Issue involving CPU frequency dropping during game launch. Not due to overheating. Overclocked processor is the cause.
Issue involving CPU frequency dropping during game launch. Not due to overheating. Overclocked processor is the cause.
Hello, I’m looking for assistance with a recent issue I encountered after resetting my PC and overclocking my system. I switched my I7-9700K to 5.0 GHz instead of its standard base speed of 3.6 GHz, and also overclocked my 2070 Super. Initially, everything functioned properly, but now I frequently notice a strange problem when launching games like Fortnite or Valorant. The CPU’s speed drops to around 3.47–3.67 GHz, and once the game starts, it remains stuck at that lower frequency even after closing it. I’ve checked online resources, but most suggestions focus on thermal throttling, which doesn’t seem to be the case here. My CPU temperature stays between 53–65 degrees Celsius, far from the threshold for throttling, and what’s more surprising is that in one game I played “Sons of the Forest,” the speed returned to base frequency just once or twice before needing a restart to return to my overclock settings. This behavior doesn’t happen consistently across all games, which makes it difficult to diagnose. I’m hoping someone can help me resolve this issue. Thank you for your time.
Check if everything is running at 5GHz with static voltage, or if you're applying a dynamic overclock. Ensure all power and current limits are set to maximum.
Several games are manipulating the Intel turbo settings. Use ThrottleStop, view the TPL window to see what's occurring, and you can also stop it from happening. Inspect the MMIO Lock and MSR Lock sections to avoid changes in power limits. Share a screenshot if assistance is needed. This problem typically stems from a supposed game optimization tool running on your system. Could be related to MSI, perhaps?
You're suggesting the issue might stem from recent MSI updates, especially after installing RGB lighting control software. The combination of your motherboard (MSI Z390 Pro Carbon) and GPU (Intel 2070 Super Gaming X Trio 8 GB DDR5 DRDR5) could be affected by those changes. I'm considering trying a workaround soon. Thanks for the insight!
Lucky shot. This issue has been ongoing for some time. Many people don’t realize it’s occurring or understand why. If you need to run MSI software, ThrottleStop can help lock out power limits and stop any changes. This problem appears only in certain games. The Turbo Power Limits section shows the current settings. I’ve noticed some systems have these limits set to zero, completely disabling Intel turbo boost and forcing your CPU to run at its base speed. Occasionally things return to normal after exiting a game, but sometimes leaving it at zero forces a reboot.
Edit – My guess is MSI software is trying to write 4096 to the power limit register. The issue arises because the CPU register can only hold up to 4095.875. Someone rounded that up to 4096, which is a big mistake. This causes the register to wrap around like an old speedometer. After 4095.875 it jumps to 0. Goodbye Intel turbo boost during this situation. Also, avoid setting turbo power limits to 4096 in the BIOS; use 4095 instead.
After trying to adjust things, I realized I missed locating the setting in my bios. I discovered an option called enhanced turbo, which was set to auto. I attempted to enable it and started playing Fortnite. It seems to maintain the correct gHz range, but now I’m considering reverting to an overclock profile. I haven’t done it yet, but I hope it resolves the issue. If not, I’ll revisit this later. Thanks for the guidance—especially about how enhanced turbo affects CPU performance. It’s confusing where the problem might lie, as it appears to require lowering the gHz back to base.
Certainly, here’s a clearer take on the ThrottleStop program and its application. It’s important to proceed with caution since using it carries risks. The program allows you to pause or limit network traffic temporarily. You can set specific time limits or conditions for throttling, which helps manage bandwidth usage or test performance under constraints. Always review the documentation carefully before applying it in your environment.
Did you attempt to secure the turbo power caps as I recommended? Share some images from the TPL and FIVR interfaces if assistance is required. ThrottleStop functions only when correctly configured.