I upgraded my setup with an i9-9900K but my gaming performance has dropped significantly.
I upgraded my setup with an i9-9900K but my gaming performance has dropped significantly.
Are you using MSI Dragon Center or another comparable control system? Recently, some programs have been affecting turbo power limits in games, cutting values down to nearly zero watts. This leads to frequent throttling of the CPU, making it run very slowly. Begin by opening CPU-Z and confirming it lists 8 cores and 16 threads. https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html For any performance impact under load, a 9900K should ideally operate at a minimum of 4700 MHz. What are your turbo power settings in the BIOS? Try using ThrottleStop. https://www.techpowerup.com/download/tec...ottlestop/ Access the TPL window to view your current limits. In the Options menu, look for the Log File option and run a game for at least 15 minutes. Afterward, close the game and ThrottleStop, which will generate a log file in the ThrottleStop/Logs folder. This file captures CPU and GPU speeds plus common reasons for throttling. Please share the log with me and I’ll explain why your CPU is slowing down.
No MSI Dragon Center found. CPU-Z shows 8 cores and 16 threads. Log file from 2021-03-08 is attached.
Reminder: Speccy isn’t current software and its temp data isn’t reliable. For better accuracy, use HWMonitor, Hwinfo64, Coretemp, etc. Which cooling solution are you running? Since the 9900K wasn’t included and can’t be handled by any standard Intel options, let me know your setup.
While recording that information, your computer was heavily utilizing its resources. The CPU display indicates near full capacity, which is unusual for an 8-core, 16-thread processor unless you're performing a stress test. Most applications don't cause such high demand on these types of processors. For reference, start with basic tasks and clear any obvious processes before testing. With ThrottleStop enabled only on the desktop, observe the C0% reading on the main display. Clicking the graph reveals all 16 threads. C0 provides an accurate picture of CPU workload and background activity. A quick idle CPU should spend just a fraction—0.1% to 0.5%—of its time in C0 mode handling tasks. If this exceeds normal, check Task Manager for background processes. The log also highlights consistent PL1 power throttling, as the 9900K has a 95W thermal design power limit. https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...0-ghz.html The standard BIOS defaults PL1 to 95W, which isn't sufficient for peak performance. It's more practical to adjust limits to at least 200W or 250W. Setting turbo power to the maximum (4095W) is unrealistic and could hinder performance. Instead, aim for 200W–250W, or even configure turbo limits to the highest safe value. You can modify these settings in the BIOS. While experimenting with ThrottleStop, you can fine-tune PL1, PL2, and other parameters via the TPL window. Many users enable a multi-core enhancement setting. If you access the FIVR window, you can also adjust turbo ratios to 50 for similar results—this is essentially overclocking, so verify the Overclock option in the BIOS. Before applying changes, remove the ThrottleStop.INI file to prevent conflicts with any saved configurations. If omitted, the software will revert to prior settings and ignore your adjustments. Continue testing and share further insights. @NelizMastr The processor stays at a safe 70°C, so cooling remains adequate.
I understand this might seem odd, but are you certain you're not running several copies of the game? When I saw low frame rates in WoW, I thought something was wrong... then realized I had been AFK for hours, ending up with two DLCs installed and repeatedly starting the game to log in.
I upgraded the CPU speed, but I wasn't sure if it worked right. I followed the instructions step by step and made some adjustments when it didn’t boot. I believed this fixed the problem because my frame rate jumped from about 80 to 250 FPS in COD. After a few minutes, it returned to normal speeds. I saved a new log after the changes, and it turned out to be just another regular COD game. 2021-03-08.txt
Actually, the issue isn't that one, focus on playing League and Cold War. Can't handle two at once. Still thanks!
Your system logs indicate the CPU is operating at 3900 MHz, which suggests either incorrect instructions you were following or an underlying issue. Running slower after overclocking is concerning. Your CPU isn't accurately reporting power usage. It’s unclear what adjustments you made in the BIOS or reference guide you used. ThrottleStop displays C0% at idle on the desktop, but the Task Manager during idle time shows the CPU dedicating nearly all cycles to nothing. This appears to be the primary concern.
UncleWebb reported no boot when increasing settings, noting only Wallpaper Engine and ThrottleStop were active. Task Manager showed idle at 99%. File: 2021-03-08.txt
Have you attempted resetting the CMOS and then checking for modifications? Clearing it after installing a new CPU can reset any previous settings.