# i7 4790k max cache voltage



## ppdemo (Feb 16, 2017)

hi guys as tittle says what is the max cache voltage for 24/7 use?


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## Sasqui (Feb 16, 2017)

Subbed... I'm interested myself.

@cadaveca ?


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## gupsterg (Feb 16, 2017)

Not owned an i7 4690K, but have a i5 4690K. Cache speed increase yields none to very small performance gains, due to this I never went for increases in VCRING TBH.

My 1st i5 4690K defaulted to 1.20V VCRING on Asus Maximus VII Ranger, I knocked it down to 1.15V and upped cache ratio to 41. My 2nd i5 4690K defaulted to 1.10V VCRING on same rig, with that I was able to up cache ratio to 44.

The 2nd i5 4690K has been running 4.9GHz on core with 1.255V VID for over a year. When I set the OC I did 48 loops of x264 (~8hrs), straight after 4hrs RealBench stress mode, then some gaming for a few hours and then 17hrs f@h. Only thing recently I had to change from the setup 1yr+ ago was VCCIN, from default 1.85V to 1.89V.

First OC guide I read on Haswell was der8auer's guide, the 1.15V shown for VCRING in his table for 24/7 OC'ing seemed wrong when seeing my 1st i5 defaulted to 1.20V. IIRC many in the OCN devil's canyon owners thread suggest 1.25V as max for 24/7 OC'ing. I didn't wish to use more than 1.20V TBH, I found if I left VCRING on [Auto] and upped cache ratio the UEFI would increase VCRING automatically to levels above 1.20V on my 1st i5 4690K, 2nd was always used with manually set VCRING when OC'ing.


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## ppdemo (Feb 16, 2017)

this is my stable settings:

Multiplier ratio= 46
Min/max cache ratio=45
Vcore= 1.225
Cpu cache= 1.290 (this is my biggest concern) to high?
Vccsa= 0.824
Vccio Analog and Digital= Auto (Hwinfo64 show me 1.016v)
Vccin=1.808v

what do you think about cpu cache? is maybe to high? because i see guides and people who have this at 1.3v more or less...


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## Sasqui (Feb 16, 2017)

ppdemo said:


> this is my stable settings:
> 
> Multiplier ratio= 46
> Min/max cache ratio=45
> ...



You really need to fill out system specs in your profile.


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## Kursah (Feb 16, 2017)

ppdemo said:


> this is my stable settings:
> 
> Multiplier ratio= 46
> Min/max cache ratio=45
> ...



I run stock cache speeds, except I run a min multi at 8X and max 40X...and run at 1.15 iirc. This drops wattage consumption at lower clock speeds noticeably as measured by my UPS. 

VCCIN I run 1.65v, and am able to feed my CPU 1.26v without issues. I should add that I use use adaptive CPU voltage, so I have a -.06 undervolt for the stock clock range, and then 1.32v for the turbo range, which comes out to 1.26 under turbo load. For over a year I ran this CPU undervolted at stock speeds using the standard offset voltage. Adaptive is pretty handy at allowing me to do that and boost up for turbo voltage at anything above 4.0GHz. 

I haven't found any benefit to increasing the cache past stock aside from more power consumption and higher temps. But I also have pushed my current chip too hard... my original 4770K I tried to push the cache but that one was a horrid clocker to begin with. My current 4790K even before delid ran great and even kept surprisingly cool for a Devil's Canyon OC'd on air. 

I leave VCCSA at auto as well, and have been able to run my DDR3-2400 1.65v @ 1.52v. That could be luck or the board...this Asus Z87 Pro has been excellent for almost 4-years now.

You have some good settings there, how are your temps? What are you using to confirm stability? I prefer to start with OCCT, and then use some games I know can put some hurt on my PC....mostly Ashes of the Singularity, Elite Dangerous and maybe some Star Citizen these days.


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## gupsterg (Feb 17, 2017)

ppdemo said:


> this is my stable settings:
> 
> Multiplier ratio= 46
> Min/max cache ratio=45
> ...



4.6GHz with 1.225V VCORE I'd say is pretty good.

My 1st chip 4.6GHz was too hot for my liking to stress test, it needed more than 1.27V just for quick stability testing of 5mins or so. My 2nd chip needs 1.095V for 4.6GHz  (tested 27.5hrs f@h and 4hrs RealBench).

CPU cache being at 1.29V to achieve 4.5GHz on it I wouldn't be happy with TBH. At bios defaults what is your CPU Cache voltage? and with stock CPU cache voltage what ratio increase can you manage stably?


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## ppdemo (Feb 17, 2017)

Kursah said:


> You have some good settings there, how are your temps? What are you using to confirm stability? I prefer to start with OCCT, and then use some games I know can put some hurt on my PC....mostly Ashes of the Singularity, Elite Dangerous and maybe some Star Citizen these days.


my temps are 35-40° idle/low and a 65° C at max full load(1440p ultra in games) corsair h80i cooler
stability test: prime95/ intel burn test and for now no games or app has crashed...
What concerns me is the cache voltage, i dont know if its too high 1.28/.29



gupsterg said:


> CPU cache being at 1.29V to achieve 4.5GHz on it I wouldn't be happy with TBH. At bios defaults what is your CPU Cache voltage? and with stock CPU cache voltage what ratio increase can you manage stably?


default cpu cache voltage 1.185
the second that you ask me, i did not test still



Sasqui said:


> You really need to fill out system specs in your profile.


done(not all)


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## gupsterg (Feb 18, 2017)

ppdemo said:


> default cpu cache voltage 1.185
> the second that you ask me, i did not test still



Like I said before increasing cache clock gains none to very very little performance gains. So I personally wouldn't use 1.29V,  I would probably settle for an increased cache ratio on stock cache voltage or say 1.20V.


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## ppdemo (Feb 18, 2017)

gupsterg said:


> with stock CPU cache voltage what ratio increase can you manage stably?


the min cache voltage for 40x cache (default) i test and have stability is 1.155, less of that I have instability in 40x cache ratio that is the default cache as i said


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## gupsterg (Feb 19, 2017)

Next step I would do is see what cache ratio you can use with default cache voltage (ie 1.185V).


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## ppdemo (Feb 19, 2017)

gupsterg said:


> Next step I would do is see what cache ratio you can use with default cache voltage (ie 1.185V).


as i said 1.155v


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## gupsterg (Feb 20, 2017)

This is what you said in post 8:



ppdemo said:


> default cpu cache voltage 1.185
> the second that you ask me, i did not test still



Post 10 you said:



ppdemo said:


> the min cache voltage for 40x cache (default) i test and have stability is 1.155, less of that I have instability in 40x cache ratio that is the default cache as i said



So from post 8 I have thought you default cache voltage is 1.185V and that post 10 was showing you have achieved an undervolt whilst keeping stock cache ratio.

Anyhow if 1.155V allows you to use cache ratio 40x, what did 1.29V achieve?


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## ppdemo (Feb 21, 2017)

gupsterg said:


> So from post 8 I have thought you default cache voltage is 1.185V and that post 10 was showing you have achieved an undervolt whilst keeping stock cache ratio.


yes because by default motherboard put it at 1.185 when cache ratio is auto. i test, and the min voltage that i could get in this configuration was 1.155. now when cache ratio multiplier is at 45x the default voltage for this, is 1.29 as I said at the beginning. if i go undervolt at 1.29v at 45x cache ratio, i have instability but again i test this and the min voltage was 1.260 for 45x cache ratio-.


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## gupsterg (Feb 21, 2017)

Your Asus Z97-A does the same thing as my Asus Maximus VII Ranger, in that if cache voltage is [Auto] and you increase cache ratio it automatically increases cache voltage. I do not use [Auto] cache voltage, you will find many will suggest on forums to manually set cache voltage and not leave it on [Auto] if overclocking.

Benchmark your PC, see if using 45x with 1.260V gives more performance than 40x with 1.155V.


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## ppdemo (Feb 23, 2017)

ok thank for all regards


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## ppdemo (Feb 23, 2017)

other question, what is max safe recomendation vccio voltage for i7 4790k 24/7 use?


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## Kursah (Feb 23, 2017)

@cadaveca has a *Haswell Overclocking Guide* that many have found useful.

Seems *here *he suggests no more than 1.05v, for higher speed RAM. Usually you're not tuning those much unless you're pushing above 2800 speeds or have a semi-crappy IMC. 

I run DDR3 2400 at my OC, with AUTO (default voltage) on my rig with it's OC. I'll have to take a look when I get home and see what the reported values are. I would assume keeping it below 1.05 or 1.10 for 24/7 use would be fine. To be frank though I haven't ever really pushed those values since I've used DDR3 below 3000 speed in most all of my builds for folks and personal. Are you pushing your RAM beyond 2400 or does it struggle to stay stable at 2400 without upping that voltage?


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## ppdemo (Feb 24, 2017)

Kursah said:


> Are you pushing your RAM beyond 2400 or does it struggle to stay stable at 2400 without upping that voltage?


2400 mhz always i had with xmp and auto voltages, any problems, hwinfo64 show me vtt 1.016 idle and at full load 1.224 maybe too high. now i try to put ram at 2800mhz and vtt voltage raise too much


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## gupsterg (Feb 24, 2017)

Strange, VTT for me on my Asus M7 Ranger is pretty much same idle or load (1.008 to 1.016V). Post 3 has x264, RealBench stress mode and f@h screen shots. I have not set anything on my RAM other than pick XMP in UEFI and set CR from 2T to 1T. I use 2400MHz XMP RAM 16GB kit.


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## ppdemo (Feb 25, 2017)

finally i lowered voltages and have stability. but the only thing im worried now is that i need found the correspondence of hwinfo V1 voltage, I already did everything to find out which voltage corresponds, i have increased and lowered voltages of all items in the bios to see, maybe, if there was something similar but nothing, maybe a bad reading of hwinfo64, My concern is that at idle this v1 voltage is maintained at 0.981v average but to full load this raise at 1.5v!!!
these are my setting now and the unknow V1voltage (i think vccio is VTT)


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## Enterprise24 (Feb 25, 2017)

My previous delidded 4670K running at 4.9Ghz Vcore 1.35V with NB running at 4.7Ghz VRing 1.35V and Hynix MFR memory IC at 2800Mhz 12-14-13-28-1T No issue so far.

So I could say that 1.35V VRing is still fine.


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## gupsterg (Feb 25, 2017)

@ppdemo

Your best bet to get to bottom of what V1 is to contact author of HWiNFO. Martin Malik does fantastic support of his app  . You may find a search on his own forum reveals an answer  , if not open a thread there and I know for sure he will help you  .


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## ppdemo (Mar 1, 2017)

i have another doubt, among several:
why the recommended cache voltage for 24/7 is 1.15v ask this cause my cache stock is 1.18v, that is to say, a stock starts from 1.185v without OC


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## cadaveca (Mar 1, 2017)

ppdemo said:


> i have another doubt, among several:
> why the recommended cache voltage for 24/7 is 1.15v ask this cause my cache stock is 1.18v, that is to say, a stock starts from 1.185v without OC


4790K (Devil's Canyon) is able to push a bit more than standard Haswell CPUs. It (Devil's Canyon) also has increased cache speed compared to normal Haswell, and as such can run higher default voltages. There is also the instance of motherboard BIOSes automatically adjusting cache voltage.

Ultimately, cache is the one part of the CPU that does not report power use nor temperatures, so when overclocking, it is prudent to not push this particular area too hard for 24/7 use. The actual performance gains are quite modest anyway.


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## ppdemo (Mar 2, 2017)

thanks


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## ppdemo (Mar 8, 2017)

thanks for all, finally i have found 2 stable OC settings
1- 4.7ghz 1.272vcore 40x cache
2- 4.8ghz 1.312vcore 40xcache
maybe the second is too much and the cpu will degrade faster...i dont know if i use it.
Anyway I use IXTU to change profiles


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## RejZoR (Mar 8, 2017)

Be aware that overclocking and overvolting cache will degrade it very quickly. The thing is, cache overclocking has a very little effect on most things. Unless you're data crunching and you seriously need performance, then that will do the trick. But for gaming and casual tasks, I don't think it's worth it.


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## ppdemo (Mar 11, 2017)

RejZoR said:


> Be aware that overclocking and overvolting cache will degrade it very quickly. The thing is, cache overclocking has a very little effect on most things. Unless you're data crunching and you seriously need performance, then that will do the trick. But for gaming and casual tasks, I don't think it's worth it.


ok I finally leave the cache by default but i have found 2 stable OC settings what you recommend me? what do you think about degradation in these settings?
1- 4.7ghz 1.272vcore 40x cache
2- 4.8ghz 1.312vcore 40xcache


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## cadaveca (Mar 11, 2017)

ppdemo said:


> ok I finally leave the cache by default but i have found 2 stable OC settings what you recommend me? what do you think about degradation in these settings?
> 1- 4.7ghz 1.272vcore 40x cache
> 2- 4.8ghz 1.312vcore 40xcache


4.8 GHz, voltage is well within limits, assuming you have lower than 85c high-load (linpack) temps.


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