F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop My CPU isn't boosting up to its usual speed anymore.

My CPU isn't boosting up to its usual speed anymore.

My CPU isn't boosting up to its usual speed anymore.

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PugMasterPvper
Junior Member
17
07-27-2026, 07:28 AM
#1
I just bought a new PC. It has an Intel i9-12900 processor that is not overclocked and does not have XMP enabled. I really like using stock settings without changing voltages or clock speeds. But the CPU can't go higher than about 4.30 GHz, even though it passed all the tests from the Intel performance tool. The BIOS has been updated. I don't want to install any third-party software for the monitor, so here is a zip file with my BIOS images if you want to check them: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cPc5mUR...drive_link Intel i9-12900 LGA1700, 65W to 202W Samsung 990 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD 2TB be quiet! Pure Base 600 black ASUS TUF GAMING H670-PRO WIFI D4 CORSAIR RMx Series RM850x Noctua NH-D12L be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140 mm CORSAIR | Vengeance LPX EAN: 840006619208 Asus Prime 5070 Ti, 16GB, 300W Win 11 Home
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PugMasterPvper
07-27-2026, 07:28 AM #1

I just bought a new PC. It has an Intel i9-12900 processor that is not overclocked and does not have XMP enabled. I really like using stock settings without changing voltages or clock speeds. But the CPU can't go higher than about 4.30 GHz, even though it passed all the tests from the Intel performance tool. The BIOS has been updated. I don't want to install any third-party software for the monitor, so here is a zip file with my BIOS images if you want to check them: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cPc5mUR...drive_link Intel i9-12900 LGA1700, 65W to 202W Samsung 990 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 SSD 2TB be quiet! Pure Base 600 black ASUS TUF GAMING H670-PRO WIFI D4 CORSAIR RMx Series RM850x Noctua NH-D12L be quiet! Pure Wings 3 140 mm CORSAIR | Vengeance LPX EAN: 840006619208 Asus Prime 5070 Ti, 16GB, 300W Win 11 Home

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EmeraldQuartz
Member
50
07-27-2026, 12:22 PM
#2
You need to add something to watch the temperature and see what's happening. I think having a case, a 120MM air cooler, even a fancy Noctua fan, isn't enough cooling power for an i9 processor. Here are some tips on monitoring software. HWInfo is really good and has lots of info. CoreTemps works well just for the CPU and uses very little memory. MSI Afterburner and RIVA tuner are the go-to tools for checking temperatures and status in games.
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EmeraldQuartz
07-27-2026, 12:22 PM #2

You need to add something to watch the temperature and see what's happening. I think having a case, a 120MM air cooler, even a fancy Noctua fan, isn't enough cooling power for an i9 processor. Here are some tips on monitoring software. HWInfo is really good and has lots of info. CoreTemps works well just for the CPU and uses very little memory. MSI Afterburner and RIVA tuner are the go-to tools for checking temperatures and status in games.

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stanlli
Junior Member
47
07-29-2026, 04:37 AM
#3
How is your computer running at that speed when I don't have special software watching over it? The clock rate might just be stuck at 4.3GHz even if you can push it higher, because the system caps its power usage or maybe some cores are slower than others.
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stanlli
07-29-2026, 04:37 AM #3

How is your computer running at that speed when I don't have special software watching over it? The clock rate might just be stuck at 4.3GHz even if you can push it higher, because the system caps its power usage or maybe some cores are slower than others.

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163
08-03-2026, 05:55 AM
#4
You're hurting yourself by being too careful. You're asking for advice but not even trying to check your own tools? Also, checking your computer's clock speed in Task Manager can give you the wrong picture. Instead, use a program called HWiNFO to see the real numbers.
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Tutterbutter88
08-03-2026, 05:55 AM #4

You're hurting yourself by being too careful. You're asking for advice but not even trying to check your own tools? Also, checking your computer's clock speed in Task Manager can give you the wrong picture. Instead, use a program called HWiNFO to see the real numbers.

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Blockwalker02
Member
181
08-03-2026, 07:04 AM
#5
Taskmanager showed me my clock speed earlier. Now I have an HW monitor and see a maximum of 5GHz. That means I probably don't need to worry much right now. Does the small difference between 12V and 11.9 actually make a big deal?
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Blockwalker02
08-03-2026, 07:04 AM #5

Taskmanager showed me my clock speed earlier. Now I have an HW monitor and see a maximum of 5GHz. That means I probably don't need to worry much right now. Does the small difference between 12V and 11.9 actually make a big deal?

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MrDerpyson
Junior Member
43
08-03-2026, 01:10 PM
#6
That cooler is too small for the job because it can only handle about 100 watts of power, but you need 220w which is a lot. You should probably buy at least seven to eight heatpipe coolers or get an AIO unit rated between 240 and 360 watts.
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MrDerpyson
08-03-2026, 01:10 PM #6

That cooler is too small for the job because it can only handle about 100 watts of power, but you need 220w which is a lot. You should probably buy at least seven to eight heatpipe coolers or get an AIO unit rated between 240 and 360 watts.

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_FattyWap_
Member
130
08-04-2026, 11:52 AM
#7
I ran the 3Dmark fire strike test and got a score of 40288 with XMP turned on. XMP is just my only custom settings since it's not overclocked on the CPU or GPU. The CPU reached about 83 degrees Celsius while the GPU stayed around 70 degrees. I don't know how well this would hold up if the test ran for hours instead of minutes. I hope you're wrong because I wouldn't want to swap out my cooler. My cooler is listed as NSPR of 148, and according to their charts, that gives us plenty of room for boost or turbo on that CPU.
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_FattyWap_
08-04-2026, 11:52 AM #7

I ran the 3Dmark fire strike test and got a score of 40288 with XMP turned on. XMP is just my only custom settings since it's not overclocked on the CPU or GPU. The CPU reached about 83 degrees Celsius while the GPU stayed around 70 degrees. I don't know how well this would hold up if the test ran for hours instead of minutes. I hope you're wrong because I wouldn't want to swap out my cooler. My cooler is listed as NSPR of 148, and according to their charts, that gives us plenty of room for boost or turbo on that CPU.