Der8auer Unlocks Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Overclocking Potential with Delidding

PC enthusiast Der8auer has once again pushed the boundaries of CPU performance, this time focusing on Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus processor. Following a intricate delidding procedure, he achieved an impressive overclock of 5.8GHz on the P-cores and 5.3GHz on the E-cores.

This configuration resulted in an 11% improvement in Cinebench R23 scores compared to stock speeds, notably surpassing his previous scores with a delidded Core Ultra 9 285K.

The Delidding Process

Delidding LGA 1851 CPUs, such as the 270K Plus, is a notably complex and delicate process. To achieve IHS removal, Der8auer employed a specialized heating method, previously developed for Arrow Lake-S processors. This technique involves heating the chip to approximately 170C, a temperature sufficient to melt the indium metal connecting the die to the Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS), thereby allowing for its safe removal.

Pre-Delid Performance & Thermal Limits

Before undertaking the delidding, the 270K Plus was initially tested with a custom liquid cooling loop. In this state, the CPU was successfully overclocked to 5.7GHz on the P-cores and 5.0GHz on the E-cores.

Running Cinebench R23, the CPU reached 86C on its hottest cores, scoring over 47,000 points and demonstrating that it was already approaching its thermal limits.

Post-Delid Gains: Thermals & Overclock

The transformation post-delidding was significant. After applying liquid metal as the thermal interface material and utilizing a direct-die cooling block, thermal performance dramatically improved. The hottest cores were observed running below 65C, with most maintaining temperatures in the mid-50s during Cinebench R23 load. This considerable thermal headroom was crucial for further performance gains.

This enabled the higher overclock to 5.8GHz P-cores and 5.3GHz E-cores, resulting in approximately 49,000 points in Cinebench R23.

Overclocking Potential: 270K Plus vs. 285K

The 49,000-point score for the 270K Plus not only surpassed its pre-delid performance but also exceeded Der8auer's results for the higher-tier Core Ultra 9 285K after a similar delidding process. This unexpected outcome suggests that the Core Ultra 7 270K Plus may possess greater inherent overclocking potential than the 285K. This could potentially be attributed to Intel utilizing a distinct die for the 270K Plus or the inclusion of its Binary Optimization Tool in these Arrow Lake refresh models.