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6850K Overclocking - My Experience

enyceedanny
Level 10
I've finally settled down on my 6850K's overclock and wanted to post an update to the final settings along with a few things I learned. And I've also linked to my log on Google docs on the bottom of the post.

Components



  • I7 6850K
  • Asus Rampage V Edition 10
  • Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4 2800 64GB (4 x 16GB)
  • EVGA GTX 780 Ti Classified Hydro-Copper
  • Corsair AX1200i
  • Samsung 950 Pro nvme SSD
  • Samsung 850 Pro SSD
  • Corsair 900D Case
  • EK XE480 Quad Radiator w/ Corsair ML120 Fans
  • EK Supremacy EVO CPU Block
  • EK-XRES 140 Revo D5



Final settings on OC:



  • CPU Multiplier: 44x
  • Cache Multiplier: 36x
  • AVX Offset: 0
  • CPU Core: Adaptive @ 1.375v
  • CPU Input Voltage (VCCIN): 1.92v (Loads at 1.9v) I think I can still fine tune this down.
  • LLC: Level 7
  • Cache Voltage: Offset +0.14 (Approx. 1.144v at load)
  • System Agent Voltage (VCCSA): Offset +0.1 (Approx 1.008v at load)
  • VCCIO CPU: 1.1 in bios, but shows 1.056v in software readings.
  • DDR Frequency: 3000 (overclocked from 2800)
  • DDR Timings: 13-15-15-36 1T (tightened from stock 14-16-16-36 2T)
  • DDR: 1.365v
  • All other voltages manually set to their stock values



On my specific system, the following are some of the things I've learned after exhausting testing and fine-tuning.


If you're looking for ABSOLUTE system stability, you need to account for combined CPU + GPU loads.

I can run the above settings with lower VCORE (1.35), VCCSA (0 offset), VCCIO (stock) if I'm only isolating the stress tests to CPU.

I realized that sometimes OCCT will fail, or crash the system while other times it will run for more than 8 hours without any issues. It would most likely pass when ran overnight while I'm asleep, but other times when I have it running while I'm browsing the web, or watching some videos, it would fail/crash. After some trial and error, I found that a combination of CPU load (OCCT) + GPU usage (watching a video or even using chrome , due to hardware GPU acceleration) would cause my completely stable CPU isolated voltages to become unstable.

Although you'll likely never load the system enough for this to matter, a certain application or game may cause enough load on both components to make your overclock unstable.


Avoid AUTO values when possible

Try to set your voltages to at least their stock values manually. This is especially true for VCCSA, and Cache Voltage, as AUTO values may set these to unreasonable levels. For example, with XMP enabled and VCCSA on auto, my motherboard would set the VCCSA to over 1.3 volts.


System Agent Voltage (VCCSA) is a pain in the ass.

Due to the fact that too high of a voltage can cause instability as well, it may be quite annoying to fine-tune this voltage.

For CPU isolated tests, VCCSA didn't seem to affect my overclocks much. But with combined CPU+GPU loads, this voltage along with VCCIO CPU had to be completely fine-tuned in order for complete stability. Even a small deviation in either of the voltages caused sporadic instability (OCCT passing for 10 hours, then suddenly failing at 2 hours or less on a separate run at same settings)


Variation in test software is necessary for ABSOLUTE stability.

I found that while at a certain setting, I was able to pass 8 hours of Realbench, 1000% coverage in HCI memtest, but crash during Google Stressful Application Test (GSAT). I had the assumption that 1000% coverage was the golden standard for memory and cache, but realized that I had to bump up my cache voltage a bit in order to be stable for GSAT.

For absolute stability, I find these combination of tests are ideal.



  • OCCT for approximately an hour for a quick initial test while tuning the multipliers and voltages.
  • HCI Memtest for approximately an hour.
  • Realbench for an hour.



Once you're closer to your ideal settings and want to achieve absolute stability:



  • 8+ hour run of OCCT with a video playing on your preferred media player in the background along with some browser tabs open.
  • 1000% coverage of HCI Memtest
  • 8 hour run of GSAT (stressapptest -W -s 28800) Don't forget the -W, which uses more CPU-stressful memory copy.
  • 8 hour run of Realbench
  • Lastly another run of OCCT for a couple of hours just to seal the deal.


While running any stress test, make sure to check your event viewer > windows logs > system for any WHEA (especially Cache hierarchy) warnings or errors. I found that sometimes I can pass the tests initially, but fail on concurrent runs and find those errors on my log. With some bumps in cache or core voltage, it goes away and I would get closer to stability.


Oh, I've uploaded my log to google docs, where you can view here. Although each system is unique and will require its own set of tweaks, maybe it will give you a point of reference for your overclock. It's quite messy as it was just for my own reference, but you get the point.
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15 REPLIES 15

johnrr654
Level 9
Fabulous information! Thank you! Your Google Docs are quite impressive! The time you took to do this....oh my! I hope to apply some of these settings to a 6800K Broadewll and X99 board.

erixx11
Level 11
Thank you! That chip is coming soon to me! 🙂

Hey Danny,

Thanks for sharing. I just got my setup put together last week and am really excited to get into the OCing. Had to hold back a bit so I had a stable system for a few video deadlines I had to meet. In the middle of OCing my 6850 now and I'm at a stable 4.3 / 3.6 and am hitting 79 temp on load. There were guides I found helpful on the site, as well as a video, but seeing your values gave me a better idea of how to bump things up and where I should be putting more voltage. I don't want to speak too soon but I am just over 2 hours into OCCT and I just finished watching a 52 minute film I rendered earlier today while posting on some forums and looking into OCing my Strix 1080 tomorrow. I was seeing some WHEA errors but I bumped my core voltage up to ~1.3 and cache is sitting around ~1.125, Vcore 1.744. Your tips definitely helped. Tomorrow I will try to tighten up my memory using a guide I found for my kit, Corsair Dominator Platinum 64gb 3200 16C. I am pretty happy with the performance so far, but I wouldnt mind getting another 100mhz and 15C. It is supposed to be possible with 1.375 volts. We'll see. I'm going to attempt to OC my GPU to 2.1ghz as well, I might stick with the 4.3 OC for now, do these other things, then try and go for 4.4 after I get everything else set where I want it. I am still kind of new to OCing, I am used to leaving things on Auto and I would normally stop when it would get to the point where I'd have to increase voltage. It always scared me lol. I spent a lot on this new build so I really want to get the most out of it. Got insurance on everything so why not haha. I will check back in later and let you know when I find my final OC.

Current OC
Core 43x
Cache 36x
Core ~1.3
VCore 1.744
Cache ~1.130
VCCIO 1.024
VCCSA 1.008
PCH Core ~1.050
DRAM 3200 1.350

For cooling I am running a Corsair h110i with a bunch of noctuas in a CM Stormtrooper.

EaglePC
Level 10
do i have a awesome chip with ddr2400 i can hit
Core 42x
Cache 35x
AVX Offset 3
Core 1.2
Cache 1.15
DRAM 2400 1.3
VCCIN 1.8

taken all the settings in bios from here raised 4.0 to 4.2 and 34 to 35 at same voltages 4.3 will crash will need 1.27v
https://youtu.be/dW6gBneg3VA
Asus Rampage VI Extreme / Intel I9-7940X / Corsair H115i Pro / CORSAIR Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB (4 x 8GB) 3000MHz / EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti FTW3 ELITE GAMING BLACK Edition / 2x Samsung 970 Pro NMVe 1GB / 4x Samsung 850 PRO - 2TB / Asus ROG Swift PG348Q / Corsair AX 1500i / Thermaltake View 71 RGB PC Case /Win 10 PRO x64

Ran OCCT for 4 hours over night without issue, but when I try to run RealBench, it crashes within minutes with the stop code "Drive Overran Stack Buffer" and says that ntoskrnl.exe is the issue. That is a core system file. I disabled Windows Defender and I have been able to run now for 2 hours... Weird. I am installing Norton now, hopefully that will help. Had hopes that their built-in protection would be good enough. Anyone had a similar issue? Or do you think maybe my issue lies elsewhere? I was able to recreate the crash 4 times, pretty much only 2% into the HandBrake render, always says ntoskrnl.exe. I will post later once I run some test with Norton enabled and Defender off.

UPDATE: Windows Defender was definitely causing that issue. I installed Norton and disabled Defender completely and am now experiencing no issues. I also went ahead and OC'd my GPU and RAM to make sure everything would be stable together. I ran a 5 hours in OCCT, 5 hours in RB and 5 hours in AIDA all without issues...

Core: 43x
Cache: 36x
AVX Offset: 3
Core: 1.35
Cache: 1.135
DRAM: 3200 15-17-17-36 @ 1.35
VCCIN: 1.8
VCCSA: 1.088
GPU: 2150 / 11400

Thanks for the guide! I will probably try adjusting voltages a bit to see what I need to be able to pull these numbers, I feel like I can trim it down some. I may just try to push it to 4.4 / 3.8 before pulling the plug though. She runs real nice at this setting, full load at 69.

FlanK3r
Level 13
Nice, but do you have some screens and photos? YOur 6850K seems very solid, better than average chip 🙂
Who knows me, knows me ;)....AMD 3000+, AMD x2 4600+ EE, AMD X4 955 BE C2,2x AMD X4 965 BE C3, AMD X4 970 BE C3, AMD x4 975 BE, AMD x4 980 BE, AMD X6 1090T BE, AMD x6 1100T BE, 2x AMD FX-8120, 2x AMD FX-8150, FX-6300, FX-8300, FX-8320E, FX-8320, FX-8350, FX-8370, FX-8370E, FX-9370, FX-9590, AMD A8-3850, AMD A8-3870K, A8-5600K, A10-5800K, A10-6800K, A10-7850K, A10-7870K, A 5150, Athlon x4 860K, Intel i7-5960X, i7-6700K, Intel i7-4770K, Intel i7-980x, Intel i7 2600k, Intel i7-3770K, i7-3930K.

In my honest opinion Norton is the worst thing you can do to your PC I haven't used anything but Windows Defender in almost a year and have never had an issue. If that happened on a newly built rig it is most likely an update that is needed. Every time I do a fresh install I run Windows Update and Defender always needs security updates regularly. But Norton is not anything I would ever put on my PC and many will say the same thing.

Hi Guys,

I run the following setup:

Core Ratio = 4,5 GHz
CPU Strap = 100 MHz
BLCK Frequency = 100
AXV offset = 3
Min. CPU cache ratio = 34
Max. CPU cache ratio = 34
CPU Load-line Calibration = Level 6
Long duration package power limit = 4095
short duration package power limit = 4095
CPU core voltage = 1.35
CPU cache voltage = 1.15
CPU input voltage = 1.8

Memory:
64 GB at 2.800 MHz
DRAM voltage = 1.35
14 - 13 - 13 - 35

Unfortunately, with this BIOS settings my Samsung 950 Evo 1 TB disappears in windows 10 pro 64 bit. Everything is up to date. Any suggestions?

I do want to apologise for posting on this old thread.

I also owned the same motherboard and cpu at the moment.
Previously I was able to attain OC at 4.3Ghz with no issues.

Recently I just found out that my frequency is stuck at 3.8GHz regardless of anything I could have done.
E. G.
Reset my bios back to default
Downgrade the bios version
Restart computer multiple times

Nothing worked unfortunately, however overclocking the ram was of no issue.

Any solutions for this??