Question AMD Threadripper 3970x - best settings for improved thermals and retained performance / Lowest possible temps with the lowest possible loss in perform

[csovesszatyor]

Hi!

I recently finished my dual-3090 Threadripper 3970x custom watercooled system. It will be mainly a workstation for simulations (mostly bioinformatics), video editing and 3D rendering.
I have 3 360mm EKWB blocks for cooling. An SE, PE and an XE.
My issue is, that I am worried about the temps of my CPU and coolant.

I am a newbie for hardware and computers in general, but I am keen to learn. Is there a way to change the settings of the CPU to make it run cooler, consume less power but retain the performance it has? I read somewhere that undervolting is different and may not be the best solution on a Threadripper CPU.

If anyone with more knowledge, or experience with the 3970x could help me, and possibly provide a step-by-step guide to change the settings to achieve lower temps it would be very much apriciated. Any background reading is welcome on this topic!

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Aeacus]

Is there a way to change the settings of the CPU to make it run cooler, consume less power but retain the performance it has?

No.

Better performance = higher power consumption and in turn - more heat production.

Downclocking does reduce power consumption and heat production, but it also puts the CPU at lower frequency, thus reducing it's performance.

If you have sufficient cooling, best you can do, is to overclock your CPU, to the point, where on full load, it doesn't go over 70C. Since when it goes over 80C, it will start to thermal throttle.
On stock clocks, and with sufficient cooling Tr 3970X should idle around 50C and should produce up to 70C on full load.

Though, keep in mind that you have 280W CPU and it will produce a lot of heat when all of it's 32 cores and 64 threads are utilized. Not to mention the power draw.

 

[ötzi]

A 3970X will not thermal throttle at 80C, it will do so at around 90C-95C...
But it will need a beefy cooler indeed, I've been using a Noctua (air)cooler and on full load the CPU runs at 81C-ish.

 

[Aeacus]

95C is max what Tr 3970X can ever do and thermal throttle begins well before that. Usually 10C before, but it could be more.

Specs: https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-threadripper-3970x

 

[hotaru.hino]

While I'm not familiar with how much you can tweak Threadripper, there is a way to reduce heat output and retain performance: undervolting. However this puts it closer to the edge of unreliability, so that's something to consider.

Otherwise unless there's an actual thermal throttling problem, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[ötzi]

95C is max what Tr 3970X can ever do and thermal throttle begins well before that. Usually 10C before, but it could be more.

Specs: https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-threadripper-3970x

Did some testing, mine is thermal throttling at around 89C, could be just my sample but think every 3970X will throttle around this temperature from what I've been reading from other users...