High temperatures in the I7 9700 unit
High temperatures in the I7 9700 unit
Lowering voltage too much won't damage it; it will likely cause a crash. If you don’t enable the “set on boot” option in XTU software, you can restart and try again. When you locate a consistent voltage level, you can configure it in UEFI/BIOS. XTU includes a built-in stress test—run it or consider using Techpowerup’s PowerMAX for full SSE (gaming) and separate AVX tasks. Keep an eye on temperatures if you opt for the AVX feature with air cooling, as it tends to produce more heat. On an air-cooled system, I wouldn’t expect PowerMAX to exceed 90°C when using AVX.
Consider repositioning the cooler. Lift off any old thermal paste using alcohol or a clean cloth. Inspect the standoffs, ensuring they're snug before securing the cooler. Tighten the screws in a cross pattern—verify sufficient pressure without damaging threads. If paste is applied directly to the CPU (which is simpler), apply roughly this amount and then set the cooler without spreading.
I attempted AVX stress testing but it didn’t go beyond 80°C. My monitor displayed 85°C. I considered reducing the voltage, but it didn’t respond—grayed out and unresponsive even in BIOS. Tried entering settings, but nothing changed.
It's conceivable the voltage adjustment isn't possible with a non-K Intel CPU. As a last resort, you might attempt "Throttlestop" (https://www.techpowerup.com/download/tec...ottlestop/) to see if it can lower the voltage. Avoid changing other parameters. If that doesn't work, BIOS modifications or hardware changes are necessary. Consider using HWInfo instead of HWMonitor to verify its accuracy on your system.