[SOLVED] i5-9600k issue - throttling to 800MHz with <50 degree temps? Where am I going wrong here?

Jan 11, 2019
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New to overclocking, followed a video guide by MSI on YouTube. As I increase the overclock, the performance numbers get worse. HWinfo shows me that during stress tests, the clock is dropping to 800MHz periodically. Is there a setting within my BIOS which is throttling performance? Why is performance so much worse with the OC? Full info below.

PC specs:
- CPU Intel i5-9600k 3.7GHz with corsair h60i cooler
- MSI MPG Z390I GAMING EDGE AC mini-ITX
- 16GB Corsair DDR4 Vengeance 2666MHz
- Gigabyte 1060 6GB
- ADATA SX900 SSD
- Windows 10

Everything on default – original benchmark scores:
- PassMark 13428
- CPU-Z 513 (single thread); 2796 (multi thread)
- when running benchmark at stock, the CPU clock would drop to 3.7GHz when at 100% load, but idle at 4.6GHz (the turbo boost speed). Is this normal? Surely the clock should increase during load unless there is some kind of throttle going on?


Overclocking to 4.4GHz (although I understand this is below the turbo boost of 9600k)
- PassMark 4976
- CPU-Z 443 (single thread); 2473 (multi thread)

Overclock to 4.9GHz
- Passmark 4441
- During the benchmark test, clock would drop to 800MHz with temps of less than 50 degrees

HW INFO panel - https://imgur.com/fvtejE7


Here are the changes I made to my BIOS (images of bios in link below)
- OC explore mode - expert
- CPU ratio - 49
- CPU Ratio mode - Fixed mode
- CPU ration offset when running AVX - -3
- VCORE - 1.32v
- CPU SA and CPU IO - 1.2v
- XMP enabled
- CPU loadline calibration Control - MODE 4
- Intel C-state disabled


FULL BIOS SETTINGS (sorry for phone pics)

https://imgur.com/a/eIopzcC
 
Solution


Great, so Intel XTU is showing VRM throttling?
That is a tough case since this is not something you can fix by changing some settings in the BIOS. It's rather a physical issue. You might wanna...

thtran6

Upstanding
Oct 2, 2018
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Your score got worse every time because the benchmark test was being run on a throttled clock speed.
If it was to stay at the manually input clock speed (4.9 Ghz let's say), then the score would be higher.

In regard to your problem, there are two possibilities here:

(1) Temperature throttle: your increase in voltage led to an increase in temp. If your cooler isn't good enough (you haven't told us your cooler yet), temp could get real high and ultimately hitting the throttle temp, causing the mobo to dial back on the clock speed.

This, however, is unlikely in my experience, because you indicated that you were at only 1.32 Vcore, which is not that high to cause temp throttling unless you own a very very crappy cooler!

(2) Power throttle: I'm leaning more towards this one. You mentioned that you disabled C-state. That's good. However, there are still other features that need to be adjusted.
(a) Make sure to go to Windows --> Power Options, and select High Performance Plan
(b) In your BIOS, select Override Mode instead of Adaptive.
(c) If you continue to scroll down from the line where you input your Vcore, there will be an
option to let you adjust the long and short power duration. The default is like 96 or 120 Watt.
Make these 500. (This option should be on the same page you found your C-state setting)

In retrospect, you should download Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (Intel XTU, just google it) and run it side by side with your stress test. The bottom right portion of the screen will highlight what is really throttling.
But I'm sure once you done step 2 above, everything would be resolved. Let me know if this fixed your problem.

 
Jan 11, 2019
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Thanks for the reply. I have the Corsair h60i closed loop system - sorry, I mentioned it alongside my CPU specs but should have listed it separately. In terms of temps, its barely pushing 55 degrees (tested on two different softwares) so I will try number 2 first.

Someone on reddit also mentioned it could be something to do with the AVX ratio set at -3. What do you think? As I understand this could be responsible for it dropping around 300Mhx but not throttling as severely.

Anyway, I'll test your suggestions and get back to you, thanks again
 

thtran6

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Oct 2, 2018
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No I'm sure it is not the AVX offset.
You mentioned that he clock is dropping to 800MHz periodically, that is certainly not something AVX offset would do.
You can always put AVX = 0 and double check :p

What are you using to monitor your clock speed? I usually open HWmonitor side by side to look at all the clock speed while the test is running.
 
Jan 11, 2019
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Yep, I tried AVX at 0 with no change.

I also have HWmonitor alongside which is where I'm seeing the clock speeds drop during benchmarks. I tried the adjustments you suggested but still getting the drop to 800MHz. I also ran Intel Extreme tuning utility alongside, and nothing lit up - no thermal, power or current limit throttling during the test - yet the clock was still dropping to 800Mhz.

Any other suggestions? I really can't find anything else in the BIOS that is obviously the culprit but it must be something!!

Edit - another thing to add. When I first boot my PC the clock speed indles at 3.7Ghz for a while before going up to 4.9. It does eventually go up to 4.9 and idle at that speed
 

thtran6

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Oct 2, 2018
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Yea that's weird. Because I used to have the exact same problem as yours. Doing Step 2(c) fixes my problem immediately.

During stress test the power TDP got higher than 120W, and the default limit in the BIOS was 120 (or 96 I don't remember) so making these 500 solved it for me.

 
Jan 11, 2019
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I've found something - there is "Motherboard VR thermal throttling" going on during the benchmarks. The only temp readings on HWmonitor suggest the motherboard is only reaching 50 degrees too... I'll look in the bios for any motherboard sensors I guess?
 

thtran6

Upstanding
Oct 2, 2018
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Great, so Intel XTU is showing VRM throttling?
That is a tough case since this is not something you can fix by changing some settings in the BIOS. It's rather a physical issue. You might wanna find a way to blow some cool air onto the motherboard, probably by installing some 120mm or 140mm fans.
 
Solution