9800X3D operates efficiently at low frequencies during high loads.
9800X3D operates efficiently at low frequencies during high loads.
Hello everyone, I recently replaced my old 7700X with a brand new 9800X3D. All systems are updated—new BIOS, fresh Windows 11 install with latest updates, drivers from Asus website, everything brand new. Back to the 7700X would give me around 5.1 to 5.3 on all cores during heavy use (Aida FPU and OCCT). Now I’m only getting 4.6 on Aida FPU and 5.0 on OCCT. Is this typical? I have a PL360 from Cooler Master and gelid Extreme as thermal compound installed. Is this normal or indicates an issue? PBO is enabled, DOCP is also active, but the same results appear when they’re disabled. My PC settings match my bio/signature. Here are some screenshots for reference.
What you observe is typical under normal conditions unless you actively adjust or overclock the processor. The 9800X3D supports a maximum boost of up to 5.2 GHz, which includes an additional 3D cache layer above the CPU die. The 7700X reaches a 5.4 GHz boost rating. I'm also using a Gigabyte X870E Pro Ice with the PBO feature turned off and EXPO configured with custom timings for DDR4-6200 CL30, along with extra SoC voltage settings. Under stress conditions like the AIDA64 Stability Test, the FPU operates at a reduced frequency—typically around 4.5 GHz when fully loaded. Running all cores at full speed can push the CPU to its 120W thermal limit. My 9800X3D was tested with AIDA64 under FPU stress and achieved up to the advertised 5.2 GHz, though it quickly settled to 4.5 GHz afterward. The CPU power consumption and PPT remain at 147W, while the CPU package draws about 95W.
Another aspect is that AMD enhanced their FPU in chiplet-based Zen 5 to provide greater processing capacity, allowing full AVX-512 performance similar to Intel's 2-unit design. This reaches up to twice the clock speed of Zen 4, matching Intel's single-unit approach. Increased effort results in lower clock speeds. If stress testing permits disabling AVX-512, you could observe behavior closer to Zen 4.
Thank you for your response—it was really helpful and prevented me from reopening the PC again to reapply the thermal compound. I also discovered a link that provides additional details. Based on what I understand, the PBO remains stable after the 5.2 GHz ADVERTISED chip, and it doesn’t require manual adjustments like curve optimization or OC tweaks. One more thing: With the current OCCT configuration, the clocks under AVX are fine; do you see consistent outcomes? Appreciate your help ahead of time.
I need to execute OCCT and check the results. I'll let you know once it's done.
Same configuration gives you this result. Your setup has PBO enabled, mine is off, so you're seeing 5.0–5.1 GHz versus my ~4.9 GHz. Voltage is nearly identical, and power is about 5W higher, mostly due to different hardware. Temp is almost the same—open loop vs AIO.