Question Undervolting an Intel CPU (10th gen and higher) ?

[rbogomolec]

Today I learned that you can't undervolt 10th gen CPUs from intel. And it seems like that the other newer gens also aren't as simple as they used to be. By simple, I mean the good old "install Throttle Stop - adjust voltage - run some crash test - finished" method. I'm not happy about it. Here are my questions:

1. Are all intel CPU from 10th gen onwards impossible/complicated to undervolt?
2. Does the inability to undervolt mean that there is no more need to undervolt because the voltages are nearly perfect by default? (I think I already know that the answer is gonna be "sadly no" on this one...)
3. Are newer Ryzen CPUs also impossible/complicated to undervolt, or did AMD keep it simple? I really like how simple it is to undervolt their GPUs over their Adrenaline app, so I hope that maybe they also did something similar for their CPUs.
4. Is this "locked undervolting" only a problem with laptop CPUs, or do desktop CPUs also have this lock by default?

Note: by "complicated to undervolt" I mean stuff like tweaking the BIOS etc. I've seen some tutorials on undervolting intel and there was a lot going on.

 

[Lutfij]

If you're referring to the laptop SKU's of processors, yes the only one's you can undervolt are the HX SKU's. Look up plundervolt exploit and it'll make sense as to why you can't unervolt using ThrottleStop for 8th Gen and beyond. You could also try and introduce power limits on the processor. If it's a laptop, you're working with, please include the make, model and SKU to said laptop. What

If you're on a desktop, please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.

 

[uWebb429]

Today I learned that you can't undervolt 10th gen CPUs

What CPU model do you have? I have been undervolting my 10850K since the day I bought it. A quick Google search and I found this person undervolting their 10750H mobile CPU.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLapt...710750h_undervoltunderclock_basic_steps_good/

Some manufacturers can set the lock bit in the BIOS to lock out CPU voltage control. This can be done to any Intel CPU from any generation, mobile or desktop. A CPU might become locked out after a BIOS update.

Starting with 12th Gen, Intel removed the ability to undervolt from their H series mobile CPUs. The HX and HK mobile CPUs still support undervolting as long as the BIOS has not locked out this feature. Even the latest Core Ultra series like the 275HX still support undervolting. It continues to be a simple way to reduce power consumption and heat.

Unlocked K series desktop CPUs support undervolting in Intel XTU or ThrottleStop. Most desktop motherboards from Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, etc., have options available in the BIOS for undervolting. Motherboards used in computers from large OEM computer manufacturers like Dell, HP, etc. will rarely have options in the BIOS for undervolting. It is best to keep advanced features like this out of the hands of novice users.

Here is an example of a -150 mV undervolt of the CPU P Cores and P Cache as well as a -100 mV undervolt of the Intel GPU and iGPU Unslice while using a 14900HX mobile CPU. Intel undervolting is alive and well.

https://imgur.com/yuzY04q

View: https://i.imgur.com/yuzY04q.png

 

[rbogomolec]

What CPU model do you have? I have been undervolting my 10850K since the day I bought it. A quick Google search and I found this person undervolting their 10750H mobile CPU.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLapt...710750h_undervoltunderclock_basic_steps_good/

Some manufacturers can set the lock bit in the BIOS to lock out CPU voltage control. This can be done to any Intel CPU from any generation, mobile or desktop. A CPU might become locked out after a BIOS update.

Starting with 12th Gen, Intel removed the ability to undervolt from their H series mobile CPUs. The HX and HK mobile CPUs still support undervolting as long as the BIOS has not locked out this feature. Even the latest Core Ultra series like the 275HX still support undervolting. It continues to be a simple way to reduce power consumption and heat.

Unlocked K series desktop CPUs support undervolting in Intel XTU or ThrottleStop. Most desktop motherboards from Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, etc., have options available in the BIOS for undervolting. Motherboards used in computers from large OEM computer manufacturers like Dell, HP, etc. will rarely have options in the BIOS for undervolting. It is best to keep advanced features like this out of the hands of novice users.

Here is an example of a -150 mV undervolt of the CPU P Cores and P Cache as well as a -100 mV undervolt of the Intel GPU and iGPU Unslice while using a 14900HX mobile CPU. Intel undervolting is alive and well.

https://imgur.com/yuzY04q

View: https://i.imgur.com/yuzY04q.png

The CPU I' tried to undervolt was a i5-1135G7 on a laptop. As far as I've seen on google, it's not possible to undervolt it. Also, when looking for other CPUs on YT and Google, it seemed like a roulette to me. "You can undervolt this one, but not this one, this one has a lock in the BIOS that can be removed, this one is locked for good", etc...

So it seems to me that the chances of getting a CPU that will turn out to be completely voltage locked are pretty high. Which ain't cool, because those newer gens are pretty power hungry and hot, especially in laptops.... Do you have any advice on a good CPU that can be undervolted easily? I don't care if it's AMD or Intel, I'll take anything that still lets me play with the power curves.

 

[geofelt]

Why do you want to undervolt a processor in the first place?
If it is to experiment and fiddle, then OK, I can understand that.

Otherwise, what are you trying to accomplish
by gimping your processor's performance?

 

[uWebb429]

I' tried to undervolt was a i5-1135G7 on a laptop

The 11th Gen G7 series are the first ones that Intel decided to remove the ability to undervolt. An Intel mobile HX or HK series are the ones to buy if undervolting is important to you.

Why do you want to undervolt a processor in the first place?

Being able to undervolt a laptop can make a big difference when it comes to reducing heat output. Less heat equals less fan noise. A -150 mV undervolt on my 14900HX is the difference between pleasant to use and unbearable to use. I never thought it would be possible for such a powerful laptop to have zero fan noise when doing light duty tasks like internet surfing.

by gimping your processor's performance?

Undervolting does not reduce the performance of a processor. All laptops struggle to cool Intel's high end mobile CPUs. Reducing the voltage helps reduce power consumption and heat. This gives more room to run the CPU at its full rated speed. Undervolting increases the thermal headroom available. That increases performance.

It is impossible to get over 39K in Cinebench R23 out of a mobile 14900HX unless you are undervolting. That is competitive with how a 14900K desktop computer runs at default settings. The laptop is a lot more portable.

https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-core-i9-14900k/6.html

https://imgur.com/jAG9ZsJ

View: https://i.imgur.com/jAG9ZsJ.png

 

[geofelt]

As an experiment, set the windows power profile to normal(not performance) and set the max cpu% to 99.
This keeps the processor from trying to overclock which generates heat that laptop coolers are ill equipped to do.
The result is thermal throttling yo-yo which reduces performance.
See how cinebench does.