CPU timing changed unexpectedly after installing Intel microcode 0x129 on the ROG STRIX Z790-E.
CPU timing changed unexpectedly after installing Intel microcode 0x129 on the ROG STRIX Z790-E.
I just changed my BIOS to version 1503 for my ROG STRIX Z790-E gaming Wi-Fi II board, which adds the new Intel microcode 0x129. With an i9-13900K chip, I checked the updates right away since it was released. In HWiNFO I see odd clock behavior: speeds drop to 800MHz and then jump back up to either 5500MHz or 4300MHz for the P and E cores. It’s not obvious at a 2000ms polling interval, but at 20ms it changes very fast. This only appears during light tasks or when the system is idle. It didn’t happen with BIOS 1202. Is this typical? It seems unusual. I only noticed it while checking Argus Monitor, which shows cores at 20ms.
This behavior is typical across similar models. The core will enter a low-power mode when idle.