Intel Kaby Lake processors are already being benchmarked but those who are already on Skylake may have little to reason to upgrade at all. However, one 7th gen processor was able to reach an impressive and record-breaking 7GHz overclock.
Most hardcore PC gamers tend to overclock their processors and video cards in order to make the most out of their gaming rigs. However, the overclocks usually are just small increments from the base frequency of the processor.
Kaby Lake is made using the 14nm method from Intel and it boasts faster CPU clock speeds overall compared to the predecessors. Russian website OCLab was able to overclock an Intel Kaby Lake processor up to 7GHz with the help of liquid nitrogen to cool it down, Hot Hardware reported.
The overclockers used an ASRock Z170 motherboard that is also designed for overclocking. Thanks to the overclock, the Kaby Lake i7 7700K was able to deliver wPrime 1024M in under two minutes.
Intel's Kaby Lake i7 7700K processor runs at 4.2GHz at stock speeds while the Turbo feature ramps it up to 4.5GHz if needed. Others may be able to overclock it up to 5GHz with air cooling but it is uncommon.
Another impressive feat is that the overclockers were able to reach the 7GHz speed on two i7 7700K cores instead of the usual single-core overclock, PC Magazine reported. Unfortunately, the overclock is not practical for everyday use as the user will need a good source of liquid nitrogen to cool the processor. All the other cores are also shut down which means that it will not reach its full potential with regards to performance.
Intel's Kaby Lake processors now have a reputation of being the choice for overclockers. Users do need to note the possible risks of overclocking such as overheating and increased electricity bills.
Learn more about Kaby Lake in the video below: