Question Should new CPU always be running above base?

[mdlc]

Brand new i5-13600k that's running at 5.1ghz 100% of the time, which is strange since I haven't overclocked anything out of the box. The system is stable and temps peaked at 63-65 in 20 mins of Aida64.

The question is should I change power settings to only allow it to max during load and have lower clock speeds when idle? Does running at 5.1 100% hurt it or will it affect it's longevity. My old rig with a 6600k has lasted over 7 years OC'd to 4.4, so my gut says no but the experts live here. Do most people use balanced or high performance power mode in Win11?

 

[Aeacus]

Your CPU has 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores. Now, E-cores can not run at 5.1 Ghz, instead they turbo up to 3.9 Ghz. Only P-cores can turbo to 5.1Ghz.

So, download and run HWinfo64 (sensor mode) and look exactly which cores are turboing to the max. I suspect only one core is at max turbo, but the program you look it from currently (e.g Task Manager), shows entire CPU to be at 5.1Ghz, which is impossible.

Does running at 5.1 100% hurt it or will it affect it's longevity.

Intel CPUs are designed to work at max turbo during their lifespan (warranty period).

 

[TerryLaze]

Intel CPUs are designed to work at max turbo during their lifespan (warranty period).

They are designed for the max turbo tdp that they state on their page for each CPU and not max turbo in general, the way you are wording it anything the mobo does is under warranty or the way intel designed it and that's just not so.

The 13600k is rated for 181W max and anything above that voids the warranty.
At least in theory since intel almost never refuses RMA.

Intel® Core™ i5-13600K Processor (24M Cache, up to 5.10 GHz) - Product Specifications | Intel

Intel® Core™ i5-13600K Processor (24M Cache, up to 5.10 GHz) quick reference with specifications, features, and technologies.

www.intel.com

 

[Bob.B]

Brand new i5-13600k that's running at 5.1ghz 100% of the time, which is strange since I haven't overclocked anything out of the box. The system is stable and temps peaked at 63-65 in 20 mins of Aida64.

The question is should I change power settings to only allow it to max during load and have lower clock speeds when idle? Does running at 5.1 100% hurt it or will it affect it's longevity. My old rig with a 6600k has lasted over 7 years OC'd to 4.4, so my gut says no but the experts live here. Do most people use balanced or high performance power mode in Win11?

Have options like speed shift/speed step in the bios?
If so play with those see what the results are.

 

[hotaru.hino]

The reason why the clock speeds are peaking is because there's always something to do. If you're using Task Manager, it's only going to report the highest clocked core. You'll need another tool that probes each core's frequency to see what's going on.

As far as power mode, I use Balanced 90% of the time. The other 10% is Power Saver just if I'm feeling power conscious because all I'm doing is watching YouTube or somehting.

 

[uWebb429]

shows entire CPU to be at 5.1Ghz, which is impossible.

The 13600K is different compared to most Intel processors. It is designed to use the 51 multiplier whether one or all six P cores are active. Most Intel CPUs reduce the maximum multiplier as more cores become active but this does not apply to the 13600K. This is also true when running the 13600K on B760 or B660 motherboards.

balanced or high performance power mode

If you want your CPU to run cooler and consume less power when lightly loaded, enable the C states in the BIOS. This is how Intel CPUs do most of their light load power savings. You can try using the Balanced power plan but it might not make a huge difference depending on how many background tasks are running on your computer. Intel CPUs are designed to jump up to maximum speed with the slightest amount of load.

Just like your 6600K, your 13600K will last a long, long time no matter how you choose to run it.

 

[Aeacus]

The 13600K is different compared to most Intel processors. It is designed to use the 51 multiplier whether one or all six P cores are active. Most Intel CPUs reduce the maximum multiplier as more cores become active but this does not apply to the 13600K. This is also true when running the 13600K on B760 or B660 motherboards.

Entire packet together, P- and E-cores combined, all 14 cores, will not run 5.1Ghz since E-cores can't turbo that high. This is what i was saying. P-cores alone, yes, can turbo to 5.1 Ghz, one, some or all 6 of them.

They are designed for the max turbo tdp that they state on their page for each CPU and not max turbo in general, the way you are wording it anything the mobo does is under warranty or the way intel designed it and that's just not so.

The 13600k is rated for 181W max and anything above that voids the warranty.
At least in theory since intel almost never refuses RMA.

Thing is, if you build the system and let CPU run on default clocks, without poking around in BIOS, modifying frequency/multiplier values, the CPU P-cores can turbo to 5.1 Ghz, as designed. And when CPU decides to run it's P-cores at that level on longer periods of time, it all still is within warranty, since that's what Intel designed the CPU to run at.

Now, if you were to OC the chip, putting it at constant frequency/multiplier level, outside of the default settings; then yes, Intel has no obligation to uphold the warranty if chip dies. But as OP said, they haven't done any such things. So, warranty still applies to OP, despite the some obscure fact, that CPU decides to run it's P-core(s) at max turbo.

Most likely, the issue is with the program used to see CPU frequency, which only reports the highest across all P-cores, and not individual core. Hence why i suggested using better program to monitor CPU frequencies.

 

[geofelt]

In windows power management, and balanced profile, set the minimum cpu% to something like 20%
That is what you should see when there is little going on.

 

[TerryLaze]

Now, if you were to OC the chip, putting it at constant frequency/multiplier level, outside of the default settings; then yes, Intel has no obligation to uphold the warranty if chip dies. But as OP said, they haven't done any such things. So, warranty still applies to OP, despite the some obscure fact, that CPU decides to run it's P-core(s) at max turbo.

The mobo can come with MCE enabled and PL unlimited without you having touched anything.
Here is a pic from a small test hardware unboxed did, you can see power draws from 65 all the way up to 200W from "default" settings (without touching anything) .
And these are B660 mobos, so not the overclocking ones where you would expect them to push the CPU.

 

[Aeacus]

Here is a pic from a small test hardware unboxed did, you can see power draws from 65 all the way up to 200W from "default" settings (without touching anything) .

i9-12900K is 125W chip, which can consume up to 241W on turbo.
Specs: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...2900k-processor-30m-cache-up-to-5-20-ghz.html

So, what's your point on posting this?
i9-12900K pulling ~200W on default clocks is normal. It is normal up to 241W, as Intel specifies it to be. And warranty is still valid.

And these are B660 mobos, so not the overclocking ones where you would expect them to push the CPU.

Intel B660 chipset officially supports CPU OC. So, they all are the OC ones where one could OC K-series chip.
Should one use B660 to OC CPU? I'd say No. Better use Z690 chipset.

 

[uWebb429]

Intel B660 chipset officially supports CPU OC.

Some boards with the B660 chipset use an external clock generator. This allows BCLK overclocking. You need a motherboard with the Z series chipset if you want to do any multiplier overclocking.

 

[TerryLaze]

i9-12900K is 125W chip, which can consume up to 241W on turbo.
Specs: https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...2900k-processor-30m-cache-up-to-5-20-ghz.html

So, what's your point on posting this?
i9-12900K pulling ~200W on default clocks is normal. It is normal up to 241W, as Intel specifies it to be. And warranty is still valid.

The point is that these mobos will use the same settings on any CPU as can be seen from the mobo that runs the 12900k at 65W , the mobo that uses 200W will also apply 200W to a CPU that is only rated for 180W ,or less.

 

[Aeacus]

The point is that these mobos will use the same settings on any CPU as can be seen from the mobo that runs the 12900k at 65W , the mobo that uses 200W will also apply 200W to a CPU that is only rated for 180W ,or less.

There is actually no proof what-so-ever that MoBo applies the same settings to ALL CPUs you put into it. What are you doing, is assuming that it does so.

Moreover, power delivery doesn't work like so, where MoBo (or PSU), pushes all it is capable of, to the hardware (Wattage wise) and it is up to the components to either take all of it or getting fried. Instead, components draw as much as they need. So, if MoBo can deliver up to 200W to CPU, great, one could get more out of their e.g i9-12900K than with MoBo which is capable of delivering only 125W at default limits.

The image you linked, where you conveniently left out the source, straight up tells that MoBos limit the power CPU receives, not that "MoBos push that much power to CPU". He also says: "CPU uses as much power as it needs", when talking about MSI Pro B660M-A.

At 13:08:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3o1Ebk_jCA


MoBo can tell what kind of CPU it is running and based on that, applies or restricts certain protocols. Looking the vid further, at 18:52, i7-12700 is used with same MoBos and MoBos limit the CPU power differently. One example is AsRock B660 Pro RS, which limited Core i9 to 125W but Core i7 to 65W. <- This proves that MoBos CAN tell which CPU they are running with.