Overclocking Intel i7 3770 3.4Ghz (non-K version) with stock HSF - is it possible?

[Brat Gvidon]

I'm a newbie to overclocking today's technologies, but back in A64 3000+ days I was deep into overclocking, cooling, etc. and did quite well.

I recently ordered the non-K version of Intel i7 3770 3.4Ghz @ 3.9Ghz Turbo with stock cooling. I know it is not very overclockable, but it appears there are some possibilities. My motherboard is ASUS Sabertooth Z77 and RAM is 2x4Gb Corsair Vengeance 2133Mhz (2T). I inquired about overclocking in a different thread (off topic) and received the following reply:

"Actually Non-K CPU's should have a few bins over their maximum turbo mode, so you can get it to 4.3ghz. A 3770k should have up to 63x multiplier but a 3770 non-k should have 43x or 44x. As this is around the maximum overclock for Ivy Bridge on air for most people you're not actually that bad off. If you can get it going you'll gain about 400hmz over top turbo speed.

But you're using an Asus board as it'll turbo all cores to 3.9 at stock anyway, you were never really going to gain 25%, you've only really capped your overclock potential on air by maybe 200 or 300mhz."

1. I used Google and found out that using BCLK an overclock can still be made, but it will affect the whole system, including SATA and can create write/read corruption/errors. Is that true?

2. I would appreciate if someone could explain this whole thing to me and let me know how to squeeze everything out of my non-K CPU. I know Ivy Bridge CPUs run hot and I have stock cooling, so possibilities will definitely be limited.

3. Also, since I would need to set a divider to utilize 2133Mhz of my 2T RAM, would raising BCLK affect that as well?

4. Should I somehow disable Intel SpeedStep to make my CPU run at maximum speed at all times?

Thank you in advance!

[Horrorwood]

1. I used Google and found out that using BCLK an overclock can still be made, but it will affect the whole system, including SATA and can create write/read corruption/errors. Is that true?

2. I would appreciate if someone could explain this whole thing to me and let me know how to squeeze everything out of my non-K CPU. I know Ivy Bridge CPUs run hot and I have stock cooling, so possibilities will definitely be limited.

3. Also, since I would need to set a divider to utilize 2133Mhz of my 2T RAM, would raising BCLK affect that as well?

4. Should I somehow disable Intel SpeedStep to make my CPU run at maximum speed at all times?

Thank you in advance!

1. Yes

2. BCLK x Multiplier = Clock speed. You should not have to touch volts or anything like that.

3. You should just be able to load the XMP profile for your ram from the bios and it will be set to the correct speed.

4. Nope, there is no point, it offers no benefit apart from using more power.

You really should have gotten a K series if you wanted to overclock

[mondena]

I'd recommend selling this CPU and picking up a K series. You probably will not lose much money at this point, since it is so new, and then at least you can overclock properly.

[dayglo98]

This. Sell it ASAP while it's hot and get a K version

[Brat Gvidon]

1. Yes

2. BCLK x Multiplier = Clock speed. You should not have to touch volts or anything like that.

3. You should just be able to load the XMP profile for your ram from the bios and it will be set to the correct speed.

4. Nope, there is no point, it offers no benefit apart from using more power.

You really should have gotten a K series if you wanted to overclock

So.., if I were a moron and wanted to keep my non-K CPU, how far should I push BCLK to get more speed and keep the rest of my PC parts with low chance of corruption, etc?

--- Post Update ---

This. Sell it ASAP while it's hot and get a K version

I would need to buy a better HSF along with K CPU (which is more expensive by $30), and also that paste to put on CPU and HSF. I know I'm a moron, but I'm out of $. I will get a faster K CPU in the future when games will benefit from highly overclocked CPUs. I think for now I am stupidly OK. Besides, I don't want to get into overclocking this time (I mentioned that 10 times!). Stock idiot I am!

[QuadDamage]

Not far. 107 seems to be the limit. Do the math. At 107 BCLK your PCI-E will be at 107Mhz as well as your SATA and your memory well that depends. If your memory is set to 1066 (2133 effective) at 107 BCKL it'll be running at 1136Mhz (2272 effective) You'll most likely have to push volts here and there to make it happen though. Some SSD/HDD's and video and sound cards don't like running out of specs.

[Brat Gvidon]

Not far. 107 seems to be the limit. Do the math. At 107 BCLK your PCI-E will be at 107Mhz as well as your SATA and your memory well that depends. If your memory is set to 1066 (2133 effective) at 107 BCKL it'll be running at 1136Mhz (2272 effective) You'll most likely have to push volts here and there to make it happen though. Some SSD/HDD's and video and sound cards don't like running out of specs.

I take it my CPU multiplier will be 34, right? So, 34x107=3638? Yeah, that's crap - probably not worth it. At the very least, I will build my system with a locked CPU and see how games play, etc. and then maybe accidentally...do something... and beg NewEgg for a K version. Do you think I could sell it on FM for $300 or so?

[Horrorwood]

Actually I think you can force it to run at 39x multi (the turbo multi it has).

You may be able to go higher than that even, I know the locked i5 2500 has a turbo multi of 37, but you can use a multi of 41 for some reason

[Brat Gvidon]

Actually I think you can force it to run at 39x multi (the turbo multi it has).

You may be able to go higher than that even, I know the locked i5 2500 has a turbo multi of 37, but you can use a multi of 41 for some reason

Ah, this is what I was told earlier, I think. So far nobody else comments on that. Should I just see, what the highest multi is?

And then Turbo - isn't that something that automatically turns on when I play hardware demanding games? I am quite confused regarding that feature...

[Horrorwood]

Ah, this is what I was told earlier, I think. So far nobody else comments on that. Should I just see, what the highest multi is?

And then Turbo - isn't that something that automatically turns on when I play hardware demanding games? I am quite confused regarding that feature...

Nope, it will increase the clock speed when only one core is in use to say 3.8ghz, if two are in use it would be 3.6 if all four are in use then 3.4ghz.

Those are not exact numbers, but that is basically how it works.

Although some boards "cheat" and just do the maximum turbo with 4 cores anyway.