Hi Guys,
First things first, this is a preview only and does not contain any comparison benchmarks of either Intel' or AMDs latest crop of CPUs.
This is only initial testing to gauge an idea of what the CPU could possibly do. Stability testing done for a short amount of time only -
semi-stable.
This is the first Retail E1 Stepping 9 3rd GEN CPU I have tested. This is not an ES E0 Stepping 8. There will be differences between Retail and ES.
Test Setup:
Intel 3rd GEN i5-3XXXK 3.40GHz (Turbo frequency 3800MHz) Processor
MSI Z77A-GD55 Z77 Motherboard
GeiL EVO CORSA 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 2133MHz 10-11-11-30 1.5v @ stock
Corsair H100 Water-Cooling CPU Cooler @ medium fan speed
Microsoft Windows 7 Premium 64-Bit SP1
Overclocking Test Summary - LinX 0.6.4 (5 passes):
4.20GHz semi-stable - 1.1v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.30GHz semi-stable - 1.1v - PASS *
*TEMPS OK*
4.40GHz semi-stable - 1.13v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.50GHz semi-stable - 1.17v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.60GHz semi-stable - 1.23v - PASS
*TEMPS WARNING*
LinX 0.6.4 Testing Screenshots:
4.20GHz semi-stable - 1.1v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.30GHz semi-stable - 1.1v - PASS *
*TEMPS OK*
4.40GHz semi-stable - 1.13v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.50GHz semi-stable - 1.17v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.60GHz semi-stable - 1.23v - PASS
*TEMPS WARNING*
LinX Analysis:
Quite surprised about the lack of voltage needed for the same Overclocks as Sandy Bridge "K" SKUs. What I wasn't expecting was the temperatures. If you try and put more than 1.3v (on this particular CPU), temps seems to skyrocket. However thinking about it, 22nm, smaller die size and a lot of voltage would seem to suggest high temps. I just wasn't expecting to see that with just 1.25-1.3v.
OCCT 4.2.0 Testing:
As LinX is a killer when it comes down to torchering the CPU under load, many people choose not to use this application while looking for stability. You won't find any other application that pushes a CPU so hard as LinX which is why some people prefer to use Prime95 or OCCT to measure stability as 95% of people will never push their CPUs so hard like LinX does. OCCT for example gives a better "real-world" scenario when it comes to load stability testing.
As I was hitting the top end temperatures with LinX, I couldn't push anymore without causing harm to the CPU. Below is a better real-world experience with load testing & temperatures under OCCT.
Overclocking Test Summary - OCCT 4.2.0 (15 minutes):
4.50GHz semi-stable - 1.22v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.60GHz semi-stable - 1.22v - PASS *
*TEMPS OK*
OCCT 4.2.0 Testing Screenshots:
4.50GHz semi-stable - 1.22v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
4.60GHz semi-stable - 1.22v - PASS
*TEMPS OK*
OCCT 4.2.0 Analysis:
A lot better this time around with regards to temps under load. LinX usually adds a good 10-15C over Prime95 and OCCT so this was expected. However after this initial testing, it does appear in these early stages that 4.60GHz (multi wise) is the max stable OC of this particular chip. I did try for 4.7 & 4.8GHz but the chip was found to be unstable within the first 10 minutes of OCCT. Increasing some of the voltage settings within the BIOS did not help stabilize the higher OCs and temps skyrocketed again.
General Short Summary:
In short, these 3rd GEN Intel CPUs are a world away from Sandy Bridge Overclocking. You can't simply chuck in 1.3 - 1.35v and look for early stability indications like with Sandy Bridge. Doing so and you'll find yourself hitting between 90-100C (under LinX). Low voltage seems to be the key here along with a very decent cooling setup. Regarding cooling, I'm going to have to suggest to those guys Overclocking on air to be careful or stick with Sandy Bridge if your CPU is capable of a decent stable 4.7-4.80GHz OC on air cooling.
Those people who have a sub £35 air cooler may need to stick to a low OC or invest in a better cooling method. You'll notice I was using the top end Corsair H100 and if those are the temps I was getting, you will struggle of a regular air cooler. You will need to look at getting a H100 or H80, or a top end air cooling solution like the be quiet Dark Rock Pro or Noctua NH-D14.
For now I can only really suggest the 3rd GEN CPUs to serious Overclockers using high-end cooling methods like Phase, DICE or LN2. Those with decent custom WC loops will also benefit from these CPUs.
I not trying to put you off these 3rd GEN CPUs as I have benchmarked this and it's a nice (albeit small) improvement over Sandy Bridge, but you will need some better cooling for high OCs.
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