Ryzen uses high voltages to boost performance and efficiency in its processors.
Ryzen uses high voltages to boost performance and efficiency in its processors.
People often wonder why AMD uses such high voltages in their CPUs. For the Ryzen 5 3600, it ran at 1.435v and would heat up to 85-86°C during games like Overwatch or Forza Horizon even with the stock cooler. After using Ryzen Master to optimize, lowering the voltage to 1.17v didn’t affect performance much, but still kept temperatures down to around 62°C (-23°C). High voltages might seem unnecessary, but they help maintain stability and prevent throttling under load. It’s a trade-off between efficiency and thermal management, which can also boost brand image by showing strong performance capabilities.
I’m not an expert, but my idea is they likely use higher voltage settings to keep every CPU running smoothly. Most CPUs can handle lower voltages and run cooler, but some might struggle if you go too low, which feels like a bit of luck with the chips themselves.
Higher voltages usually offer better stability, yet 1.4 plus is excessive when your setup only includes a stock cooler.
It seems the motherboard controls the voltages, and I assumed there was a standard voltage for each model. Actually, it turned out my specific motherboard had its own settings (B450F Strix), but the temperature was only 86 degrees, not 1.4°C as I thought.
It's just typical behavior. High voltage with lower current loads is quite normal. When it moves to higher current loads, you'll start to notice the voltage dropping. Temperatures are around what you'd expect from the stock cooler—perfectly fine.
The B450 Strix F is indeed a low-current unit. It features a 4-stage, 6+2 phase power design. Make sure you're clear on the details before you decide to rest.
This has no connection to the board. "Low current" and "high current" refer to the CPU's power draw, not the VRM. The VRM is fine, but it's unrelated. I recommend checking voltages with hardwareinfo. What you've described fits normal behavior. If you're worried, consider updating the BIOS. It might be running an older version from about six months prior. Probably no impact.