Goal Achieved

5Ghz @ 1.36v

Average temps under 75 degrees

VCCIO / VCCSA - Auto in BIOS (default)

24 hours Prime95 v27.9 Small FFTs - stable with no failures I am comfortable with v27.9 over v28.10 (more volts / temps) to prove stability for my usage.

I reduced the Kraken x62 fan speed to 50% and increased pump to 100% - the system is now silent for me.

Geekbench: https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/1393935

Cinebench R15: https://s28.postimg.org/uo1q2uzv1/CB_R15.jpg

Cinebench R11.5: https://s24.postimg.org/uu5mqe9z9/CB_R11_5.jpg

Blender v2.77 - Ryzen @150 Samples: https://s28.postimg.org/5kxlq8ny5/Blender_V2_77_Ryzen.jpg

Blender v2.78a - Ryzen @150 Samples: https://s29.postimg.org/rqye5er9j/Blender_V2_78a_Ryzen.jpg

Z270 (Asus Hero or TUF) and DDR4-4000+

The same cooler at the same setting: Kraken X62 - Fan @ 50% and pump at @ 65% (by the way, this cooler is only about 3 degrees cooler than the H110i, but has better config available)

Exactly the same BIOS settings - which was a x50 multiplier and voltage offset with LLC level 2 resulting in a stable 1.344v under prime 95 load

Memory stock (C15) and Uncore stock.

Prime 95 v27.9 run for 15 minutes in both tests.

The same case / config / install (tested with case side panel installed - i.e. how i would actually use it for 24/7 use so the test would be more meaningful to me): https://s30.postimg.org/gzluzd7w1/Case.jpg

1.36v fails in 9 mins (one logical core)

1.376v fails in 17 mins (one logical core)

1.392v fails on one logical core in 7 hours 18 minutes.

6 hours Prime95 Small FFTs stable - using Prime95 v28.7

4.7 Ghz @ 1.264v (memory stock - 2133) - note, HWinfo doesn't report volts correctly - see CPU-z.

Average temp 83 degrees

Corsair H110i set to quiet mode (I'd never leave it in performance mode due to the increased noise - I don't want to sit next to a vacuum cleaner!)

A-Tuning was used to adjust the offset - 0.02v and 0.03v failed in under an hour, 0.05v achieved stability at 4.7Ghz.

The 7700k has the potential to be stable at 5Ghz @ ~1.4v, with exceptional samples reaching 5.1 / 5.2 perhaps.

The power draw when overclocked 'seems' high, evidenced by the vdroop of 0.08v when under IBT load! I have no other means of measuring power draw - Let's hope the AT review focuses in on this.

I am unclear at this point whether temps are being reported correctly, but i believe not given the general expectations is for higher temps under poor air cooling (plus I witnessed a discrepancy of ~15 degrees idle temp between the BIOS and Windows/OS) .

Could an AIO cooler be standard in order to run overclocks north of 4.8ghz?

If you're going to overclock, get a board that has strong / stable power delivery to sustain voltage with limited vdroop! I'm not sure whether Z270 motherboards will offer better VRMs etc in anticipation for the 7700k.

Install AIO water cooler (either NZXT Kraken X62 or Corsair H110i with better fans)

Verify temperature readings

Configure voltage to avoid it dropping below stable voltage requirements at 5Ghz (1.36 - 1.38v should be enough is my assumption)

Stress test

Re-run benchmarks

De-lid and log temp drop - tool: http://rockitcool.myshopify.com/

Enjoy

Buy a decent Z270 board if needed when they're released.

Enjoy some more.

Interesting, so the new BIOS actually allows a negative multiplier offset for AVX instructions which has allowed me to overclock to 5.1Ghz and auto drop down to 5Ghz when avx instructions are executed. Not sure if this is a new feature for Kaby Lake processors?I have left the voltage configuration the same as the 5Ghz overclock that was 24 hour Prime95 v27.9 stable - 230mv offset with LLC level 2 - and now have prime95 v26.6 stability at 5.1Ghz for over 2 hours using the 1344 small FFT custom test (guide here: http://overclocking.guide/stability-testing-with-prime-95/ ). The voltage stabilises at 1.376v (instead of 1.36v when using v27.9 @ 5Ghz) as v26.6 isn't putting as much load on the processor.When I execute Prime95 v27.9 or v28.10 the multiple automatically drops to x50 / 5Ghz as expected, so I have essentially found another 100Mhz using the AVX offset.Some 5.3Ghz Cinebench R15, why not:I set out to achieve 5Ghz at or below 1.4v and 75 degrees.Associating benchmarks:Next Steps:Memberposted some great results from his gold sample 7700k -andunder Prime is extremely impressive.When delidded the max temps in Prime are only ~50 degrees at 5Ghz on this chip (made possible by the reduced Vcore requirement for 5Ghz), netting a ~20 degree reduction in max temps. Let's hope more 7700k's perform like batch L642G244!Before & after delidding, 30min 1344k Prime test:delid video - it really is that simple (and relatively risk free IMO)!Memberhas also witnessed similar temp drops after a delid on a 7700k with a different batch number, so this appears to be a trend (albeit with only 2 data points).also posted an impressive Geekbench score - 5GHz, DDR4-3200 15-17-17-35 2T:Geekbench at 5.3Ghz / memory stock: https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/1357306 ----------------------------The journey to rock solid 5Ghz continues.Some more interesting finds. Before delid the temps in Prime 95 v28.7 Small FFTs were insane and would almost instantly fail - i believe the increased temps destabilises overclocks (from what I've read, due to noise caused by heat).After delid, I was able to runat 5Ghz 1.392v for over 7 hours before one logical core failed.At 5Ghz using Prime 95 v28.10 Small FFTs, I observed:The pic shows 1.408v as the load dropped after one logical core failed (this is vdroop in play):EDIT: Initial Intel Burn Test shows a pass at 5.1Ghz - 1.376v / 72 degrees max temp: https://s27.postimg.org/8fewhhwkz/IBT_5_1_Ghz.jpg Delid doneBefore and after delid with Liquid Ultra - 5Ghz, 1.344v, Kraken X62 @ 50% fan and 65% pump (i.e. silent), Prime95 v27.9 - 26 degrees difference (~30 degrees max temp difference)!Before - https://s27.postimg.org/mgu5i6sc3/5ghz_P95_27_9_before.jpg After - https://s28.postimg.org/lg9hfqj6l/5ghz_P95_27_9_after.jpg Prime95 v28.7 doesn't instantly fail at 5Ghz anymore either. It would shoot up to 99 degrees, now stays at 66 degrees and did so for 1 minutes no failure.More testing to follow!EDIT: - Looks like 5Ghz might be back on the tableShort test with Prime95 v27.9 - 5Ghz at 1.34v stable for 15 minutes where as v28.7 was insta-fail and insane temps:For note, I am also not seeing failures when running IBT and OCCT (AVX Linpak ticked) at 5Ghz.So, first stability checkpoint / baseline reached. The headlines:For me, Prime95 Small FFTs is the gold standard in testing overclock stability, as OCCT and IBT pass at 5Ghz 1.36v where as P95 does not. Prime95 also produces the most heat - for these reasons, i feel it better tests the max load conditions (BF1 only gets temps to around 65 degrees).Given i'll need more voltage for higher frequencies resulting in 99 Degrees temps on the current setup (where it will also continually throttle), I'll be waiting until I delid and install the Kraken X62 on Thursday/Friday before going for Prime 95 Small FFT stability at 4.9Ghz which should be achievable with less than 1.4v (i may even attempt 5Ghz again, with better VRM cooling and CPU temps).Benchmark sanity test:The below should be a useful comparison against 6700k overclocks:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It's too early to draw conclusions, but my initial observations are:Next Steps:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Right, let's get to it (i'll tidy this up later, along with adding further detail regarding the OC (and TempsRig:Proc - i7 7700kMobo - Asrock Z170 Pro4S - BIOS v7RAM - Corsair 2x8GB 3000Mhz C15GFX - EVGA GTX 1060 6GB SCCooling Stock - an old Thermalright 6 heat pipe tower, Corsair SP120Cooling for OC - Corsair H110i with 2 x Corsair ML140 Pro LED (cheap black Friday deal)Processor Pics:GeekBench v4: https://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/1203097 CPU-Z (Stock):Cinebench R15 (Stock - Single & Multi Threaded Scores):