# 6700K ( Load line calibration )



## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

Recommended or not recommended, What are the Pros and cons?

Thanks in advance.


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## cadaveca (Dec 15, 2016)

Use it? Yes. But make sure to set it so that some droop remains, and not a voltage boost.

Pro: Most consistent voltage supplied

Cons: Current overshoot from maintaining voltage can kill CPUs.


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Cons: Current overshoot from maintaining voltage can kill CPUs



It's enough for me to not use it


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## cadaveca (Dec 15, 2016)

Knoxx29 said:


> It's enough for me to not use it


Meh. It's a possibility, not a guaranteed thing. However it is why CPUs don't use it by default. voltage droops in relation to current drawn, and when load is released, the voltage increases and the shift eats the current rather than the CPU.


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## phanbuey (Dec 15, 2016)

I have to use it or my droop is atrocious and the OC isn't stable


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## cadaveca (Dec 15, 2016)

phanbuey said:


> I have to use it or my droop is atrocious and the OC isn't stable


Yep, does happen at times, and that's why it is offered. However, I like to not use it as that proves a decent gauge on how good a CPU really is. IN essence, you are providing more current to the CPU when you use loadline calibration. Some boards have settings that are a bit higher than I'd like, and to me, it's boards doing things like this on automatic settings that has OEMs give the whole "OC can damage components" line.


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## P4-630 (Dec 15, 2016)

phanbuey said:


> I have to use it or my droop is atrocious and the OC isn't stable



*"Cooling:*_ Dual Leaf Blowers_"

LOL


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Meh. It's a possibility, not a guaranteed thing. However it is why CPUs don't use it by default. voltage droops in relation to current drawn, and when load is released, the voltage increases and the shift eats the current rather than the CPU.



Here are my settings:

CPU voltage on bios 1.310V

Load -line Calibration Level 6
( Level 1 = greater Vdroop )
( Level 8 = minimum Vdroop )

CPU-z reads - Core Voltage 1.312V idle and 1.328V full load with some boost up to 1.344V

Is it bad or good?


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## cadaveca (Dec 15, 2016)

Personally, use load-line 5 at most, adjust voltage for stability. I'm pretty familiar with your board.


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Personally, use load-line 5 at most, adjust voltage for stability. I'm pretty familiar with your board.



I will give it a try.

One more question.

What is better, 1.34V without Load-line calibration or 1.31V with Load-line calibration?


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## infrared (Dec 15, 2016)

I'm the same as cadaveca. 5 at most, usually for benchmarking when i'm already at silly voltage. 4 holds the voltage steady at 1.4v for daily 4.6ghz.
I also set the VRM switching freq to 400khz. A higher frequency will deal with transient loads better, so the voltage doesn't spike so low/high when using LLC. On the other hand the VRM's will get hotter, mine's watercooled so not an issue, but you should keep an eye on it.

I'd say 1.31v with LLC would be the better option, but you're completely safe with that voltage so whichever you prefer I guess


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

infrared said:


> mine's watercooled so not an issue, but you should keep an eye on it.



Mine is Aircooled just for the simple reason that i am waiting for the waterblock to be delivered


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## cadaveca (Dec 15, 2016)

Knoxx29 said:


> I will give it a try.
> 
> One more question.
> 
> What is better, 1.34V without Load-line calibration or 1.31V with Load-line calibration?


I say without. The closer you can stick to "default" Intel running operation, the better off you are. 1.34 isn't too terribly high... you want 1.4V or less, imho, so you are well within the "safe" range.


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> I say without. The closer you can stick to "default" Intel running operation, the better off you are. 1.34 isn't too terribly high... you want 1.4V or less, imho, so you are well within the "safe" range.



So i set 1.31V on bios but when i do a stress test with OCCT ( small data ) it goes to 1.36V


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## biffzinker (Dec 15, 2016)

Knoxx29 said:


> So i set 1.31V on bios but when i do a stress test with OCCT ( small data ) it goes to 1.36V


Does OCCT use AVX/AVX2? The CPU is set to boost the voltage for a AVX/AVX2 workload. That's why I switched from adaptive to manual voltage.

Edit: This is the setting I'm using for Load Line Collaboration.

 Edit 2:


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## TheHunter (Dec 15, 2016)

cadaveca said:


> Personally, use load-line 5 at most, adjust voltage for stability. I'm pretty familiar with your board.


what about Haswells, is it ok to use max LLC8 or better LLC7 as I've read once its better so it has a small drop with adaptive cpuv.

I noticed if I use max LLC8 it can use vccin up to 1.82v e.g. at fixed 1.80v, LLC7 usually ~ 1.79v.


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

biffzinker said:


> Does OCCT use AVX/AVX2? The CPU is set to boost the voltage for a AVX/AVX2 workload. That's why I switched from adaptive to manual voltage.
> 
> Edit: This is the setting I'm using for Load Line Collaboration.
> View attachment 82060




I dont run that test where it uses AVX, i run the normal one.






Btw, i got 4.5GHz stable with 1.312V, when running OCCT it goes to 1.34V but when playing it stays all the time at 1.312V, i am not using Load-line Calibration nor adaptive voltages.




TheHunter said:


> is it ok to use max LLC8 or better LLC7



So far as i know and as @cadaveca said before LL5 works better.


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## biffzinker (Dec 15, 2016)

Knoxx29 said:


> I dont run that test where it uses AVX, i run the normal one.


Might as well run with AVX since your more likely to run into more recently complied software using AVX at least over AVX2, and AVX has been around since Sandy Bridge after all.


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

biffzinker said:


> Might as well run with AVX since your more likely to run into more recently complied software using AVX at least over AVX2, and AVX has been around since Sandy Bridge after all.



I will do it as soon as i get the waterblock delivered, wanna play safe.


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## biffzinker (Dec 15, 2016)

Knoxx29 said:


> I will do it as soon as i get the waterblock delivered, wanna play safe.


I get away without water-cooling just the dinky Scythe Kotetsu in Intelburn test (using AVX) at the highest stress level, and temps top out at 80c.

Play it safe? I thought you also wanted to de-lid your 6700K? How is that safe?


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## FireFox (Dec 15, 2016)

biffzinker said:


> I get way without water-cooling just the dinky Scythe Kotetsu in Intelburn test (using AVX) at the highest stress level, and temps top out at 80c.



My temps are OK max 65 ( Arctic Freezer Extreme ) when running OCCT, the problem is that i have had all my Machines Watercooled and now running this one on Air for a days makes me paranoid

Edit: it is like when you just drive Ferrari but one day for reason you have to drive a Toyota.


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## phanbuey (Dec 16, 2016)

So I have a question for the masters here... Im working on this rig - 6700K will not get stable above 4.7 - is stable at 4.7 but the voltage is stupid - something like 1.43V in non-c state idle with a droop to 1.35! even with max LLC setting... I am thinking this is a prime candidate for a 'death by current' scenario ~ is this a Motherboard issue or a Power Supply issue?  The mobo is a Gigabyte Z170X SLI "ultra durable"(lol) the PSU is a FSP Hydro G 750W modular.

The temps are horrible too - pushing 92C under a AIO 3x120mm water cooler @ 4.7


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## biffzinker (Dec 16, 2016)

phanbuey said:


> stable at 4.7 but the voltage is stupid - something like *1.43V in non-c state idle with a droop to 1.35! even with max LLC setting*... I am thinking this is a prime candidate for a 'death by current' scenario ~ is this a Motherboard issue or a Power Supply issue?


Looks like the culprit is the Gigabyte Z170X SL mainboard, doubt the PSU is causing the vDroop unless you've had it a few years. How about a Asrock or Asus to try, and confirm if the Gigabyte Z170 is responsible?

I've had a MSI Z77 with a Xeon 1240 V2, Asrock B75/H77-(paired with the Xeon before the MSI), Asrock Z97 Pro3, and now the Asus listed in System Specs without any vDroop issues on any of those boards with the two CPUs mentioned. 

Had a Gigabyte 880G Socket AM3 board (missing heatsink on the VRM) with a small vDroop issue although I chalked it up to me unlocking, and overclocking (4 GHz) a Phenom II 960T.


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## Arctucas (Dec 17, 2016)

I voted no, set to AUTO in BIOS.

I use fixed 1.390 VCore, 47x CPU, 46x Cache, 103.5 BClk.

IBT with maximum memory use, VCore spikes at 1.406.


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## phanbuey (Dec 17, 2016)

Arctucas said:


> I voted no, set to AUTO in BIOS.
> 
> I use fixed 1.390 VCore, 47x CPU, 46x Cache, 103.5 BClk.
> 
> IBT with maximum memory use, VCore spikes at 1.406.


that's not that bad tbh.... also, that's a massive clock... 103.5bclk with 46x cache?  

I am jealous.

So you have LLC enabled by default then?


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## Arctucas (Dec 17, 2016)

phanbuey said:


> that's not that bad tbh.... also, that's a massive clock... 103.5bclk with 46x cache?
> 
> I am jealous.
> 
> So you have LLC enabled by default then?



I suppose.

I have three options; Auto, Enabled, Disabled.

HWiNFO screenshot after eight hour RealBench run:


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## R-T-B (Dec 17, 2016)

I have an ASUS ROG Maximus Hero VIII

It's set to LLC5.  My chip will clock to 4.8Ghz, but as Knoxx remembers, 4.7Ghz is way safer voltage wise. 

I have it at 1.37v manual with LLC5 right now.  It could probably run at less, but I like a little extra voltage since my cooling solution is excellent and I mandate absolute stability.


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## FireFox (Dec 17, 2016)

I OC'ed mine to 4.7GHz 1.36V LLC6 ran it for one day but there is too many dispute about LLC, some people say that's it's a good thing and some others that it could kill your CPU and using LLC your CPU will degrade sooner, that's why i reseted the OC and set it back at 4.5GHZ 1.27V LLC disable.

Reasons why i decided not to use LLC:



cadaveca said:


> Cons: Current overshoot from maintaining voltage can kill CPUs.





cadaveca said:


> you are providing more current to the CPU when you use loadline calibration.



I have found this:

https://www.msi.com/blog/why-llc-is-your-friend-when-overclocking

Very interesting article, what makes want to OC to 4.7GHz but what
@cadaveca wrotes freaked me out


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