[SOLVED] Ryzen 3000 Voltages are a MESS

[MrMoonboots]

So I recently put together my first PC ever, and while I originally was putting it together as a 2700x build, I was quickly informed and repeatedly reminded by everyone I asked for help with the build to "Forget the 2700x, wait for the 3700x. You'll be much happier"

So I did. Oops. Now I'm afraid to even use the thing and I'm quickly regretting buying it, plotting out how to return some of the older parts that may be past their return date, send AMD's parts back, and considering spending the extra money necessary to create an Intel build out of pure spite.

Before I continue, I wanted to go ahead and get this out of the way. I have read AMD Robert's post about their "Final word" on Zen2 voltages. I have followed his instructions down to the letter, I understand his explanation about the observer effect on the processor by some monitoring software, so I followed his instructions about using CPU-Z ONLY with nothing running in the background to check my voltages while following his steps and nothing has helped.

I have a Ryzen 7 3700X build. My idle voltages sit at 1.4V+ constantly no matter what I do, with the occasional drop to 0.9V. My core temps fluctuate massively, PBO is WAY too sensitive, and without having to look very hard I find that others are having this EXACT same issue.

Let me repeat for clarity: My voltages do not "occasionally" go to 1.4V+, they SIT there CONSTANTLY, at idle, when I'm doing absolutely nothing.

CPU temps fluctuate a massive 20 degrees between 30c to 50c nonstop at idle, but settle around 50-60 under load, with my highest observed peak at about 73 degrees.
So the temperatures I've observed seem to be in a safe range, while still being completely nervewracking to someone who isn't used to it

PBO is so sensitive simply moving the mouse will send my clocks to 4.2GHZ and my fans will spin up and not stop until I do, but once I do it doesn't matter much because the fans spin up every ten seconds because of the huge temperature fluctuation that happens minute-to-minute anyways.

These voltages and temp fluctuations stay the same under most any condition with the one exception I've found being putting the computer into the Windows Power Saver plan, which gives me a consistent 0.9 voltage, and keeps my temps stable. But then I'm not able to play the games I built the PC for and I didn't really spend $1800 on a PC to put it in power saver mode at any point anyways, you know? So forgive me for the occasional snarky comment, I'm justifiably a LITTLE frustrated.

To attempt to resolve this issue I've taken a number of steps, and tried multiple different configurations I'll list below, along with my build.

BUILD:
ASUS Rog Strix X470-F
Ryzen 7 3700X (Noctua DH15S cooler)
MSI GeForce 1660TI "Ventus"
Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB
32GB G.Skill Trident Z RGB 3200@14CAS*
*(Side note I have have not been able to get my ram speed to 3200@14CAS in mobo settings, does not post when I try)

To start I made sure I was on the latest Windows update, made sure I had the latest chipset driver (1.07.07) per Rob's instruction and made sure my BIOS settings were set to "AUTO" in line with the ones recommended by AMD robert. The one exception to this rule was setting my CPU Voltage from "Auto" to "Normal" in my BIOS settings. I did not see this option in my ASUS BIOS, if someone could help me find it I'd be super appreciative.

In this process I am using CPU-Z, as instructed by AMD Robert to monitor my voltage, using NO other monitoring programs and being sure that any third party background apps are also not running. This included turning of ASUS' Aura sync and leaving it off.

After changing my BIOS settings, I first tried the Ryzen Balanced Power plan as was mentioned in previous edits of his post and voltages did not change, staying around 1.4V+ with the occasional drop to 0.9
Then I tried the Windows Balanced Power Plan with the same results.
Then when I turn on Windows Power Saver my voltages drop straight to 0.9, and I am no longer able to use my PC the way I want to. Great.

So I then went back into BIOS settings and turned off PBO to see if this might help.
Came back and followed the same three steps and got the same results. Ryzen balanced, Windows Balanced, and then Power saver.

Power saver is once again the only plan with sane idle voltages, but still, of course makes my PC unusable for what I intended it. Awesome!

I am out of ideas. I want some help. I just spent an insane amount of money putting together my first usable gaming PC in over 5 years, excitedly bragged to my family and friends how I could stop playing browser games and start playing modern games with them only to find I put together a ticking time bomb for over one grand that I'll be lucky to keep working for two years at this rate. I'm so upset.

I am here to carry out any tests you might want me to run, within reason to help resolve this issue, or find out the cause. GIve me some ideas, some insight. Tell me about your own experience with this release. What have you tried? Does anyone else have a similar build to mine?

Thank you for reading, I'd love for everything to just be working correctly. I didn't know what safe voltages for a 7nm processor were two days ago. I didn't know ideal CPU temps two days ago. I've learned so much I never cared to learn about this processor when all I want to do is play a video game. It's nonsensical. If there's something I'm not understanding correclty PLEASE educate me. I am so lost at this point and completely disappointed

 

[CountMike]

Voltage is set by BIOS and only BIOS and it doesn't really care which Ryzen generation or which CPU you have. 3rd gen is also made so it has faster response to loads . From all you have written, I don't see where that "ticking time bomb" opinion comes from. Max temperature is 85c so you are still far from it, it's not like it's about to melt !
Max voltage you can regulate by either setting it manually or by using negative offset.
Fan speeds are also controlled by BIOS and CPU temps but it's not magically to set it all by itself, you have to set fan speed curves yourself.
All of this is is due to immature BIOS that's more or less only and ad-hock version made just to provide compatibility for 3rd gen while still providing full compatibility with all earlier CPUs.
AMD is also dragging their feet with AGESA code AGESA 1002 doesn't seem to be all compatible with 3rd gen and AGESA 1003aba and ab has been released and pulled back several times and is absolutely needed by MB manufacturers to make more refined BIOS.