Intel Core i5-12400 & Core i5-12600 Non-K Alder Lake CPUs Pushed Up To 5.2 GHz Through BCLK Overclocking, Achieve Up To 33% Faster Performance

YouTuber Der8auer has successfully overclocked two non-K series Intel Alder Lake CPUs, the Core i5-12400 & Core i5-12600. The overclocking was made possible on ASUS’s high-end Z690 boards.

Der8auer overclocks two Intel non-K Alder Lake CPUs up to 5.2 GHz for a 33% performance increase in the Cinebench benchmark

When overclocking a modern CPU, users have to take into account many varying factors such as specific motherboard, the hybrid configuration of the processor, or consider that the processor will consume more power in the process. Intel made the process easier for users to change the settings for bus speed (BCLK) manually.

This process increases the processor’s frequency to the targeted level needed. Intel’s Alder Lake processors no longer connect the target frequency to other computer components, such as the PCIe interface. In practice, relating to the PCIe would raise issues and be never recommended in the process. Intel also recently launched their non-K Alder Lake lineup which doesn’t feature any overclocking support but there are a few workarounds for that as demonstrated by Der8auer.

Der8auer learned that the bus speed overclocking capability was available on the tested ASUS ROG Maximus APEX motherboard on his YouTube channel. He also found that it is valid for all ASUS Z690 motherboards, as long as a non-K processor is available for use.

Upon researching compatible Alder Lake motherboards, he studied B660 motherboards and found that none of them feature BCLK overclocking when using a non-K processor. Der8auer did confirm that both the Z690 APEX and HERO motherboards, with the 0811 BIOS onboard, were capable of the same BCLK overclocking compatibility, but the ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-I does not have the ability.

Intel Core i5-12600 & Core i5-12400 Over 5 GHz OC With BCLK Tuning (Image Credits: Der8auer):

Der8auer believes that the option for overclocking non-K Intel Alder Lake CPUs is only available to premium Z690 motherboards that utilize an external clock generator. This feature is available on specific motherboard models, such as the ASRock Aqua, ASUS ROG Maximus, and other high-dollar series. At the same time, ASRock also offers BFB, a feature that should not be mistaken as BCLK OC as that only raises the power limit for the base frequency to allow for higher base clocks.

A list of Alder Lake Non-K BCLK OC supporting motherboards from ASUS. (Image Credits: Der8auer)

The YouTuber explains that users will need to access their bios to locate the BCLK OC function and unlock the feature. For the ASUS model, the user will identify it by accessing Extreme Tweaker and then finding the Tweaker’s Paradise settings. After enabling the XMP II profile, users will need to alter the bus clock to 130 MHz or as close to that frequency as possible. This process increases the DDR5 memory and cache frequencies, and users will have to decrease both frequencies to overclock the processor manually. Der8auer recommends that the XMP maximum speed and the cache ratio be minimized down to 33 from the initial 40.

ASUS motherboards with higher-end clock generations allow BCLK overclocking on Intel’s Non-K Alder Lake CPUs. (Image Credits: Der8auer)

Since the voltage levels need to increase, the cache and core voltage levels will also need to rise between 1.35 to 1.37 volts. It is stated that the settings are all dependent on the sample used and that all results will vary per configuration, especially with the processor binning. Der8auer’s test proved that the power consumption level raises to the maximum 138W while the cores would achieve a temperature of 96° C, or 204.8° F while running on a stock Intel Laminar CPU cooler.

The Intel Non-K Alder Lake CPUs hits over 90C temps with a stock Intel Laminar cooler when overclocked. (Image Credits: Der8auer)

The YouTuber also stated that utilizing an Intel Core i5-12600 processor could not achieve identical or similar BCLK frequencies as the i5-12400. The i5-12600 would be slower than the i5-12400. The concept is interesting since both processors share parallel silicon cores (6-cores) and that the i5-12600 processor is a higher-binned chipset.

In the Cinebench R20 Multi-core test, both processors show increased performance. The i5-12400 could achieve 33% higher levels, whereas the i5-12600 maintained close to the stock 16% levels.

Intel Core i5-12600 & Core i5-12400 Non-K BLCK OC Performance (Image Credits: Der8auer):

Using a wide variety of games to test overclocking performance, the non-K Intel processor presents as the best gaming processor or places itself in the midrange compared to other processors. That mostly depends on whether the game utilizes hybrid core architecture or if the processor has a high amount of cores.

It is unknown if any other motherboards outside the ones tested allow for the BCLK overclocking feature. The feature may be limited to premium motherboards utilizing external clock generations. This goes off to show some great performance potential of the Intel Alder Lake Non-K CPU lineup. They already feature outstanding performance out of the box but with overclocking, they can prove to be worthy mainstream chips but it is unlikely that Intel will want motherboard makers to enable wider support for BCLK overclocking as they want that feature to be limited only to their high-end K-series lineup, unlike AMD which does offer overclocking support across all their Ryzen chips.

The post Intel Core i5-12400 & Core i5-12600 Non-K Alder Lake CPUs Pushed Up To 5.2 GHz Through BCLK Overclocking, Achieve Up To 33% Faster Performance by Jason R. Wilson appeared first on Wccftech.