Clock speeds fluctuated widely on my main rig following the BIOS and ME firmware updates.
Clock speeds fluctuated widely on my main rig following the BIOS and ME firmware updates.
I just installed the ME Firmware and BIOS update for my MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi due to the Intel Microcode problem. Now I notice slightly slower load times. In Task Manager, the CPU clock speed fluctuates from around 2.96GHz to 5.2GHz depending on activity. When nothing is running, it stays between 3.0 and 3.50GHz. This happens on the High Performance power plan, but switching to Normal doesn’t help. Even when I go back to High, nothing changes. I’m worried about how this affects my gaming performance. I should have kept the old BIOS from a year ago. Back then, CPU voltage stayed below 1.5. EDIT: My PC usually kept a steady clock speed of 5.1-5.2 during idle, and sometimes reached 5.4 during certain tasks.
Have you checked if your chipsets are current? They work closely with the BIOS update; I’d search YouTube for CPU/MMO chipset guides. If they’re outdated and you have a newer BIOS, it could cause problems with your hardware. Also, check QuickCPU on YouTube—your CPU cores might be idle and affecting performance. Let me know if this assists!
The updated microcode causes the boosting feature to behave oddly and doesn't really solve the main problem. Just keep your clock speed and voltage steady. A 1.35V setting works well, and locking the frequency around 5.5GHz for i9/i5s/i7s should give you 5.2 or 5.3. It's not worth using dynamic frequency tuning on Intel right now—it just doesn't help much.
You should enter the BIOS settings and adjust the speed and voltage accordingly.
1.35 is a solid choice and generally lower than typical CPU boosts, which usually range around 1.4 or 1.45 depending on the processor. 5.2 to 5.4 should work, but proceed with caution since it's essentially an overclock. If you're only gaming, disable E-Cores to avoid further issues.
It was interesting how all my voltage levels stayed below 1.5 before the BIOS update. The maximum I observed was 1.47 for a brief moment. That happened on an older BIOS that was more than a year old.
These are still dangerous voltage levels, which explains the problems Intel is facing. A 1.47 for any duration is problematic, even above 1.4 at all is not ideal. Setting it to lock would restrict performance, but my 13700K reached 5.6GHz around 1.35—you should likely achieve 5.2–5.4 with these more stable voltages, delivering similar or even improved results.
Intel limited the maximum voltage to 1.55, making 1.47 volts still acceptable.
You downloaded the MSI Driver Utility and drivers are loading but getting stuck at 99% on the Intell Chipset Driver. If it doesn’t finish, try restarting your PC or checking for updates. If the issue persists, consult the driver’s support forums or contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Overclock enthusiasts have varying opinions. Running at 1.55V can harm your CPU over time, even briefly. Going above 1.45 is already risky. Intel's approach isn't clear at the moment. Aim for 1.35 or lower to maintain stock performance or better in games. Keep the limit at 1.4 or less.