No, undervolting won't harm your laptop fans. It only adjusts the voltage to reduce power consumption and heat.
No, undervolting won't harm your laptop fans. It only adjusts the voltage to reduce power consumption and heat.
I began exploring more about undervolting and tried it myself. My machine is a Lenovo Yoga 920, I don’t handle heavy tasks, but the fan sounds bothers me since Lenovo is known for loud fans. I thought adjusting the voltage could lower CPU power consumption and thus reduce noise. I used an Intel XTU board and ran some stress tests with undervolting set to -0.100V. Now my laptop maintains a core package temperature around 45°C on average, reaching up to 90°C during testing. My issue is that the fans completely stopped making noise even when the CPU was under heavy load. During a test, the CPU temperature rose to 93°C but no fan noise was audible. Is this a sign of damaged fans? Could undervolting actually help in this situation? How can I verify if the fans are still functional (the SpeedFan isn’t compatible with my model) and what steps should I take next? Thanks ahead!
Ensure the device is powered off and disconnect the bios battery if accessible. This will allow you to undo any errors. Reinsert it after a short delay. The initial fix involved replacing the old thermal paste, which would have already reduced temperatures. Operating at 90°C is unsuitable for your equipment. Cleaning the exterior fans using WD40 or a suitable electric cleaner (avoid greasy products) should suffice; let them dry completely before reattaching. If this doesn't resolve the issue, consider replacing the fans.
Also wipe down the heatpipes and contact areas prior to reattaching everything; it might not appear much, but using quality thermal paste can eliminate most of the residue, resulting in a noticeable improvement in noise reduction. The fans will start spinning much later and may shut down prematurely.
I haven't tried this model before, but the X1's 8750 seems to handle clocks well and maintains temperatures near 83°C under heavy use. It looks like the fans might have had problems before, while the Yoga 920 has two fans that are still functional at full speed. I think it would be wise to adjust something. If resetting the BIOS doesn't work, measure the voltage those fans draw with a volt meter. If they read 5 to 12 volts but don’t spin, they’re likely damaged. If it’s less than 5 volts, there could be a motherboard issue.
@Benji I just talked to my cousin over the phone. He has a newer yoga 930 with an i7 8550 inside. He mentioned the highest operating temperature that the Lenovo supports is between 92 to 95°C. Typical Prime95 readings usually sit around 70 to 78°C, but this depends on the surrounding environment.
Hey there, thanks for reaching out! I appreciate your patience while the computer was off. It's strange how things can change after a reboot. Regarding your questions, thermal paste for a CPU like the Yoga 920 is typically applied on the motherboard, not the CPU cover. Since you've already disassembled it yourself and the CPU is secure, you might want to check with your specific model manual or forums for precise guidance. For cleaning with WD-40, there are some tutorials online that show safe methods—just be sure to follow proper safety steps. Let me know if you need more help!