Intel i9 12900 running near 2.8 GHz
Intel i9 12900 running near 2.8 GHz
CPU model is Intel i9-12900. Power supply used Corsair sf750 cooling system. I assembled the PC recently and was amazed by its performance—scores around 17000 on Cinebench. Even at full load, the average clock stays between 2.6 and 2.8 GHz. Temperatures hover between 40-60°C, but Core Thermal Throttling shows 'No'. The Core Power Limit Exceeded flag appears for all cores. Hyper threading is active by default, and I tried disabling Intel Speedstep without success. The problem started during first boot with the original BIOS and XMP profile 1 enabled. After updating BIOS via instant flash, I used default UEFI settings, but the issue persists. Raising the Base Frequency Boost to 150W (maximum) brought temperatures down slightly, reaching 3.4-3.6 GHz, though CPU Vcore compensation remains at level 5. I suspect the CPU might be undervolted, but I’m unsure why. Any advice on BIOS configurations would be appreciated, as I haven’t found any documentation.
You might notice changes by directing a fan at the VRMs. An AIO isn't beneficial here since an air cooler would improve airflow to the VRMs. Examining the board photos reveals that many phases lack heatsinks, while others have only small ones. The 12900 draws a significant amount of power, causing those parts to heat up.
The unit includes a small VRM fan located on the pump. The build details shown are from another model, but it matches the reference link provided.
It seems the board OP might not be the ideal option for that CPU.
The VRM on a 12900 is too weak, and using an AIO isn't ideal since it doesn't provide proper airflow. Opt for a powerful top-down cooler like the Be Quiet! Dark Rock TF.
I began searching online and adjusting my graphics card settings, but it looks like I can't disable power limits on this motherboard. Over time, it starts throttling during the XTU Stress Test while trying to keep 165W. In the BIOS, the highest power setting available is 125W, which is the default value. Intel's specifications for the 12900 suggest the CPU requires about 200W to reach full turbo. This indicates a clear incompatibility issue.
Intel tends to be unfriendly toward consumers in this area. They let mainboard makers mark a board as compatible if it meets the minimum power requirements, like 65W for the 12900. This means Asrock can list its B660M-HDV as compatible even though it doesn’t provide the full boost power. They’re happy to do this since they don’t prioritize your maximum performance. The review covers this issue with a video of Asrock B660M-HDV, and there’s also a budget B660 VRM thermal test showing other Asrock boards that underperform.