I recently upgraded from an i7-12700K to an i9-12900KF, and while everything else runs smoothly, I've noticed something odd. Under load, the CPU seems to clock 20 MHz lower than its advertised speeds. For instance, it's hitting 4880 MHz instead of 4900 MHz, and similarly lower on other speeds like 4980 MHz instead of 5000 MHz. This wasn't an issue with my previous CPU. I've made sure to update the BIOS and keep all settings and components the same. Adjusting the BCLK slightly changes idle speeds, but still drops under load. It happens across all types of games, new and old. Any idea why this is occurring and how I can resolve it?
3 Answers
To address the issue, I recommend setting your BCLK back to 100.00 MHz in the BIOS and using ThrottleStop to monitor performance. It allows you to see if there are any causes for throttling. Don't forget to turn on the Log File option to record what’s going on under load. You can then share that log if you need more help.
It sounds frustrating, especially since that 20 MHz difference can be annoying. Just a heads up, the spec speeds are often burst speeds rather than sustained ones. When the CPU works harder, it might drop the clocks a bit to manage heat. Have you checked your cooling setup? Sometimes it’s just a thermal issue that's causing the CPU to throttle a little during heavier loads.
Had a similar issue, and it turned out to be an MSI Afterburner bug that was giving me incorrect clock readings. Everything was fine performance-wise, but the software was misleading. Double-check your monitoring software just in case!
Related Questions
Lenovo Thinkpad Stuck In Update Loop Install FilterDriverU2_Reload