- Jun 30, 2004
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I did something that wasn't entirely mainstream. I ordered a binned and CLU-relidded 6700K for my new system, but with a more modest choice of a motherboard with only 12-phase power-design. But for going off the beaten path, that wasn't all.
I'd been contemplating a water-cooled system for six months on this project. Eventually, as I usually do, I cross-referenced several "cooler review comparisons" and discovered another air-cooler that had great promise. It also had great weight, but still less than an NH-D15. I bought the TR LG Macho cooler. I'd seen in reviews that it came within 5C of matching a Predator 240 AiO.
I would guess that most people who delidded their processors abjured any further dalliance with heatpipes.
So here's what I've got so far. I can pass 7 hours on either OCCT: CPU or OCCT: Linpack at 4.6 Ghz. My maximum package temperature with room ambient of 77F is 62C with either IBT 2.5.4 or OCCT: Linpack.
And -- I thought -- based on assertions by guides and gurus -- that a voltage of ~ 1.31 to 1.32V was ample for this clock-speed. My stress-tests seemed to prove it. Then I found an interesting test described in an online guide:
Get the latest version of Prime95. Run the torture testing and select "Custom." Set minimum and maximum FFT size to 1344, check "Run FFTs in place," and for "Time to run each FFT size -- enter 15 (minutes.) Run for at least a half hour. I found errors with this in less than ten minutes with voltage settings proven through 7 hours of either OCCT CPU or Linpack as error-free. And I'm pretty sure that many people reporting they had a stellar chip have probably undervolted their processors -- at least by the standard of this test.
The Z170 motherboards liberally overvolt the processor with "auto" settings. So it's bad enough that Intel uses a polymer TIM for the 6700K; it's worse when people begin to worry about stock temperatures on their rigs, convinced that the "auto" settings are the greatest.
So I'd be interested in any observations about my "cooling situation," other than that it lacks the "bling" of water, or that I'm hanging two pounds of weight on the motherboard. But 62C under severe stressing seems to be considerably below what others report for out-of-the-box retail CPUs and even an EXOS water cooling system (the reviewer reported a peak core average of about 79 or 80C at 4.7 Ghz).
Perhaps the only thing I miscalculated was my motherboard choice, because I think I could get to 4.8 with a top-tier board. I'm absolutely sure I can tweak and tune for a stable 24/7 4.7 Ghz. But since the system is running at these fairly cool temperatures, I'm even wondering if I needed the 2 lb. cooler, even if I'm gratified by the relidded chip. And given the performance of that cooler, I would wonder with greater severity if the greater investment in water-cooling would have been worth it. Put it another way -- I did this out of curiosity about an air-cooler, with the idea that I would swing toward an H240 X2 or Predator 240 later. But it doesn't make a lot of sense with what I have here with heatpipes.
I think my temperatures may fall within a 70C maximum even if I could push the chip to 4.8. But I may not be able to get to 4.8 because of the mobo limitations, -- or -- I won't want to volt the processor beyond 1.39V if that's what it takes.
My handle is BonzaiDuck; I could be called blabber-mouth for my prolix posts.
But I'm eager for any thoughts or comments. I just haven't installed my favorite screenie-capture software on this system yet, so I can't "show and tell" to prove that I'm not bullshitting the reader about this.
I'd been contemplating a water-cooled system for six months on this project. Eventually, as I usually do, I cross-referenced several "cooler review comparisons" and discovered another air-cooler that had great promise. It also had great weight, but still less than an NH-D15. I bought the TR LG Macho cooler. I'd seen in reviews that it came within 5C of matching a Predator 240 AiO.
I would guess that most people who delidded their processors abjured any further dalliance with heatpipes.
So here's what I've got so far. I can pass 7 hours on either OCCT: CPU or OCCT: Linpack at 4.6 Ghz. My maximum package temperature with room ambient of 77F is 62C with either IBT 2.5.4 or OCCT: Linpack.
And -- I thought -- based on assertions by guides and gurus -- that a voltage of ~ 1.31 to 1.32V was ample for this clock-speed. My stress-tests seemed to prove it. Then I found an interesting test described in an online guide:
Get the latest version of Prime95. Run the torture testing and select "Custom." Set minimum and maximum FFT size to 1344, check "Run FFTs in place," and for "Time to run each FFT size -- enter 15 (minutes.) Run for at least a half hour. I found errors with this in less than ten minutes with voltage settings proven through 7 hours of either OCCT CPU or Linpack as error-free. And I'm pretty sure that many people reporting they had a stellar chip have probably undervolted their processors -- at least by the standard of this test.
The Z170 motherboards liberally overvolt the processor with "auto" settings. So it's bad enough that Intel uses a polymer TIM for the 6700K; it's worse when people begin to worry about stock temperatures on their rigs, convinced that the "auto" settings are the greatest.
So I'd be interested in any observations about my "cooling situation," other than that it lacks the "bling" of water, or that I'm hanging two pounds of weight on the motherboard. But 62C under severe stressing seems to be considerably below what others report for out-of-the-box retail CPUs and even an EXOS water cooling system (the reviewer reported a peak core average of about 79 or 80C at 4.7 Ghz).
Perhaps the only thing I miscalculated was my motherboard choice, because I think I could get to 4.8 with a top-tier board. I'm absolutely sure I can tweak and tune for a stable 24/7 4.7 Ghz. But since the system is running at these fairly cool temperatures, I'm even wondering if I needed the 2 lb. cooler, even if I'm gratified by the relidded chip. And given the performance of that cooler, I would wonder with greater severity if the greater investment in water-cooling would have been worth it. Put it another way -- I did this out of curiosity about an air-cooler, with the idea that I would swing toward an H240 X2 or Predator 240 later. But it doesn't make a lot of sense with what I have here with heatpipes.
I think my temperatures may fall within a 70C maximum even if I could push the chip to 4.8. But I may not be able to get to 4.8 because of the mobo limitations, -- or -- I won't want to volt the processor beyond 1.39V if that's what it takes.
My handle is BonzaiDuck; I could be called blabber-mouth for my prolix posts.
But I'm eager for any thoughts or comments. I just haven't installed my favorite screenie-capture software on this system yet, so I can't "show and tell" to prove that I'm not bullshitting the reader about this.
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