Basic Guide - Overclocking Intel Core i5 6600K 'Skylake' using Asus Z170i Pro Gaming

[adiath]

Hi guys, whats up!!! Haha
Now i want to share basic guide how to overclock Intel Core i5 6600K 'Skylake' using Asus Z170i Pro Gaming. I just do some basic overclocking here, so i hope new overclockers can understand. In this basic gude, i will explain how to overclock Intel Core i5 6600K to 4.5GHz using Asus Z170i Pro Gaming Motherboard (should be aplicable to other Asus Z170 motherboard).

My System Specification :


Hardware :
Processor Intel Core i5 6600K
Motherboard Asus Z170i Pro Gaming
Memory DDR4 Patriot Viper 8GB (2x4GB) 2400MHz CL-15
PSU Enermax Naxn 450 Watt
SSD Kingston HyperX 128GB
AIO Water Cooling Corsair H110

Software :
Official BIOS from Asus
OS Windows 7 64Bit
CPU-Z 1.77 ROG
Cinebench R15

1. Power on your PC and press 'Del' immediately to enter BIOS.


2. Press F7 to enter Advance Mode

3. Go to 'Ai Tweaker' menu

set 'Ai Overclock Tuner' to 'Manual',
set 'BCLK Frequency' to '100' (Default)
set 'CPU Core Ratio' to 'Sync All Cores'
set '1-Core Ratio Limit' to '45'
* so we set Core ratio 45 and BCLK frequency 100 will make 45 x 100 = 4500 MHz = 4.5 GHz

4. Scroll down 'Ai Tweaker' menu

set 'DRAM Frequency' to 'DDR4-2800MHz'

5. Scroll down 'Ai Tweaker' again

set 'Min CPU Cache Ratio' to '43'
set 'Max CPU Cache Ratio' to '43'
set 'CPU Core/Cache Voltage' to 'Manual Mode'
set 'CPU Core Voltage Override' to '1.300' (1.3 Volt)
set 'DRAM Voltage' to '1.500' (1.5 Volt)
* or you can leave voltage to auto if not sure

6. Go to 'DRAM Timing Control' sub menu and press enter

set 'DRAM CAS# Latency' to '13'
set 'DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay' to '18'
set 'DRAM RAS# ACT Time' to '28'
set 'Command Rate' to '2'
*we set Primary Timings to 13-18-18-28 2T. Or if you not sure, you can leave all primary timings to 'Auto'.

7. Go to 'Advanced' menu > 'CPU Configuration' > 'Q-Fan Configuration'.

Disable 'CPU Q-Fan Control'
Disable 'Chassis Fan 1 Q-Fan Control'
Disable 'Chassis Fan 2 Q-Fan Control'
* we disable fan control to get maximum performance from our Fans

7. Go to 'Advanced' menu > 'CPU Configuration' > 'CPU Power Management Configuration

Disable Intel(R) SpeedStep(tm)
Disable CPU C states
Disable CFG lock
* we disable power management to optimize overclocking

8. Press F10 to save and exit BIOS and enter Operating System.
After entering Windows, check your current overclocking result using CPU-Z.


9. Do some benchmark to compare your PC performance when running on default and when running after overclocking.
I'm using Cinebench R15 (Multithreads image rendering benchmark) to compare default performance with overclocked performance of my system.


On default, i got 605 point, after overclocking, i got 756 point. Thats mean i got about 25% faster performance on my light overclocked PC (on multithreads image rendering scenario / Cinebench R15).

* to set your system to default setting after overclocking, enter BIOS, press F5, press F10

So, how about your PC Performance? Keep pushing it!!!

[MrAgapiGC]

Thanks for your tutorial. looks interesting. Question Why 43 in the mim and max on the CPU ratio. Disable the Q-Fan for max performance will put the fans on full speed? *I get the part adding the ram timings from factory. I have to change my cooler these week (115i) since my deep cool on my 6700K is not doing the correct job. A friend of mine help to make my processor on the Asus work. On he GA, I was on 4.6 at 1.381 ultra stable. here took me more more time 3 RMA and testing a Alpha that appears to be ok I think. No Asus apps are install. (known issues) As soon I recibe my 4 RMA..... I will start again with all os and OC again.*
*

[adiath]

Itzycharles wrote:
Thanks for your tutorial. looks interesting. Question Why 43 in the mim and max on the CPU ratio. Disable the Q-Fan for max performance will put the fans on full speed? *I get the part adding the ram timings from factory. I have to change my cooler these week (115i) since my deep cool on my 6700K is not doing the correct job. A friend of mine help to make my processor on the Asus work. On he GA, I was on 4.6 at 1.381 ultra stable. here took me more more time 3 RMA and testing a Alpha that appears to be ok I think. No Asus apps are install. (known issues) As soon I recibe my 4 RMA..... I will start again with all os and OC again.*
*

Hi,
43 for min & max, for cache cpu ratio, so we set manually cpu cache ratio to 43. 43 isn't cpu core ratio. Yes, as i know, when we disable Q-Fan controller, system set to max performance (full speed). CMIIW.
Yeah, waiting you can start OC again and share your results here,

[Michael-i7]

I have the i7 6700k in an Asus z170 Deluxe I have mine overclocked to 4.5Ghz with 1.31v and I have my min/max cache 45 as well and I'm stable as F. And I must point out that with ddr4 DO NOT put the voltage at 1.5v I have my ram overclocked to 3333Mhz with 1.355v ddr4 is 1.2-1.35v ddr3 was 1.5 You may not kill your ram that way but the chances are very good that you will there is no need to put ddr4 over 1.35-1.4 especially at a meager speed of 2800mhz even 4000 mhz ddr4 isnt rated at 1.5v

[adiath]

Michael-i7 wrote:
I have the i7 6700k in an Asus z170 Deluxe I have mine overclocked to 4.5Ghz with 1.31v and I have my min/max cache 45 as well and I'm stable as F. And I must point out that with ddr4 DO NOT put the voltage at 1.5v I have my ram overclocked to 3333Mhz with 1.355v ddr4 is 1.2-1.35v ddr3 was 1.5 You may not kill your ram that way but the chances are very good that you will there is no need to put ddr4 over 1.35-1.4 especially at a meager speed of 2800mhz even 4000 mhz ddr4 isnt rated at 1.5v

Yes, i agree for daily OC, 1.5V is too high. I should recomend to use 1.4V in this guide. Thanks for you correction.
But, my reason to choose 1.5V is maybe another person will use higher clock & tight timing, and every ram have different capabilities in OC.
In competitive OC, you will find many OCers use more than 1.7V (also more than 1.8V), because they know how to use high voltage in some scenario for reach high frequency & tight timings.