7600k not hitting full turbo boost speed with ASRock H270M-ITX/ac motherboard

[trents]

I'm topping out at 4.0 ghz instead of 4.2 ghz which is the advertised turbo boost frequency for this chip.

With the bios version it shipped with I would see 4.2 at idle but it would drop back to 4.0 under load.

After updating the bios I don't see 4.2 at all.

Any ideas? Is there some bios setting I need to change? Currently, all bios settings are at Auto/default except LLC which I had to bump up to make it stable when stress testing.

Core temps are very low when stress testing, maxing out at 64c, so it isn't thermal throttling.

There is an odd reading for TMPIN6 in Hardwaremonitor but I take it to be bogus.

 

[wingman99]

Try Prime95 with one thread running, so number of torture test running one thread. The rig will only see maximum turbo with only one thread.

 

[trents]

Didn't change anything. Still tops out at 4000 mhz.

 

[wingman99]

Go back to the Bios version it was shipped with and give prime95 one thread a try again. I can't believe the CPU was not stable at stock speeds and settings, if it is not RMA the CPU.

 

[trents]

Didn't change anything. Still tops out at 4000 mhz.

I've tried every bios on ASRock's website for this motherboard. The two earliest ones show the full turbo boost frequency of 4200 mhz at times under idle conditions but when I stress test the top frequency I see is 4000 mhz. The newer bios versions never allow the turbo boost to pass 4000 mhz, either at idle or under load.

The variability I'm seeing between bios versions strongly suggests to me it is a bios issue. I'll contact ASRock tech support. I may also return the board to NewEgg and get a different one.

 

[wingman99]

Sounds like a good plan. The CPU should run just fine with Default Bios, you should not have to make any changes. Post back how it goes.

 

[trents]

I'm returning the board to NewEgg for a refund. They sent me a return shipping label at no cost. No restocking fee either. I think Egg's return policies have become more user friendly of late. Probably to compete with Amazon.

I've ordered this to replace it: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157752

 

[wingman99]

That is how Newegg polices have been for me with defective items in the last two years. When I sent memory back recently that was not defective I had to pay shipping and restocking fee.

If boost does not work on the new motherboard you ordered it will overclock instead.

 

[trents]

That is how Newegg polices have been for me with defective items in the last two years. When I sent memory back recently that was not defective I had to pay shipping and restocking fee.

If boost does not work on the new motherboard you ordered it will overclock instead.

My thoughts exactly. I'll get it there one way or the other. I also realized it would probably not be a productive experience trying to work with ASRock tech and would drag on and on. The only solution would be a new bios to address the issue and who knows how long that would take. I just got the motherboard from Egg a few days ago so I was still within the return window. And there was a nice sale plus a rebate on the Z270 I got to replace it so it seemed like a no brainer.

 

[wingman99]

My thoughts exactly. I'll get it there one way or the other. I also realized it would probably not be a productive experience trying to work with ASRock tech and would drag on and on. The only solution would be a new bios to address the issue and who knows how long that would take. I just got the motherboard from Egg a few days ago so I was still within the return window. And there was a nice sale plus a rebate on the Z270 I got to replace it so it seemed like a no brainer.

I'm curious if the turbo boost will work with the new board? Post back what happens when you try the new board out.

 

[trents]

I will but what makes you wonder that?

 

[wingman99]

Both motherboards you purchased are from ASRock, so the boards will have very similar Bios. I did a turbo boost test with my motherboard at stock settings with prime95 using one thread and only the maximum column in HWmonitor showed full boost.

 

[trents]

This is from John at ASRock:

Hi Harry,
Try set up below BIOS setting in OC Tweaker > CPU configuration.
1. Long Duration Power Limit: 4095
2. Long Duration Maintained: 128
3. Short Duration Power Limit: 4095
4. CPU core current limit: 255.5

Test with Prime95 to load CPU 100%.
Check with CPU-Z for multiplier.

Thank you

ASRock America Support Team

In essence, he is saying the bios needs revision. Too late. I already shipped the board back to Egg. But his numbers might come in handy on the replacement Z270 board. Who knows.

 

[wingman99]

Yes that looks like ASRock knows the VRM Bios setup is not calibrated for the turbo boost.

 

[trents]

Funny thing is that in the bios there is a setting to allow you to set the boot frequency to "max turbo" but it still won't do it.

 

[wingman99]

From what ASRock told you to do the stock Bios settings for the VRM is not set for the correct amount of current for turbo to work at maximum. Turbo boost level works by temp, voltage supply and CPU threads.

 

[Woomack]

This is from John at ASRock:

Hi Harry,
Try set up below BIOS setting in OC Tweaker > CPU configuration.
1. Long Duration Power Limit: 4095
2. Long Duration Maintained: 128
3. Short Duration Power Limit: 4095
4. CPU core current limit: 255.5

Test with Prime95 to load CPU 100%.
Check with CPU-Z for multiplier.

Thank you

ASRock America Support Team

In essence, he is saying the bios needs revision. Too late. I already shipped the board back to Egg. But his numbers might come in handy on the replacement Z270 board. Who knows.

All these steps are required on more motherboards and various brands to run at stable max clock. It's because of standard values for OCP/OVP which are causing boards to lower max clock/turbo. The same is on MSI boards, some Gigabyte, some ASUS etc. The same you can see on new graphics cards and their power limits. Standard settings are close to TDP, point is that these CPUs run at higher values than TDP. It can be adjusted by BIOS but as default, will always run a bit lower than max turbo or will lower clock more often than it supposed to.

 

[trents]

Well, if that's the case something needs to be changed so that the motherboards can handle the CPU's advertised max turbo speed. The VRM needs to be beefed up or whatever. We're going backwards here, technologically speaking. The smaller fab size is supposed to offset that.

 

[trents]

Okay, Wingman. Got the new board today and the full turbo boost speed is achieved on stock settings. Nice little motherboard. The Z270 chipset is just more robust I guess.

 

[wingman99]

Wow that is very interesting, I don't think it is due to the south bridge chip set, it's probably the VRM or Bios programming. They defiantly new there was a problem, they gave you a fix with the first ASRock board.

Could you show a screenshot of HWmonitor with Turbo boost at stock settings, I'm wondering if it works like my board?