Ambiguous CPU power settings - 1.35 at 3.6 to 1.1 at 3.4
Ambiguous CPU power settings - 1.35 at 3.6 to 1.1 at 3.4
I had some background before: I was using my Ryzen 5 3600 at 4.3 GHz and 1.45V, realized it was too high, so I lowered it to 4 GHz where it ran smoothly at 1.35V. I understand, I know, that's already close to the limit, but don't worry about the SpinQ cooler. My birthday is coming up soon, and I'm getting an Arctic Liquid Freezer II 120mm AIO because I have a nice grandma. Well, I was curious about trying Windows 2000, so I opened the BIOS and turned on SVM (it was off after my BIOS update, and I forgot to turn it back on). I saw the CPU voltage at 1.4V, so I set it to Auto for a base clock of 3.6 GHz. That gave me 1.36V. Then I adjusted to 3.4 GHz because I don't like the 35, and suddenly it dropped to 1.1V. Yes, I know it's slower, but I didn’t notice much difference between those speeds since my GPU is the main bottleneck. I don’t run any heavy apps on my CPU either. Who knows why such a small change in clock speed caused such a big drop?
I adjusted the voltage from 1.34V to 1.412V for stability at 4.7GHz and then tried 1.54V for 4.9GHz all-core. It wasn’t stable, especially with a radiator covered in snow. From what I’ve seen, these voltage changes are typical, though it’s hard to say exactly how it compares. I also recall pushing 0.7V up by about 100MHz for a 6-core CPU, which gave me 0.5V at 300MHz—so the trend seems consistent, though the lower-end CPU had much tighter limits. The radiator’s heat capacity is probably the main factor here.
Here they are: three P-states with corresponding FID values. The readings fluctuate between 3.6 GHz and 4.2 GHz at approximately 1.402V. CPU-Z displays 36x, then 42x, back to 36x/42x repeatedly. F@H is active. EDIT: It also dropped to 33x and 3.3 GHz before returning to the 36x/42x pattern at 1V.
The board operates with FID 0x890, VID 0x48, and features a 1.100v multi-voltage setup. This configuration likely represents the processor’s optimal performance level and should match the advertised Thermal Design Point. Your cooling solution should comfortably manage around 65 watts, which is satisfactory. The CPU performs exceptionally well under full load, yet by default, the CPU and motherboard firmware—combined with SenseMi algorithms and chipset drivers—automatically increase its speed. It will push its capabilities until the temperature reaches 95°C, after which it will engage the fan at maximum duty for cooling. This adjustment is driven by AMP signals rather than voltage changes. The processor supports up to 90A peak, so voltages like 1.4 are only relevant in specific contexts. The chip remains constrained at its EDC PPT limits unless power thresholds are increased.
It sounds like the system is operating within typical parameters. Adjusting the clock speed to 3.4 GHz makes sense given current energy costs. Let me know if you need further help!
It's easier to explain, but the CPU isn't built just for this conversation style. You adjusted the settings so it automatically uses the highest voltage mode. In short, if you need it that way.