Find instructions on how to lower the voltage for your Asrock z490m-ITX/AC.
Find instructions on how to lower the voltage for your Asrock z490m-ITX/AC.
I previously used throttlestop to undervolt before learning about BIOS updates that removed that feature for certain programs (like Intel). Now the only way seems to be through the BIOS settings, which is confusing. Searching online didn’t yield much, so I’m wondering if anyone knows how to adjust this safely. I found a "voltage offset" option in the BIOS, but it prompts me to enter a value manually without a default reference, leaving me unsure what number to use. I definitely don’t want to accidentally over-volt.
I apply ThrottleStop on my Asus Z490 to reduce the voltage. It functions well. During BIOS setup I had to turn on SVID support. A comparable option may exist in your Asrock BIOS. Adjusting CPU voltage control is usually not restricted on desktop boards. If you wish to modify the BIOS settings, consider using a negative offset to decrease the voltage. On the Asus board, here’s how to set a -75 mV undervolt. This serves as a solid starting point for testing. There’s an intriguing discussion highlighting how small voltage reductions can significantly impact performance. The Intel default voltage chart tends to be slightly higher than ideal.
Thanks for the response. It seems the core voltage choices are hidden due to security measures on many Intel boards, which is frustrating for someone like me who needs them. I’ll revisit the voltage settings in my BIOS tomorrow night once I’m back online.
100 mV equals 0.100 volts. On your Asus board, as illustrated in the image, choose positive or negative sign independently from the voltage selection. If your BIOS lacks this feature, simply input -0.100. There’s no need to stress about it. Intel processors operate at 1.20 V, 1.30 V, 1.40 V, or 1.50 V. If you make a mistake, your CPU won’t fail. Share a photo of your BIOS to confirm whether the setting you’re adjusting is in volts or millivolts. Most motherboards use volts, so a negative value like -0.100 V should be correct. The OC Tweaker area in the BIOS likely offers options to set the voltage.
I revisited my bios to move the mv even lower, but it seems -100mv is the maximum allowed. Anything below that triggered an error and the system defaulted. I adjusted the Load Line voltage calibration to level 5 instead of 4, thinking it would keep the processor cooler without affecting overclocking potential. Since I’m not aiming for overclocking, I’m okay with this setting but curious if it improves thermal stability. It’s odd I can’t go further down. I’ll need testing to confirm its impact on thermals.
The most effective method I discovered was disabling turbo boost in the BIOS. It maintains my core speed at just 3.5ghz, which is sufficient for the games I play. If only I could get the 3070 to run cooler than 80-85°C during certain titles—though I found that’s actually quite typical for a 3070 RTX.