CPU clock
CPU clock
Hey everyone, so my CPU (i7 9700k) is acting weird at idle—it fluctuates a lot, sometimes jumping from around 5.0MHz down to as low as 3.6 or even 0.8. But when I load it up, it stabilizes back at 5.0MHz. The thermal performance looks solid, staying under 65°C and averaging about 57 during full load. My voltage is also at 1.36V. This has been a new problem for me, and I was wondering if anyone has any insights or solutions.
You might adjust the clock speed or similar settings in the BIOS. If it doesn’t lead to issues, there’s no need to turn it off. Performance will match what it would be without that setting, and you’ll save a bit on your electricity bill each month (just a few cents at most).
The primary issue was simply tweaking the overclock, which caused HWinfo to display erratic clock speeds in random jumps. Turning off Intel SpeedStep Technology resolved the unusual behavior.
It's not the main factor. With UEFI you don't need to worry about software starting or running quietly, it just keeps performing at your chosen speeds without you having to think about it. Most operating systems make overclocking difficult. Adjusting settings in the OS can be fast, so if Prime95 stops working you can tweak voltage or clock speed right away to get it running, then save those changes in the BIOS before rebooting. It's not ideal for constant overclocking, but it works well for fine-tuning. In competitive tests, a reboot can actually save you up to 50MHz in extreme cold, which might mean the difference between first and eighth place.
Did you mean that? So the UEFI auto OC and software-based frequency adjustments don't clash? Regarding OS tweaking, I understand you're talking about niche projects that nobody cares about anymore. I don't see a scenario where you'd need to tweak an unstable frequency for a workload that wouldn't just cause your OS to crash. Competitive overclocking really feels like guesswork combined with luck and expensive parts. To be honest, doing an OC in 2022 seems pointless since almost everything is already stable except for the occasional extreme case like liquid nitrogen.
Software adjustments take precedence over BIOS defaults. This helps when BIOS settings fluctuate and you need guidance on adjustments. You can still import the configuration, but tweaking voltage to 1.3v and testing 4.9GHz without restarting is beneficial. If 4.9GHz at 1.3v isn't stable but doesn’t cause a crash, increasing voltage again can help achieve stability without rebooting. The process becomes faster if you're familiar with the settings while using the OS. After completing the changes, importing everything is still recommended. This approach is most valuable for competitive overclocking, especially on older Intel processors, saving time by avoiding frequent restarts and key presses. It’s primarily useful for daily stable overclocking rather than everyday performance.