Tom's Hardware > Forum > Overclocking > CPUs > [Solved] Do the i5-2500k and i7-2600k overclock with similar results?

[Solved] Do the i5-2500k and i7-2600k overclock with similar results?

Forum Overclocking : CPUs [Solved] Do the i5-2500k and i7-2600k overclock with similar results?

AMD

Just a quick question, do these 2 processors have the same overclocking potential? Can they both reach 4.5ghz pretty easily with a good HSF, or does one overclock better than the other?

Reply to lang15

Best answer

Their overclocking potential is identical.

Both will usually do 4.5Ghz on stock volts (1.25 - 1.35v)

Both will hit a peak of 4.9 - 5.2Ghz before hitting the 1.52v safezone (Only ever clock this high on custom water)

Both will level out at a safe overclock of 4.6 to 4.8 Ghz on 1.35v

It all depends on the batch. My 2500k is bad - it overclocks worse than most (I have to pump 1.35v to run 4.6-4.7ghz on it) - some 2600ks will perform the same, some will overclock to 4.9ghz on the same volts. Some 2500ks may hit 5Ghz on 1.4v - some 2600ks might take 1.52v to hit the same. They are virtually identical in terms of potential.

------------------------------ Core i5 2500k @ 5.02ghz 1.51v 8 Hours Prime95 Stable (@ 4.6Ghz 24/7) w/ Phanteks PH-TC14PE, ASUS P8Z68-V-PRO , 8GB Corsair Vengance White, Sapphire R7870 2GB @ 1250/1450, WD Caviar Black 640GB
Reply to deadjon

I had thought based on reading posts here that the 2600k might overclock a bit better than the 2500k. It seemed to me that I read more people with 2600k say they had 4.9GHz or so and people with 2500k saying they stopped at 4.5GHz. Of course ymmv depending on your chip, your motherboard, and how long you want to fool with the settings. The 2600k is significantly more expensive, maybe the people that spend the additional money also have a better motherboard and also spend more time working with their overclock settings.

Reply to cadder

do you need HT (hyper-threading) or not.?

------------------------------ A+, Net+, MCDST, DSCE (Dell)
Reply to malmental

With ht on the i7 will need a tad more vcore for the same oc as ht off or the i5. Or else not be able to oc as high with ht on.

Reply to k1114

But if you turn HT off then the 2600k is rendered useless because it's the only main difference between 2500k

Reply to majorgibly

both are good points...
kinda why I asked the question.

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ A+, Net+, MCDST, DSCE (Dell)
Reply to malmental

malmental wrote :

both are good points...
kinda why I asked the question.

I was not debating the point you made, I think we have answered the question. HT enabled will need more volts than the 2500k and without HT (2600k) it will need the same voltage (Give or take)

Reply to majorgibly