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[O/C]Intel i7 2600K (Sandy Bridge) Review

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Better stock up on CPU's Intel for all the RMA's you'll be getting from the enthusiasts out there

I think most people in this form will buy a new Intel CPU if they kill it. I have not in the past, however i think maybe i will this time when i push for 5+GHZ and if it does not make it i will kill it LOL Jk.

They way i look at it with multi overcloking it won't be the boards fault it's all intels fault if it won't make it to 5 Ghz stable.
 
Well if Intel does not want me to OC their chips then they should not have brought out the unlocked ones...and restrict the mobo people to the voltages they warn us about...it is like telling me not to race a Porsche pass the speed limit:rofl:
 
One thing intel could do now that you have to buy k unlocked cpu's is have no warranty, that would suck:(, like they do with my motocross bike it has no warranty and cost $8199+
 
Wow so if you can't change the BCLK what's the fun in OC'ing these? I don't see sitting comfortably in Windows just moving some sliders around to be fun at all... Maybe Intel got sick of RMA's over the years from OC'd chips and decided that they would implement it in a 'safe' way. Although it probably has more to do with the architecture of the chips. Also... how will RAM and other BCLK based devices be fine-tuned? I am not very excited about SB anymore, maybe I am just looking at it wrong.
 
You can adjust the RAM independently. While my parts are still in the mail, I'm rather looking forward to this new method of OCing. I always had bad luck in the past with either the RAM holding back the CPU or the other way around. It always seemed like I could choose some ratio for the RAM but I would either be stuck with it not quite stable or the next lower ratio would leave too much performance on the table. In some of the reviews I've read the boards had options to adjust the CPU in 100mhz incraments via the multiplier and adjust the RAM independently in 50mhz incraments.

True its "easier" and that takes the fun out of it for some people, but you can still have fun seeing how far you can push things.
 
The boards I've tried had to implement changes in BIOS, so you'd be changing numbers in BIOS, not sliders in Windows. Well, you could change in Windows, but it restarts the system, so you may as well in BIOS.

Tweaking for RAM comes via multipliers and timings. It's not as finely-tuned as prior generations, but the difference a few MHz makes is negligible unless you're benchmarking....and if you're benchmarking for short periods, bclk adjustment is just fine. It's for 24/7 use you should steer clear. At least that's how I'm approaching it.

It has little to do with RMAs and much more to do with architecture. Most functions a northbridge used to serve are on the CPU die. Adjusting that just isn't something that is doable because it changes too many things. If anything, Intel is semi-endorsing overclocking by continuing the K-series.
 
The boards I've tried had to implement changes in BIOS, so you'd be changing numbers in BIOS, not sliders in Windows. Well, you could change in Windows, but it restarts the system, so you may as well in BIOS.

Tweaking for RAM comes via multipliers and timings. It's not as finely-tuned as prior generations, but the difference a few MHz makes is negligible unless you're benchmarking....and if you're benchmarking for short periods, bclk adjustment is just fine. It's for 24/7 use you should steer clear. At least that's how I'm approaching it.

It has little to do with RMAs and much more to do with architecture. Most functions a northbridge used to serve are on the CPU die. Adjusting that just isn't something that is doable because it changes too many things. If anything, Intel is semi-endorsing overclocking by continuing the K-series.

What voltage were you running ? I am a few Mhz short of where you were at 50XXMhz. I just cant seem to get it. Seen you on Hw bot.
 
It took just over 1.5Vcore to reach 5GHz benchable. It would not pass WP1024 there either. Seems like some of these are all over the map. Miah's sample did 5.1GHz at 1.45V stable, but I have a feeling that's one of the more golden chips out there. Mine is probably average. There are worse samples floating around too.
 
Man anything over 4 ghz on stock air is awesome! I can't wait to see what 2011 has to offer though!
 
Just for clarification, that is not the stock air cooler. Anyone buying one of these with the expectation that cooler is going to come with it should not be. That is an upgraded Intel cooler that's looks similar to the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro as far as size/weight/performance goes.
 
If I hit 4.5 on air I will be a very happy camper.

/ ordered a cooler master 212+ to cool mine.
 
If I hit 4.5 on air I will be a very happy camper.

/ ordered a cooler master 212+ to cool mine.

I think even average SB chips will be able to do 4.5GHz (daily with decent air) and load vcore in the 1.325v to 1.35v range. I suspect better SB chips will do it with even less vcore or run even higher clocks within that same voltage range.
 
I would hope these will be able to do 4.5GHz for daily use, otherwise what is the point of getting a K series chip? The non K 2600 is unlocked up to 4.2GHz...
 
I would hope these will be able to do 4.5GHz for daily use, otherwise what is the point of getting a K series chip? The non K 2600 is unlocked up to 4.2GHz...
Do you have a link that i can read about this, also is it the base multiplier not turbo.

Excellent choice, thats what i am running and it has served me well, from 775, 1156 stright through to 1155 :)

What temps do you incur when running prime95 with 1155 cooler master 212+.
 
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Do you have a link that i can read about this, also is it the base multiplier not turbo.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/...-core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested/2

Chart in the middle of the page has the max multiplier. Its the turbo multiplier, not the base multiplier. All OCing in sandybridge is done via turbo rather than the base clocks.

The i3's turbo multiplier is completely locked.
i5 and i7 you can bump the turbo multiplier up to 4 notches higher than its stock speed.
The K series chips can all go up to a multiplier of 57.
 
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