Can a low voltage harm my CPU?
Can a low voltage harm my CPU?
I began testing my system (Ryzen 5 1600, 16gb RAM in dual channel) using Cinebench R20 across various setups. Up to now, I’ve observed a consistent overclock at around 3.9 ghz with the voltage set to auto (the motherboard selected 1.225V). I understand that typical overclocking for a R5 1600 might reach about 3.8Ghz at 1.35V, so my concern is whether a higher overclock paired with a lower voltage could be damaging. I haven’t performed stress tests with AIDA or Prime95 yet, but the system has remained stable so far. Running R20 repeatedly without any crashes has been successful.
It won't cause any harm, though it might be a bit unstable. My R1600x is running at 3.9 with 1.3v. I've seen it drop slightly to around 1.295 or so, but it wasn't stable. I think I could reach about 1.275 if I lower it to 3.8, but at 3.9 with 1.3v and after 8 hours of Prime, the temperature will only rise to 75c. You'd want your temps below 80c for optimal operation. The main point is a 'stress test'. While Cinebench is handy for a quick full-load test, it doesn't stress the CPU or really reveal stability. That's why the name suggests 'bench'. For CPU voltage stability, Prime 95 small ffts are the best approach. They show you the maximum temperature at a specific voltage. If it fails at a lower voltage, just increase it gradually. Especially when going down in voltage...
It won't cause any harm, though it might be a bit unstable. My R1600x runs at 3.9 with 1.3v; I've seen it drop slightly to 1.295 or similar, but it wasn't stable. If I lower it to 3.8, I think I could reach around 1.275, but at 3.9 with 1.3v and after 8 hours of Prime, temps will only rise to 75c. You'd want to keep temps below 80c for optimal operation. The main point is a 'stress test'. While Cinebench gives a quick full-load burst, it doesn't stress the CPU or really reveal stability, which is why it's called 'bench'. For CPU voltage stability, Prime95 small ffts are the best approach—it shows the maximum temperature at a specific voltage. If it fails at a lower voltage, just increase it gradually. Testing at lower voltages is crucial.
The recommended duration depends on your specific needs, but 4 hours could be sufficient for many users.
So, if you want to be sure that it is stable, you run it over night. Typically for 8 hours. If it has no failures, then it's pretty darn stable. Others will tell you to test for an hour or even just a couple of hours. Yes, of course you can do that. But, for completeness, a long stress test to be sure is the way to go. Any decent/reputable guide will tell you the same. Here's a great guide to get you hooked into OC'ing: https://forums. Lots of info in here you will find very useful. Among which there is a very specific section on how/why to stress test properly. Good luck!
It's a good sign. You're welcome. If you need more help, just let me know. I've worked on a comparable setup and thoroughly went through the OC process. I'm ready to assist.