14700KF - Restriction using Dark Rock Pro 5
14700KF - Restriction using Dark Rock Pro 5
Hey, I'm looking for some insights and real-world feedback on the 14700kf. I've got a Dark Rock Pro 5 in Performance mode and I've slightly undervolted the CPU by -0.075V. So far everything's running smoothly, but I'm planning to test different settings. I'm curious if anyone has had similar experiences with this model and what temperatures they've achieved. My current idle temps are around 45°C. Thanks for any tips or stories! TYIA
Hey there, friend. The Intel 13th and 14th series models are running quite hot even with the default settings. My 13600k reached over 95°C during Cinebench after just a few seconds, especially when using a custom loop on a bulky EK water block. At first I thought the cooling pad was misaligned, but once I removed it and reinserted it, the temperature stayed high. I’m guessing the heat is just excessive, so I tried reseating the cooler and reapplying thermal paste to confirm it was properly seated. After that, I managed to bring my vCore down to 1.2v, which helped keep things manageable. Your experience will differ, but you might want to set your vCore mode to 'Override' and try 1.25v. Based on what you have, the 13600k likely has fewer cores than your 14700k, so it may need more cooling power. Right now I’m running at 5.3GHz all P-core and 4.3GHz all E-core at 1.2v. Idle temps sit around 35-40°C, but Cinebench R23 pushes it up to 80°C. Since you’re using air cooling instead of water, start with a no-core overclock but don’t worry about permanently locking P and E cores—just see how it performs. The key is balancing stability, heat management, and performance. P.S. While Cinebench is great for stress tests, it’s better to run real-world apps or games you use daily. That gives you a more accurate picture of what you’ll get in real life. When I was tuning this setup, Horizon Forbidden West was stable at 5.4 and 4.4, but sometimes it would crash on Horizon Forbidden, so I adjusted to 5.3/4.3 and everything worked fine.
Are you employing a contact frame? This matters. The PTM7950 requires good airflow in the case (undervolting might cause CPU issues). Edited August 12, 2025 by leclod
This was your initial error, not anticipating that 20 core 14th Intel CPUs would hit their throttle limit during a Cinebench test. Observe how the idle temperature is 45°C from all cores, which equals 90°C plus. What temperatures does the processor reach before it begins throttling? Are you employing hwinfo64 to monitor those readings and throttling events?
I thought that was the situation, I think increasing my vCore too much might hurt performance. I’ll keep exploring how much more I can optimize it. Thanks for your insights!
Never before worked with a contact frame, didn’t expect much from it. In my mind, the difference is like comparing poor thermal paste to high-quality one—definitely worth trying. Yes, I’m aware that undervolting might slow down the CPU while also helping keep temperatures lower and boosting performance.
I anticipated it wouldn't hit thermal throttle during C23, considering typical program behavior. However, with demanding tasks like Blender, Davinci Resolve, and POE2 running, I've experienced significant CPU usage. I also rely on HWInfo for tracking, and the processor reaches 100°C before slowing down.
Never experienced this before. Socket 1700 causes the CPU to bend, leading to inconsistent paste spread. You might see it during disassembly when examining the layout—I think I did. Also, I undervolted my CPU and GPU. Edited August 12, 2025 by leclod
Don't worry about this, just go with what feels right. Intel CPUs usually lose speed when there aren’t enough vCores, while AMD uses a technique called 'Clock Stretching' to keep things running. I’m not sure if it’s exclusive to AMD, but I appreciate someone clarifying that. I’ve been using Intel for years and never noticed performance drops from low vCores—usually it just causes a blue screen or crashes. Lowering vCore often doesn’t hurt performance as long as everything else stays balanced. It lets you run an optimized setting with less power, which means less heat. I think @podkall has a point about 20-core Intel CPUs struggling under heavy loads like CB. If you want the best performance, a 360 AIO might be worth considering. You could also try tweaking the thermal settings—like 1.2v at 5.2 and 4.2—to see how it affects things. For gaming with all cores, pushing to 5.3 and 4.3 could help you find your ideal balance.