exhaust out the top back 120mm opening. I cut the metal grates off any fan slots on the case and am running the Antec fan, the radiator, a fan body cut out as a spacer, then the top of the case and a second fan pulling from the outside (I believe this is the Yate Loon High speed fan). The back 120mm openings I have scythe 12.5mm thick fan in order to clear the water block and motherboard, the other top 120mm is another Yate loon in exhaust. The side fan is an intake Scythe 120mm case fan I had lying around and the bottom is I believe the stock case fan that came with it, both these have rosewill dust filters on them. The PSU is a Thermaltake 750 Tough Power which intakes its air from the below the case and exhausts out the back so I figure that adds negligible heat to the system. The front fan is a second scythe 12.5mm fan as I couldn't figure out for the life of me how I could get an intake fan in there with a filter on it (I ended up just putting the fan on the inside and a filter being sucked in from the outside, not ideal but it works).

I am open to any and all suggestions, and would specifically be interested in tweaks for the OCing and how I should do my cooling. I had my case in the "computer hole" part of my desk but I was seeing temps around 80C so I pulled it out and it cooled back down to low-mid 70s. This is the first time I'm really playing seriously with Overclocking and had I known about this forum before I bought the 620 on sale I would have probably gone with a 920 or something else, but my big question is do I need to now?

Thanks in advance!
 
70 to 75C is fine for long term use. Can you put a second fan on the 620 radiator - that would help drop the temps some. Also, Auto is fine for getting the machine overclocked, but it does tend to add more voltage than you absolutely need for the given overclock - if you go in and manually set the voltage (either manually or via offset) you can probably lower that voltage a bit, and lower the temps as well. At 4.4 you should be able to get by with less than 1.345V.
 
Forceman said:
70 to 75C is fine for long term use. Can you put a second fan on the 620 radiator - that would help drop the temps some. Also, Auto is fine for getting the machine overclocked, but it does tend to add more voltage than you absolutely need for the given overclock - if you go in and manually set the voltage (either manually or via offset) you can probably lower that voltage a bit, and lower the temps as well. At 4.4 you should be able to get by with less than 1.345V.
Click to expand...

This^ 1.345V for 4.4Ghz sounds like a lot. Your temps are fine and I agree that adding another fan would help, but my 2600k is undervolted,running at 4.2Ghz while only needing 1.200V, and my temps stay below 60C. Have you tried lowering the voltage in offset mode? Also what level of LLC are you using?

Check this guide out - http://www.overclock.net/t/1198504/complete-overclocking-guide-for-sandybridge-asrock-motherboards
 
Wow! Thanks MissJ84, that's just what I needed, now to begin properly overclocking my chip :)
 
My 2500 does 4.6 at 1.28, there is no way your CPU needs that much power.
 
Sigh, ok, so I followed that guide, but there must be something different with the fatality motherboard. I tried both Prime95 (version 27) and IBT and they spike to my max multiplier of 45 in CPU-Z then after about 5 seconds they scale back down to 35. In IBT it ramps up to 45 at what seems like the end of a run and the beginning of a run but in the middle it sticks at 35. I don't get it... I was able to hit 44 stable when using the fatality "easy overclock" but when I did the offset and everything per the guide it doesn't stress me at all. Thoughts?
 
It means you need more voltage. +.05 it some more. Also auto overclocking generally uses unneeded higher voltage. You could always start with 1.3V and work your way down instead.
 
Ok, I've managed to reproduce the results (kinda) in IBT. It doesn't seem like its related to voltage, when the test hits max RAM needed for that particular stress level is when it drops down to 35. So when doing the Maximum stress level its using 13GB of my 13.5 available (2 to the system), and once it hits 15GB system ram it ramps down to 3.5GHz when I do the standard test when it hits 4GB (the ram usage + system on that particular test) it drops down to 3.5GHz. and even at -.05 or +.05 offset it spikes to 1.36v (even higher than the auto clock). I think I'm going to try full manual next as it just doesn't seem to like offsetting :(
 
Use manual to get it dialed in, then when you have a good clock/voltage combo, play with offset to get the same result. Too many variables if you try to use offset from the get go - get it stable first.
 
full manual didn't work either, same behavior, at 1.3 it BSOD'd at 1.32 it booted, ramped up to 4.5GHz and then dropped down to 3.5GHZ after reaching the ram limit.
 
Try testing with something esle, like Prime95 or OCCT. I've never seen IBT ramp the multipliers down like that. Did you increase the current limit in the BIOS? Maybe the motherboard is throttling it for power reasons.
 
So the only way I could get it to work was to use the preset multiplier auto overclock, the only problem is when I put my LLC to 2-3 and use an offset its either over the previous auto temps (and volts) or it bluescreens on the boot to windows. I was able to change the offset in windows itself with the F-stream tuning utility from ASRock but when I get it down to a reasonable offset (so my voltage is 1.34 or less) it is to low to boot to windows in a stable fashion. I don't know... I wish I knew what was going on but its just got me baffled.

Also when doing it manually before Prime95 did the same thing that IBT did, ramp up and then drop down again (though prime95 dropped to 3.7-3.8)

Weird.
 
Yeah, I can't speak for their Z68 boards, but my Z77E-ITX does nothing like that. What power supply are you using?
 
Make sure there isn't a power limit, or current limit, or something worded similar to that in the BIOS. It'll be expressed as a percentage (100%, 120%, 140%, etc) - make sure it is cranked up a bit. I think Asus calls it CPU Current Capability, so it may be named something like that.

Edit: Looks like ASRock might call it Turbo Boost Power Limit and Core Current Limit.
 
Forceman said:
Make sure there isn't a power limit, or current limit, or something worded similar to that in the BIOS. It'll be expressed as a percentage (100%, 120%, 140%, etc) - make sure it is cranked up a bit. I think Asus calls it CPU Current Capability, so it may be named something like that.

Edit: Looks like ASRock might call it Turbo Boost Power Limit and Core Current Limit.
Click to expand...

This, however I assumed OP followed my link which explains this.

Intel Turbo Boost Tech: Enabled
Turbo Boost Power Limit: Manual
Short: 500
Long: 500
Long Duration: 1

If you're using the boards newer UEFI, these settings may be named a little differently. (ie; Core Current is now Plane Current)
 
Honestly I didn't see the Intel Turbo Boost power limit... there was a core current limit that I bumped up to 300 from 150 though (per your post). The issue is the normal ASRock UEFI is replaced on this board with the Fatality "enhanced" UEFI.... I don't know if its better or not but I think I just am going to give up and deal with auto voltage because I can't seem to get any decent offset that lets me boot and run. Thanks for all the help, was worth the shot in trying I guess. As long as my temps aren't too bad I'm happy so my main question was answered, I just hope I don't fry the darn board/chip in the process.
 
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