I recently made the leap from an Intel i5 14400F to an i9 14900K for my ITX build without doing any research. I'm really into ITX setups and loved a build I saw online. After upgrading, my PC started crashing during demanding games like Escape from Tarkov and Elden Ring. I updated my BIOS and chipset, which fixed issues with low-demand games, but the high-end ones are still crashing. I used HWMonitor and noticed my CPU is hitting 95-100°C while gaming. I can't fit a better cooler, so I'm wondering if limiting the power might help. I'm not even sure if the high temperatures are actually causing the crashes, so any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
The i9 14900K can push up to 1.5 volts, leading to instability and heat issues. You should look into undervolting it and locking all cores at a stable speed like 5.7 GHz to keep things cooler. It’s crucial not to run it at stock settings for gaming. You can find plenty of guides on YouTube that would help with tuning it for your specific motherboard.
It sounds like a cooling issue to me. Make sure your CPU cooler is properly mounted—if it’s not making good contact, that could cause the overheating you're experiencing. Have you checked the thermal paste too? Sometimes leftover plastic from packaging can be a problem, so double-check everything is clear before you dive into other solutions.
You can definitely set a power limit in your BIOS to help manage temps. This will reduce the CPU's boost speed and temperature. Just keep in mind that while 100°C is within the safe operating temp for that CPU, it shouldn’t cause crashes. Also, consider the temps of your GPU and other components in that small case—everything could be overheating and affecting stability.
Yeah, I'd check GPU temps too! With all that heat from the i9, it could be stressing out the other parts in your build.