Overclocking Gigabyte Z68XP-UD7 2600k at 4.8 GHZ

My former setup with a I7-860 processor ran at 4.25 GHz with memory 1800 MHz 9/9/911 @ 1600 MHz 6/6/6/25.Before the UD7 I owned a Ud-4 for a couple of days but was able to return it and buy a UD-7.Just to be sure I had the best hardware I could get. The issue is that I hit a wall at 4.8Ghz.Up to 4.8 GHz oc is very easy. I need to run the CPU V at 1.465, CPU at 1.86, memory at 1.56. Memory at Extreme/Expert and Load line at Level 5.

I tried to set the BLCK to 1020 and even 1040. With CPU at 1.5, memory at 1.6 and Load line at Level 6 it boots into Windows, but the system is not stable enough to run Games. I tried with memory at 1866 MHz and even 1600 MHz, but no luck. Of course the CPU can have a limit. But I want to be sure if there are no settings that I did not think that can make a difference. Because of the liquid cooling system the CPU temperature never goes over 50 degrees Celsius.

Some chips just never get to where we want them to ge. Many factors come into to play Like you .I have a Thermaltake LCS case but the factory cooling setup went long ago! The overall case design is well thought out and carries quite a reasonable build quality. but the factory cooling leaves a lot to be desired

The RAD is now ancient in efficiency compared to what you can buy off the shelf today and the hoses have only a 6mm bore (double the bore size from 6mm to 12mm has a theoretical flow-rate increase of 8 times of the original size. Fact!)

The pumps and reservoirs will fail you eventually I went through 3 pumps and a cracked reservoir (yes, very lucky) in 14 months before I said enough is enough. If you’re handy I took to my case with Jigsaw and dermal and installed a "X-Changer 360 RAD" with 12.7mm barbs (half inch) and never looked back

Now that's out of the way. I suspect your difficulty is Memory.try this

• 8GB G.Skill Dual Channel kit,
• DDR3-2133 Ripsaws Series with active cooling fan.

For the Intel Sandy Bridge platform.

1. PC3-17000 2133MHz with timings of 9-11-9-28 (CL9). 1.65V dual channel kit (2x4GB), 240 pins

Regarding the oc:

I cracked up the CPU Vcore to 1,505 , Loadline 6 , QPI/Vtt to 1,14, PCH Core to 1,12 , CPU Pll to 1,88 and DRam Voltage to 1,64.With a BLCK at 1020 and Cpu Ratio at 49 I am now running at 4.95 Ghz.
I have to admit that I had to set the memory back to 1866 MHz, but a Sandy bridge does not take very much advantage over 1600 mhz.If the system stays stable over the next couple of days I will try to back up a little on some settings. It is a pity that the Dram voltage on manual only has 1.64 or 1.66 and not 1.65.

Would you think that setting the memory to 1.66 should be too much?

Just to answer your last point there as long as you have decent cooling and keep the temperature down and you make sure that the QPI/Vtt voltage always stays within 0.5v of the memory voltage it doesn't really matter what voltage you use. You could take it up to 1.75v as long as the QPI/Vtt was at least 1.25v minimum. You might have a problem with the heat though!

Up to now I tried till 1.68v for memory .Windows is booting but then hanging. Perhaps it is the CPU.

It might just be that you have reached the limit of what your hardware will run at. Undecided

At this moment I have the system running at 5 GHz without freezes. I have to do some Flight simulator benchmark tests first. However, I want to ask you guys what you think about the values from 5 GHz compared to 4.8 GHz:

• 4.8 GHz
• Loadline Level 5
• Vcore 1.47
• System Agent 0.935
• PCh Core 1.1
• CPU Pll 1.86
• QPI/Vtt 1.1
• VDram 1.6
• CPU temp 40-54 C

• 5 GHz
• Loadline level 8
• QPI/Vtt 1.2
• System Agent 0.945
• CPU pll 1.88
• VDram 1.7
• Vcore 1.505
• Memory 1866 MHz auto settings
• CPU temp 53-67 C

You’re starting to enter the area of diminishing returns. if those are load temps. What are the timings of the memory at 1600 and 2133 respectively? This could be the deciding factor. Memory speed, and timings can have a huge impact on real world usage.raw speed is not everything, but data through-put is Wink

The Volts (Vcore) at 1.505v is pretty well the limit before damage can start to degrade the CPU.even at 1.450 longevity will be cropped regardless you're on water. But who knows we could be talking about going from 5 yrs down to 3yrs, no one really knows! Anyway early days you have only been at it.