BIOS Settings: i7-4770K (OEM Fan)/Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H/Corsair 2x8GB 2133 DDR3 Veng Pro

[John R Leddy]

Hi guys,

I have recently plugged together two PCs for general domestic use and would appreciate you guys double-checking my BIOS settings. My previous experience includes lashing together lower-end AMD PCs from a mixture of new and scrap parts. These are my first Intel-based PCs using all new parts, and as these builds mean expenditure is actually double the cost of the components mentioned, I must confess to experiencing a little uneasiness at my relative inexperience with modern-day set-ups.

I have viewed, accepted, and adopted Tom Logan's advice given in his Intel 1155 Overclocking Guide video at:

Components:
Intel Core i7-4770K Processor
Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H Motherboard
Corsair 16GB (2x8GB) 2133 DDR3 Vengeance Pro DRAM
Corsair CX750M Modular ATX Power Supply
Corsair Obsidian Series 550D Quiet Case

At this stage future upgrade suggestions, whilst more than welcome, are of little consequence as my total budget, and more, has already been spent. This means while I would love to purchase a couple of XSPC watercooling kits, and remember every purchase is times two, here and now and into the foreseeable future I must use the Intel OEM supplied fan. This fan, CPU integrated graphics being new to me, and an auto turbo CPU frequency setting, were the initial causes for my insecurity in trusting the auto default settings within the BIOS.

Notes: Bought for fun as last purchases of modular contructed PCs before individual components are replaced with miniaturised NUCs. Hoping for six years use. Not interested in overclocking. After years of noisy PCs my current ambition is quietness in use. HDD and SSD located in 5.1/4" drive bays. Both HDD brackets removed for increased airflow from 2 x 120mm front panel fans.


BIOS SETTINGS (Classic Setup)

Whilst viewing Tom Logan's video I wrote down eight tasks:

1. BIOS > F7 Optomised Defaults > Reboot

2. MIT \ Advanced Frequency Settings \ Advanced CPU Core Features

CPU Clock Ratio: 35
CPU Frequency: 3.5GHz
Uncore Ratio: 35
Uncore Frequency: 3.5GHz
Intel Turbo Boost Technology: Enabled
Turbo Ratio (1-Core Active) (39): Auto
Turbo Ratio (2-Core Active) (39): Auto
Turbo Ratio (3-Core Active) (38): Auto
Turbo Ratio (4-Core Active) (37): Auto
Everything Else: Auto

3. MIT \ Advanced Memory Settings

Memory Upgrade: Disabled
Extreme Memory Profile (XMP): Disabled
System Memory Multiplier: 18.66
Memory Frequency: 1866MHz
Performance Enhance: Normal
DRAM Timing Selectable: Quick

Notes: Accepted and adopted Tom Logan's statement concerning overstressing the CPU memory controller during stress testing. Memory frequency still set at 1866MHz after OCCT stress test.

4. MIT \ Advanced Memory Settings \ Channel A Timing Settings

Channel A Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency: 11
tRCD: 11
tRP: 11
tRAS: 27

Channel A Advanced Timing Control
Command Rate (tCMD): 2

Notes: Clocking set to Corsair tested clocks, whilst Corsair tested memory frequency of 2133MHz reduced to 1866MHz.

5. MIT \ Advanced Voltage Settings \ 3D Power Control

CPU VRIN Loadline Calibration: Extreme
Everything Else: Auto

Notes: Hesitated at this point as was expecting to see Vcore Loadline Calibration option. Changed VRIN to Extreme anyway.

6. MIT \ Advanced Voltage Settings \ DRAM Voltage Control

DRAM Voltage: 1.500V

7. MIT \ Advanced Voltage Settings \ CPU Core Voltage Control

CPU VRIN External Override (1.800V): Auto
CPU Vcore (1.170V): 1.000V
Everything Else: Auto

8. F10 Save & Exit


TESTING

OCCT 4.4.0

CPU:LINPACK tab
Memory: 90%
64 Bits check box ticked
AVX Capable Linpack check box ticked
Use All Logical Cores check box ticked

Monitoring Options
Cores #0, #1, #2, and #3
Stop testing if value is above: 90°C

Test 1

10 minute test failed at 3 minutes.

Action: Back into BIOS and set Intel Turbo Boost Technology option to Disabled.

Test 2

10 minute test Passed.

Core #0: 34-83°C
Core #1: 32-83°C
Core #2: 31-81°C
Core #3: 33-80°C

Action: Back into BIOS and set Intel Turbo Boost Technology option to Enabled. Set all Turbo Ratios (1, 2, 3, and 4-Core Active) to 37.

Test 3

10 minute test Passed.

Core #0: 36-85°C
Core #1: 34-86°C
Core #2: 32-84°C
Core #3: 33-82°C

Action: Back into BIOS and set all Turbo Ratios (1, 2, 3, and 4-Core Active) to 38.

Test 4

10 minute test Passed.

Core #0: 35-87°C
Core #1: 35-88°C
Core #2: 33-85°C
Core #3: 34-85°C

Test 5

Re-run OCCT stress test for 1 hour with above BIOS settings.

Passed.


CONCLUSION

Happy with CPU core voltage of 1V. Happy with CPU core temperatures never reaching 90°C under OCCT maximised stress test. Happy with x38 turbo multiplier. Happy with turbo ratio (1-core active) reduced from 39 to 38. Happy with turbo ratio (2-core active) reduced from 39 to 38. Happy with turbo ratio (3-core active) remaining the same at 38. Happy with turbo ratio (4-core active) increased from 37 to 38. Happy with 3.8GHz (8.3%) CPU overclock. Happy with memory frequency at 1866MHz. Oh so paranoid I am about to damage or destroy components!

Best regards,

John.

 

[Willock]

Have you considered de-lidding the CPU to change the thermal grease?
Unless you have lost the silicon lottery, a 4770k should be able to go WAY over 3.8 ghz, its just thermals that are limiting you at the moment.
And it goes without saying most if not all aftermarket coolers will go a long way, even if its inexpensive.

EDIT: Okay, I didnt read that properly, sorry >_< even if you're not interested in overclocks, I'd recommend the delidding and aftermarket cooler purely for longevity; it goes without saying a CPU maxing out at 60 degrees will last longer than one maxing out at 80, but I guess it depends on what you use it for, if you never do anything to get it up there I doubt it'll make a difference.

To sum up, I've contributed exactly nothing to this thread and have wasted my own time. I will now retire to my bed in shame.

 

[John R Leddy]

Have you considered de-lidding the CPU to change the thermal grease?
Unless you have lost the silicon lottery, a 4770k should be able to go WAY over 3.8 ghz, its just thermals that are limiting you at the moment.
And it goes without saying most if not all aftermarket coolers will go a long way, even if its inexpensive.

EDIT: Okay, I didnt read that properly, sorry >_< even if you're not interested in overclocks, I'd recommend the delidding and aftermarket cooler purely for longevity; it goes without saying a CPU maxing out at 60 degrees will last longer than one maxing out at 80, but I guess it depends on what you use it for, if you never do anything to get it up there I doubt it'll make a difference.

To sum up, I've contributed exactly nothing to this thread and have wasted my own time. I will now retire to my bed in shame.

Willock,

Thank you for your reply. I notice you were burning the midnight oil as well.

I have seen videos on removing the IHS and would not mind having a go at that sometime in the future. As these purchases have absolutely cleared out my toys stash I have no leeway whatsoever at the moment for damages and replacement parts. It is inevitable I will do this though because I am just that sort of bloke.

Compared to the racket I am used to living with from PCs I am sitting here enjoying the relative quiet from our new PCs, so for the moment I am happy as Larry and as content as can be. No doubt at some point the tool kit will come out, but currently I am still at the stage of simply enjoying our new toys. If I broke one now I would be as popular as... well, it is just not worth thing about.

Yes, I agree with you concerning a CPU cooler, and I have adjusted my wishlist from a pair of Corsair Hydro Series H90s to a couple of XSPC RayStorm 750 AX240 kits. I am aiming to have both our computers at virtually the same spec. The wife did end up getting a new 500GB SSD as her old HDD was not worth keeping, but I had to retain mine as it still contains 1.35TB of FLAC albums awaiting tagging before exporting to a couple of NAS drives.

To illustrate exactly how far I pushed my budget, I saved the £40 for a couple of 5.1/4" drive bay adaptors and mounted my HDD into the bottom of the 5.1/4" bay using double-sided adhesive foam pads, and velcro pads for Lesley's SSD. This allowed me to remove the 3.1/2" HDD mounting brackets from the 550D and create more space for mounting a 240mm radiator. I wish to retain the top and side panel removable covers for quietness.

Then of course there is purchasing a graphics card and maxing out the memory on the UD3H. I realise I still have a long way to go, but that is OK as I have always preferred the journey to the destination anyway.

Tom's video turned out to be the most helpful resource I came across for adjusting the settings within the BIOS, so we can blame him for me ending up on an overclocking forum. Really, I am now so out of date with this sort of thing, this might be just the place I need to be. I have installed Windows 7 Ultimate on these machines, which is about as far away from creating Debian rocket ships out of old bits of castaway junk as I can possibly get, so any help in protecting my investment would be gratefully appreciated.

I had to laugh at myself when I entered the BIOS. I was bedazzled with pure visual overload before changing it to classic setup.

By the way, your reply was not a waste of time to me as I like to think things through and plan ahead, so thanks for replying. My computer is still running this morning, so with a bit of luck further changes within the BIOS will be tweaks rather than component saving adjustments.

All the best,

John.