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®
Overclocking Unlocked Intel
™
Core Processors for High
Performance Gaming and
Content Creation
Michael Moen – Sr. System Engineer, Intel Corporation
Dan Ragland – Sr. System Engineer, Intel Corporation
JJ Guerrero – Sr. Technical Marketing Specialist, Asus
AIOS001
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Agenda • Overclocking Theory and Trends • High-end Desktop Overclocking Architecture • Overclocking Design Tips • Desktop and Mobile Overclocking Architecture • Harnessing Overclocking • Summary 2
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Risk Reminder WARNING: Altering clock frequency and/or voltage may: (i) reduce system stability and useful life of the system and processor; (ii) cause the processor and other system components to fail; (iii) cause reductions in system performance; (iv) cause additional heat or other damage; and (v) affect system data integrity. Intel has not tested, and does not warranty, the operation of the processor beyond its specifications. Intel assumes no responsib
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Agenda • Overclocking Theory and Trends • High-end Desktop Overclocking Architecture • Overclocking Design Tips • Desktop and Mobile Overclocking Architecture • Harnessing Overclocking • Summary 4
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Defining Overclocking • What is Overclocking (OC)? – The process of increasing clock rates beyond specification • Why Overclock? – Increase performance for compute intensive tasks, e.g., transcode, gaming, rendering – Compete, Promote, Socialize • How is this done? ® – Obtain a motherboard optimized for Intel unlocked processors – Change unlocked ratios or platform clock frequency – Increase voltage on relevant interfaces – Improve cooling on overclocked/overvoltaged components
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Increasing Complexity Overclocking Theory General Principles The Rule: Maximize frequency, minimize voltage/current and maximize heat dissipation to meet personal stability requirements What Benefits How Processor Rendering, Music, Photo Increase Power Limits and Max Cores and Video editing, Current Transcode, Gaming Raise Core voltage Physics, AI, Compute Increase active Core ratios Intensive Processor Gaming frame rates, Increase Power Limits and Max Integrated Media Trans
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Observed Frequency Trends in OC Q: How much OC can I expect from my CPU? A: There are many factors – Every CPU is designed to meet nominal requirements with intentional guardband – not specifically for OC – Overclocking is the act of tapping into the intentional guardband + design conservatism + Si process conservatism – This changes with each CPU process stepping, architecture change and overall design targets HEDT = High End Desktop. Today this includes Socket LGA2011. This data w
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Agenda • Overclocking Theory and Trends • High-end Desktop Overclocking Architecture • Overclocking Design Tips • Desktop and Mobile Overclocking Architecture • Harnessing Overclocking • Summary 8
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® ™ Intel Core i7 Desktop Processors Based on ® Socket LGA2011 with Intel X79 Express Chipset C • Core Frequency ® Processor Memory – Unlocked Intel Turbo Boost † 1 2 3 Memory M Technology limits – Unlocked core ratios up to 63 in 4 5 6 † 100MHz increments C PCIE – Programmable voltage offset P PEG M • Memory Ratio DMI D – Unlocked memory controller – Granularity in 266MHz steps – Ratios supported up to 2400Hz R • DMICLK (aka BCLK) – Fine Grain range ± 5-7% DMI R – B
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® ™ Intel Core i7 Desktop Processors Based on ® Socket LGA2011 with Intel X79 Express Chipset Feature Overview SKU i7-4960X i7-4930K i7-4820K Cores/Cache 6/15M 6/12M 4/10M Turbo Ratio Overrides (100MHz Up to 63 Up to 63 Up to 63 † Steps) PL1, PL2, Tau, ICCMax Overrides √ √ √ Real-time Core Overclocking (in Yes Yes Yes OS) DDR Frequency Overrides Up to 2400 Up to 2400 Up to 2400 (266MHz Steps) DDR Timing Overrides √ √ √ Enhanced Ratio Enhanced Ratio Enhanced Ratio Coar
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Agenda • Overclocking Theory and Trends • High-end Desktop Overclocking Architecture • Overclocking Design Tips • Desktop and Mobile Overclocking Architecture • Harnessing Overclocking • Summary 11
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Overclocking Design Tips What board designers consider for unlocked Processors COLLABORATION Work closely with Intel to understand the platform architecture and gauge hardware requirements. This helps to define customized overclocking options for different segments. POWER DESIGN Ensuring that onboard power delivery circuitry is capable of exceeding processor power requirements under extreme loading conditions. CIRCUITRY DESIGN Tuning of trace layouts and platform microcode to
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Overclocking Design Tips How enthusiast board/system designs influence overclockability • High Quality Components − Long-life solid polymer & MLCC Capacitors − High current MOSFETs − Low DCR inductors − Advanced digital buck controllers − More copper in power plane • Efficient Cooling Through Layout Design • Careful Analysis of Signal Integrity: − Tight control of trace impedance on PCB, more layers, shorter lengths & length matching − Tuning of MRC to improve signal margi
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Live Demo: Optimization of Core, Memory and BCLK to achieve visibly better performance experience on ® content creation with a Intel Core™ i7-4960X Extreme Edition Processor 14
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Agenda • Overclocking Theory and Trends • High-end Desktop Overclocking Architecture • Overclocking Design Tips • Desktop and Mobile Overclocking Architecture • Harnessing Overclocking • Summary 15
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Next Generation Intel Haswell Microarchitecture ×C • Core Frequency ® – Unlocked Intel Turbo Boost † Technology limits CPU Memory – Unlocked core ratios up to 80 in ×M 1 2 Memory † 100MHz increments ×C 3 4 – Programmable voltage via iVR ×G • Graphics Frequency (pGfx) * PCIe ® † – Unlocked Intel HD Graphics limits ×P PEG pGfx – Unlocked graphics ratios up to 60 in ×G ×D DMI 50MHz increments – Programmable voltage via iVR ×M • Memory Ratio DMICLK/BCLK – Unlocked me
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OC VR Design on Legacy Platforms V CORE V PLL V GFX CPU V SA V IO External VRs External VRs • In current generation platforms, CPU VRs are on the motherboard • Often, a separate VR exists for each rail to the CPU • Voltage margining is accomplished using platform VRs ® ™ 4th Generation Intel Core processor changes this dramatically with integrated voltage regulation 17
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Next Generation Intel Haswell Microarchitecture Voltage Planes for Performance Tuning DDR V DDQ Core V CCIN • 1.5V Nom for DDR3 Cores • <=1.65V Last Level Cache System for XMP • 1.35V Agent Nom for * Ring PCIe DDR3L DMI pGfx pGfx IOA,IOD • V V , SA, IOA V : Up IOD SA to 500mV Offset V from • V : SVID 1.8V Nom up to 2.3V+, static V up to 3.04V CCIN nominal • V : dynamic additional V, static V up to 2.0 V CORE • V : dynamic additional V, static V up to 2
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Next Generation Intel Haswell Microarchitecture Voltage Override Modes Fused V/f Interpolation V/f • Interpolation • Default V/f curve (adaptive) in the (SVID operation) overclocking region freq freq Offset V/f Override V/f • Positive / Negative offset • Override applied applied to the to the entire entire curve. curve. Important for mainstream Important for overclocking. extreme OC. freq freq iVR provides flexibility consistent with all margining modes
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Next Generation Intel Haswell Microarchitecture Clock Tree BCLK @100, 125 or 167 MHz +/1 5-7% • Single BCLK input comes from PCH in <1MHz steps DDR • Acceptable input to CPU * limited by PIC Express (PCIe) and DMI PLL interface: Cores 100MHz x ±5-7% PEG/DMI @ 5:5 125MHz x ±5-7% PEG/DMI @ 5:4 System Last Level 167MHz x ±5-7% PEG/DMI @ 5:3 Agent Cache • Frequency Relationships * PCIe f(GT) = BCLK/2*GT Ratio DMI f(Core) = BCLK*Core Ratio f(Ring) = BCLK*Ring Ratio pGf
