Intel Skylake i5 6600K & i7 6700K 1151 Z170 Review

[tinytomlogan]

Overclocking with that board is incredibly simple, thanks to MSI's software. Go to their website and download the latest version, then start a thread and I will help you as much as I can.

Their software is so good that a review site stated -

MSI's Command Centre was actually quite impressive when it came to Windows-based overclocking. MSI's EFIs are generally excellent and the Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon is no different, but Command Centre allowed tweaking of all the usual frequency and ratio settings so that all but the most extreme overclocks could easily be tested and applied without ever entering the EFI. It was lag-free and while the MSI-version of CPU-Z didn't record the changes we made to the CPU multiplier, the clock speed it indicated clearly showed that the multiplier had been changed.

So yeah, once you are all up and running start a thread and I will give you some advice on how to get the CPU overclocked with minimal fuss

DO NOT use software. Dear god its terrible.

Learn how to do it like a real man.

I thought more of you tbh alien. You should lean how to do properly too

 

[TPC]

Overclocking with that board is incredibly simple, thanks to MSI's software. Go to their website and download the latest version, then start a thread and I will help you as much as I can.

Their software is so good that a review site stated -

MSI's Command Centre was actually quite impressive when it came to Windows-based overclocking. MSI's EFIs are generally excellent and the Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon is no different, but Command Centre allowed tweaking of all the usual frequency and ratio settings so that all but the most extreme overclocks could easily be tested and applied without ever entering the EFI. It was lag-free and while the MSI-version of CPU-Z didn't record the changes we made to the CPU multiplier, the clock speed it indicated clearly showed that the multiplier had been changed.

So yeah, once you are all up and running start a thread and I will give you some advice on how to get the CPU overclocked with minimal fuss

Why do you try and keep convincing yourself and other that software OC is good, it's not. One faulty driver and the system could be wrecked after the next restart. One wrong Volt and same would occur. Only because you use a falienware that has a locked down bios and you have to use the software it still doesn't mean it's the way to go.

 

[AlienALX]

DO NOT use software. Dear god its terrible.

Learn how to do it like a real man.

I thought more of you tbh alien. You should lean how to do properly too

I know how to do it properly. Sadly "doing it properly" is a big waste of time on K chips, given that the most effective and easiest way of overclocking is simply to add multi and volts.

I have spent countless hours overclocking K series CPUs now and I always get pretty much identical results doing it the hard way vs just shoving up the multi and volts.

And as the quote says, the only thing it's not good for is extreme overclocking.

If you are a noob or scared of doing it properly (and you would be surprised how many fall into that category) then MSI's software is absolutely fantastic.

I don't understand this mentality that people should always do things the difficult way. Honestly, I'm completely perplexed as to why you would make your life deliberately difficult when there's a simple and effective alternative

I remember back in the day spending about three days messing around with a Nvidia bios editor (Nibitor? something like that) to overclock a GPU. Then along comes Afterburner and guess what? the whole world now use it to overclock GPUs. Why? because it's easy and effective.

I'm sure we can agree that the main objective here is to overclock and thus squeeze every last ounce of performance out of a part. So I don't get why you would feel so strongly against something that works brilliantly.

Why do you try and keep convincing yourself and other that software OC is good, it's not. One faulty driver and the system could be wrecked after the next restart. One wrong Volt and same would occur. Only because you use a falienware that has a locked down bios and you have to use the software it still doesn't mean it's the way to go.

^ unfounded scaremongering. I've never had any such issues whatsoever, and neither have you given you haven't even used it.

BTW insulting my computer doesn't make your point any more valid. It just smacks of desperation.

 

[tinytomlogan]

Multi and volts?

Have you even used Skylake? Because it doesnt sound like it.

Sound like I need to do a Skylake guide tbh but saying software is epic is n0000b advise. We always try to educate people so they can see how easy the bios is and why you need to man up and get in there.

 

[Wraith]

There are far to many variables to go wrong with on the fly software overclocking, the OS, DirectX and as TPC said drivers, if you need to overclock NEVER cut corners with 3rd party software and sure as hell don't do it from a running OS environment.

 

[AlienALX]

Multi and volts?

Have you even used Skylake? Because it doesnt sound like it.

Sound like I need to do a Skylake guide tbh but saying software is epic is n0000b advise. We always try to educate people so they can see how easy the bios is and why you need to man up and get in there.

I've not used Skylake no. I won't post the link here because I did before and you don't like the site I posted a link to.

However, they managed 4800mhz out of a 6700k using MSI's software. And it took them about ten seconds. Maybe you could have achieved better results using all of the proper techniques but my point remains - why would you talk a noob out of simply doing that if it works?

Look, I'm not the one insulting people here. I'm not laughing at people because they spent a week overclocking their 5820k and couldn't get the 4.6ghz bench stable that I got in about thirty seconds.

GOOD overclocking software (I have mentioned before that several efforts in the past have been a complete failure) should be lauded, not made to look stupid and demeaned dude.

Please, grab an MSI board and have a go yourself, then do it the hard way and post your results.

There are far to many variables to go wrong with on the fly software overclocking, the OS, DirectX and as TPC said drivers, if you need to overclock NEVER cut corners with 3rd party software and sure as hell don't do it from a running OS environment.

Then I offer you the same challenge. Grab an MSI board, download the software and see if you can back up any of your claims.

I've killed many things overclocking before. I've fried VRMs and I've corrupted an OS beyond repair and none of that was done using software. If an overclock is unstable and causes damage to an operating system it will do that with "in bios" overclocking too. So you should heed the same warnings and take the same safety measures no matter what.

BTW I am noticing a recurring trend here. Nobody but me seems to have actually tried and tested this software. So I find it crazy that people can discount it without even trying it.

 

[tinytomlogan]

Point with overclocking is the lowest volts possible.

Also you HAVE to bring the other volts into check because they will all be way higher than they really need to be.


Ive used all software, they may be quick but none of them are actually any good.


All the other info without volts etc is just waffle mate.

 

[TPC]

"the hard way" can take the same time. My i7 had stock volts dialed in when I started OC'ing it. (heck I think it was on Auto even) upped the multi to 45 and ran Prime. Was stable and I left it for the next few months. Until I got bored a day and really got into the bios, tweaking everything from ram to volts. My result was the same freq. Only a far lower volt was achieved. so your argument of saying it takes less time is invalid. and it wasn't hard either since evrything I had to do was described in the manual of my Sabertooth.

 

[Tolemac]

BIOS overclocking is what we live for isn't it? thats why we are enthusiasts its all about trial and error and benching

 

[AlienALX]

BIOS overclocking is what we live for isn't it? thats why we are enthusiasts its all about trial and error and benching

I've said this about fifty times now but no one seems to be listening. MSI's software (command center, formally known as ClickBios II) talks directly with the EFI. It literally brings up your bios screen within Windows and allows you to change the settings there.

So the only difference (because all of the settings, sliders and so on are all the same) is the fact you did it 'post post' per se.

I am the only one here who has actually used it, yet I am the one being told I'm wrong. So you can understand that basically this -

Edit. As for bios overclocking being what we live for? obviously not, because near on all of us are using Afterburner or Precision X or whatever Sapphire's one is called. Trixx, is it?

All I care about is getting the absolute maximum mhz out of the item I am overclocking. I really couldn't give a flying poop how I get there it's the end result that matters.

 

[Tripp]

software overclocking is really not advisable, no matter how good the software its not a touch on what doing the graft yourself will achieve, you will get a more stable overclock and will definatly be putting less volts through your chip which in turn will lower your themals....its a no brainer really.

 

[tinytomlogan]

a 30 second overclock and the way youve worded it implies you let the software do it for you.

Thats just the garbage way mate, end of discussion.

If thats how you want to do it fine. But Ill be teaching people how to do it so they learn a bit about their rig and learn exactly what each set of volts are for and how to test everything properly.

 

[Wraith]

BIOS overclocking is what we live for isn't it? thats why we are enthusiasts its all about trial and error and benching

^^ All of this. If you buy a system and want to overclock, then learn how your bios works and do it properly.

If your a newb then you have lots to learn and still do it properly, as far as recommending the easy software option to newbs that's just asking for trouble.

Lets just grab those sliders and dial them all up to 11, what's the worst that can happen.... It's not meant to be easy.

You cant do a full job with half arsed methods.

 

[Sativa]

I got burned by software about a month ago. Ai-suit-3

Followed the guide on the software, watched a couple of videos etc. No problems with the software overclocking and after it finished it had taken my i7 to 4.8 great i thought. Then two hours game time later my PC crashed never to be restarted, till a new i7 had been shipped to me. I was grateful to have a new cpu that i never asked the shop who tested the cpu what the fault was.

Within about 5 hours i had gone from a stable stock pc, to an overclocked software pc, to a dead pc! and started smoking again after 3 days of trying everything to get it to work.

Still unsure why as i have a 360 aio so this kinda rules temps out and all temps where watched while gaming. But the software must have jacked something up to cause the cpu to die and never work again.

Yeah Tom make an ovc video using a asus bios

 

[Tolemac]

I got burned by software about a month ago. Ai-suit-3

Followed the guide on the software, watched a couple of videos etc. No problems with the software overclocking and after it finished it had taken my i7 to 4.8 great i thought. Then two hours game time later my PC crashed never to be restarted, till a new i7 had been shipped to me. I was grateful to have a new cpu that i never asked the shop who tested the cpu what the fault was.

Within about 5 hours i had gone from a stable stock pc, to an overclocked software pc, to a dead pc! and started smoking again after 3 days of trying everything to get it to work.

Still unsure why as i have a 360 aio so this kinda rules temps out and all temps where watched while gaming. But the software must have jacked something up to cause the cpu to die and never work again.

Yeah Tom make an ovc video using a asus bios

I actually used the 1 click optimization on my Z-97A and although it was impressive I still like to "dial in" my overclock manually through the BIOS and lets not forget the enthusiasam and eductation that new overclockers will experience with this ^_^

 

[Sativa]

I actually used the 1 click optimization on my Z-97A and although it was impressive I still like to "dial in" my overclock manually through the BIOS and lets not forget the enthusiasam and eductation that new overclockers will experience with this ^_^

That was my plan. I only meant to use that program as a "tester" just to see what it would pushed the cpu too knowing i may be able to go a little better manually. Sadly never got to undo the ovc.

 

[Kilbane]

I know how to do it properly. Sadly "doing it properly" is a big waste of time on K chips, given that the most effective and easiest way of overclocking is simply to add multi and volts.

Feel free to come over and try and achieve the same OC and memory speed on my chip with nothing but Vcore and Multiplier!

I have spent countless hours overclocking K series CPUs now and I always get pretty much identical results doing it the hard way vs just shoving up the multi and volts.

Except that you said earlier in the thread that you were 200Mhz short when you did your settings in the BIOS.

And as the quote says, the only thing it's not good for is extreme overclocking.

I'm sure we can agree that the main objective here is to overclock and thus squeeze every last ounce of performance out of a part. So I don't get why you would feel so strongly against something that works brilliantly.

So in order to get "every last ounce of performance out of a part" you would in fact need to use the BIOS to do that.

I remember back in the day spending about three days messing around with a Nvidia bios editor (Nibitor? something like that) to overclock a GPU. Then along comes Afterburner and guess what? the whole world now use it to overclock GPUs. Why? because it's easy and effective.

That would be because you need a separate piece of software to access the GPU opposed to the BIOS that is as simple as pressing a single key to access that controls CPU/Memory/Voltage etc. If GPU's had a UI to access their BIOS directly, then we would all recommend using a safe and known stable environment to do any adjustments.

The long and short of why software adjustments are not recommended is down to the changes the software will make without your confirmation or authority. On top of this you have to add the fact the software has to run on top of an OS that will easily become unstable while making any adjustments to CPU/Memory on the fly.

The argument that is happening is like going back hundreds of years and listening to someone say that the Earth is flat, even when it has been proven to be round. Just because ONE person says that something works and is safe no matter what, does NOT make it so. The fact that you are now arguing against several people who all are familiar with the downfalls of trying to get a stable OC. Give it a rest and just accept that you are like the guy that stands on the corner of the high street with a billboard saying "The end is nigh" ....... Yes maybe it is a possibility, but why do you find it necessary to argue with all the facts that are placed in front of you that say otherwise?

 

[AlienALX]

Except that you said earlier in the thread that you were 200Mhz short when you did your settings in the BIOS.

Yes. By doing it the hard way and using strap and FSB overclocking I could not get to the same overall frequency by using just the multi and volts.

I'm not going to bother answering the rest of your post because like the others you too have not used the software. Until you have (and the others) you should really refrain from commenting because it's nothing but defamation toward MSI.

I will just leave this here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvjuXgwmg9w&feature=youtu.be

 

[tinytomlogan]

Yes. By doing it the hard way and using strap and FSB overclocking I could not get to the same overall frequency by using just the multi and volts.

I'm not going to bother answering the rest of your post because like the others you too have not used the software. Until you have (and the others) you should really refrain from commenting because it's nothing but defamation toward MSI.

I will just leave this here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvjuXgwmg9w&feature=youtu.be

I have. Its like all software and the fact youre arguing it and standing by it is great.

We are just trying to tell you its actually gash once you do it properly.

If you dont want to fine, but dont go nuts when we help others get more from their rigs with less volts and it all running sweet as a nut.

Overclocking isnt for everyone obviously.

 

[Wraith]

Rawz!!! Please can I have a free MSI board so I can try this... Never going to happen! Nor do I want to buy another board to try, but what I will do is get onto some record setting Overclockers and get their opinions of it.