Adjusting the voltage of the 10900K
Adjusting the voltage of the 10900K
Hello everyone,
I recently received the 10900k and Aorus Xtreme Z490 about a month ago. The system is currently running at stock voltage.
MCE OFF
Hyperthreading ON
VCORE AUTO set to 1.2V — no changes needed; the motherboard adjusted it.
Under load temperatures are acceptable (around 68 to 74), but I want to lower them slightly without hurting performance.
I searched for the stock voltage recommended by Intel for the 10900k, but couldn’t find the exact minimum Vcore.
Could someone suggest a reasonable manual fixed Vcore I can start with before adjusting it? I’ve heard some users use adaptive settings too.
Any advice would be really appreciated!
Thank you and stay safe!
As per CompuTronix's Intel Temperature Guide, the relevant information is in Section 8: Overclocking and Voltage. It's recommended to review the entire guide for a comprehensive understanding.
We need a few more details. Could you share your memory size and PSU specifications? Is LLC enabled, and if so, at what setting? Do you have the standard Intel Turbo Boost active? Are XMP profiles applied?
Before making any changes, it’s best to record some performance metrics at full load. Run HWiNFO64 (sensors only, logging on) in the background while you perform a RealBench stress test lasting over 15 minutes and save the log for review.
Thanks for being proactive!
Hi there!
PSU: Seasonic Focus Plus Gold 750W
RAM: Corsair Vengence RGB pro 16gb x 2 @3200mhz (Currently running at XMP)
Intel Turbo Boost Technology: Enabled
Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Enabled
MCE: Disabled
CPU Vcore LLC: Auto
I’ll run the stress test and upload the logs shortly! Log here: https://ufile.io/3j2xeo5s
Prime95v26.6 Small FFT
It's worth noting that you shouldn't interact with the CPU at all. Comet Lake operates efficiently at standard settings because of the power restrictions Intel has put in place for these processors. Additionally, the i9 model includes the Thermal Velocity Boost feature, which turns on automatically when the temperature drops below 70°C. Reducing voltage might actually be more problematic here—leaving everything in auto mode would likely prevent threads from reaching their current performance levels. I think manual adjustments will be necessary.
Don't attempt to repair something that isn't faulty.
68-74c is not only acceptable under stress, it performs exceptionally well.
The chip keeps track of its temperature and will reduce clock speed or power down if it senses a critical rise—around 100°C.
Adaptive voltage management is beneficial.
It reduces the multiplier and voltage when processing load is minimal.
Focus on other concerns.
The naming of settings will vary based on the bios. Adjusting settings may introduce additional problems that demand experience and research. For those aiming for overclocking to achieve optimal performance, review techniques shared in forums specific to your motherboard. The goal behind speedstep and adaptive voltage is to lower voltage and the multiplier when high values aren't necessary. If maintaining voltage and LLC suffices, it's best to keep it as is. If you're a hands-on person, explore and test further. If you're merely a user, stick with what functions effectively.
Only the settings in the BIOS have changed, specifically MCE is disabled. The Vcore remains unchanged (Auto). I usually check HWinfo to verify my temperatures and vcore values. I noticed that after periods of idling, gaming, or working on the system, the reported vcore in HWinfo varies between 0.7v and 1.28v depending on the activity. However, the highest recorded vcore can reach up to 1.39v! Should I be worried? I don’t want my CPU performance affected by excessively high vcore. It appears the motherboard is automatically setting a higher vcore. I tried using fixed values of 1.25 or 1.26 to cap the vcore, but this causes crashes in games, so I kept it at auto.
As per CompuTronix's Intel Temperature Guide, the relevant information is found in Section 8: Overclocking and Voltage. It's recommended to review the entire guide for a comprehensive understanding.