Rejoice! Base Clock Overclocking to Make a Comeback with "Skylake"

[btarunr]

Since Intel fully integrated the core logic (northbridge) with its processors, overclocking them by tinkering with the base-clock (BClk, the primary clock domain from which the CPU's clock speed is set using multipliers), became unstable, as it was used as a cadence for other key components on the chip, such as iGPU and PCIe root-complex. Apparently, with its 6th generation Core "Skylake" processors, Intel has de-linked base-clock from other clock domains, re-enabling overclocking using BClk, which is particularly helpful on non-K (upwards multiplier locked) SKUs.

Some of the first motherboards that enable BClk overclocking on Skylake CPUs come from Supermicro, the server/workstation motherboard maker that's dipping its toes into DIY enthusiast platforms these days. "Dhenzjhen," an overclocker from the Philippines struck gold by achieving a 5.00 GHz overclock on a Core i3-6320 dual-core chip, using a Supermicro C7H170-M motherboard (which is driven by an Intel H170 chipset). Shortly after news of this feat broke, ASRock fired an email to the press, stating that its Z170 Extreme7+ motherboard is able to support 4.50 GHz clocks on a Core i5-6600 quad-core chip, using an experimental BIOS. ASRock is validating this BIOS internally, and hopes to release it "very soon."



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[deemon]

So, intel will now be forced to buy back it's K series CPU-s, at in light of this news, it not only makes them completely pointless, but it also makes them gimped due not not having support for Intel® vPro Technology; Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP); Trusted Execution Technology?

 

[R-T-B]

So, intel will now be forced to buy back it's K series CPU-s, at in light of this news, it not only makes them completely pointless, but it also makes them gimped due not not having support for Intel® vPro Technology; Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP); Trusted Execution Technology?

unlocked multis can still be handy for enthusiasts. vpro, sipp, and trusted executon tech aren't.

 

[Ferrum Master]

Okay I also want the voltage being set by jumpers too

Well... it rapes Intel marketing scheme with their H and Z lineups... but they milked us enough really, I fell no guilt in that, they are asking way too much for their K and Z parts. Give more cores or cache to K CPU's at least...

 

[gkj7607]

The ZEN is coming (SW: RETURN OF THE JEDI), and the BCLK is returning (SW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK), lets wait for NEW HOPE :-D

 

[deemon]

unlocked multis can still be handy for enthusiasts. vpro, sipp, and trusted executon tech aren't.

right. in what world being able to log into your desktop computer BIOS remotely, (while it's powered off even) is not good for enthusiasts? or take over the picture of your desktop computer on hardware level without any screen sharing software being installed is not beneficial to enthusiast? Or trusted execution for safer execution of shady stuff?

The only reason people bought K series was because they valued OC more than those features... didn't mean they didn't like those features.

 

[Frick]

Someone wants a decent quite new LGA1150 setup?

EDIT: And for the love of mercy, someone try this on Celerons and Pentiums.

 

[R-T-B]

right. in what world being able to log into your desktop computer BIOS remotely, while it's powered off is not good for enthusiasts?

The world of gaming enthusiasts, to which these cpus are marketed. Yes they may have some value, but ask any gaming oriented oc'er if he'd prefer that unlocked mult or the above features. I doubt many will even care those are missing. Me? I PREFER them gone as they smell of the NSA's backdoor stratedgy, to be frank.

 

[deemon]

The world of gaming enthusiasts, to which these cpus are marketed. Yes they may have some value, but ask any gaming oriented oc'er if he'd prefer that unlocked mult or the above features. I doubt many will even care those are missing.

ask them also, if they feel cheated now, for paying 10% more for no reason at all?

 

[Frick]

The world of gaming enthusiasts, to which these cpus are marketed. Yes they may have some value, but ask any gaming oriented oc'er if he'd prefer that unlocked mult or the above features. I doubt many will even care those are missing. Me? I PREFER them gone as they smell of the NSA's backdoor stratedgy, to be frank.

Is it irony or coincidence that you use Windows 10?

 

[cadaveca]

Confirmed personally working also on ASRock Z170 GAMING K6+. Time will tell for public BIOSes.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/6804098

 

[ShiBDiB]

The world of gaming enthusiasts, to which these cpus are marketed. Yes they may have some value, but ask any gaming oriented oc'er if he'd prefer that unlocked mult or the above features. I doubt many will even care those are missing. Me? I PREFER them gone as they smell of the NSA's backdoor stratedgy, to be frank.

If the NSA wants to get on your computer they will.... And if they have a reason to try I hope they do.

 

[R-T-B]

If the NSA wants to get on your computer they will.... And if they have a reason to try I hope they do.

The NSA has admitted time and again they pretty much want on everyones computers. They asked for a backdoor to common encryption for petes sake. They certainly want heaps of data, not isolated collection.

And if they wanted my computer yeah they'd get it. WIth a physical seizure, more likely than not. Why bother with hacking when you can have the goods? People forget the basics.

That said, no, they don't have a reason. It's part of why I run Windows 10 without worry. That said...

Is it irony or coincidence that you use Windows 10?

Irony. It's for gaming. Look at my post history, I've always been critical of Windows 10 (though I do think it's been blown out of proportion, Microsoft isn't the ones we need to worry about and their collection is innocent by comparison to things that could be done with the quoted techs).

I used Linux briefly out of protest to Windows 10, still have it for nongaming, but I game 90% of the time so Windows is my mainstay. Linux has no comparison in graphics APIs to speak of at the moment. When it does, I'll jump.

ask them also, if they feel cheated now, for paying 10% more for no reason at all?

Multipliers can still be handy. It's not "no reason." I wish my Xeon has an unlocked multi right now, and it's BCLK is flawless.

 

[Octopuss]

I don't understand why would you need a special board for this. Every damn one of them supports changing bclk or multiplier. It just depends on what CPU you have, as far as I know.

 

[LDNL]

right. in what world being able to log into your desktop computer BIOS remotely, (while it's powered off even) is not good for enthusiasts? or take over the picture of your desktop computer on hardware level without any screen sharing software being installed is not beneficial to enthusiast? Or trusted execution for safer execution of shady stuff?

The only reason people bought K series was because they valued OC more than those features... didn't mean they didn't like those features.

I doublt Intel will shoot itself in the foot with this. They will give mobo manufacturers the go ahead to do the same with the K parts. But tbh if the cheaper non K processors get anywhere near the overclockspeeds of an unlocked one is there a reason to buy the K part in the first place? I remember the first Core i5 665K (dual core+4threads which should have been a core i3 but at the price it was selling it should have been quad core so quick name swap to fool the enthusiast) and the Core i7 875K didnt sell because they were about 100€ more expensive than the non K parts.

 

[R-T-B]

I don't understand why would you need a special board for this. Every damn one of them supports changing bclk or multiplier. It just depends on what CPU you have, as far as I know.

We're talking changing the BCLK without changing other clocks that hurt stability. BCLK overclocking has been really spotty due to this.

 

[buildzoid]

We're talking changing the BCLK without changing other clocks that hurt stability. BCLK overclocking has been really spotty due to this.

The K chips could run 500mhz BCLK before this BIOS hack.

 

[R-T-B]

The K chips could run 500mhz BCLK before this BIOS hack.

And what final clocks?

I had a Skylake. You didn't want to touch the BCLK before this because it fucked up the whole system stability in higher clocks. You no longer could raise the mult worth a damn.

 

[Breit]

Adjusting BCLK over a certain point results in getting the iGPU disabled. Maybe that's a plus for some people with an K-series CPU.

 

[qubit]

This sounds like a reason to upgrade to Skylake.

 

[SonicZap]

I wonder if Intel is going to push a microcode update that breaks this, similar to what they did on the Pentium G3258.

 

[RejZoR]

I don't get the purpose of BCLK overclocking. I just slammed multi of 45 on my 5820K and be done with it running at 4.5 GHz. Why would you want to fiddle with the BCLK when overclocking using multi is so much easier and frankly not any worse? Cache is overclockable separately so you're also pushing the throughput faster.

 

[qubit]

I don't get the purpose of BCLK overclocking. I just slammed multi of 45 on my 5820K and be done with it running at 4.5 GHz. Why would you want to fiddle with the BCLK when overclocking using multi is so much easier and frankly not any worse? Cache is overclockable separately so you're also pushing the throughput faster.

Because it reduces or eliminates RAM bottlenecks created by the core overclock. Same reason we memory modules rated for different speeds.

 

[buggalugs]

Holy Shit now I have a reason to upgrade to skylake. I really missed bclk overclocking.

 

[RejZoR]

Cache overclocking... Besides, memory bottleneck on quad channel? Not likely...