This processor reaches a maximum speed of 3700 MHz under high temperatures.
This processor reaches a maximum speed of 3700 MHz under high temperatures.
The specs show a NZXT H510 Elite case paired with a Ryzen 5 3600 using the stock cooler and an RX 5700 XT. The processor doesn’t hit advertised speeds, especially under demanding games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Performance drops significantly during CPU-intensive tasks, suggesting thermal throttling. Despite running at around 70°C, the CPU still operates near its lower end. A screenshot from Ryzen Master after a stress test with Furmark shows similar issues. Another Valhalla benchmark with Ryzen Master enabled reached only up to 70°C, but peak speeds were about 3500 MHz—much lower than expected. The game felt smoother this time, though still far below ideal. I have an aggressive cooler fan setting, but it rarely reaches full speed (around 50°C idle). I’m unsure if the cooler setup is correct or if the issue lies elsewhere. I’m considering aftermarket cooling solutions and reached out to Linus Sex Tips for advice, but they haven’t responded. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Are there SSDs or hard drives with AC power? Do you use dual-channel RAM? If your system is slowing down because of a slow hard drive, the CPU might be holding up assets while waiting (CPU shouldn't throttle at 70°C) which could lead to frame drops. Also, having limited or no memory can contribute to these issues through bandwidth constraints or pagefile usage.
Old hard drives can definitely contribute to those issues you're experiencing. They might be causing frame drops and slowing down your CPU performance. Your setup sounds solid, but aging components can still affect stability.