It would be ideal if you were able to lower the CPU temperature even by a few degrees. That’s where Undervolting comes in. If undervolting is done in the optimum amount, then it not only decreases the temperature and power usage but also improves the longevity of the system. So, let’s learn more about undervolting a CPU and the way to do it for different CPUs.
What Actually is Undervolting?
Undervolting, as the name suggests, decreases the voltage input to the CPU below its designated value. You might think if the CPU does not get the appropriate power, it might not work at all. But, in reality, undervolting to a certain limit is not only possible but also beneficial to the system. CPUs are manufactured in bulk in a factory. As these are also electronic chips, each may vary from one other during production. It is not feasible to check voltage and specifications for each. Hence, the manufacturers run a higher stress test for all and provide the values obtained as the designated ones. So, you have an additional limit to go through for optimizing the available power, clock speed, etc. You might also have heard about overclocking and underclocking which means to change the CPU clock speed. In the same way, you can also undervolt your GPU and VRAM. If you can undervolt your CPU to an optimum amount, then it can reduce the thermal as well as performance strain on your system. Similarly, you can also improve the battery life of your laptop due to the reduction of heat.
What Are The Advantages of Undervolting?
We have been talking about how Undervolting is awesome from the start. Undervolting does have a few risks as well. If done more and frequently, the system might not open or you may get BSOD errors. However, you can easily revert the settings and you will have your system back to normal.
How To Undervolt a CPU?
You might think that Undervolting, being such an advanced concept, is very difficult to carry out in your system. But, it is actually quite easier to do and you will only require a few tools for it. You need to subject your CPU to some high stress by benchmark testing in order to note the temperature and core speed values at the highest. Then, you perform the Undervolting and again test the benchmark to find the difference in the values. Finally, you repeat the process till you reach the optimum limit. Even though the process is simple and almost similar for both AMD and Intel, the tools required are different. So, let’s see the process in detail for both types of CPU.
How To Undervolt an Intel CPU Using Intel XTU?
Intel Extreme Tuning Utility or the Intel XTU is an official software by Intel that you can use to tweak your CPU settings. Since it is software by Intel, Intel XTU is safe as well as compatible with a lot of processors. Also, it packages all the required tools in itself. So, you do not have to rely on any third parties. You will find the interface of Intel XTU much simpler and can Undervolt your system easily. You just need to follow the instructions as given below. See if undervolting helped you gain lower temperature. You might experience an error of Intel XTU not opening with the error “Virtual Machine Platform enabled.” To solve this, search Turn Windows Feature On or Off in the search bar, uncheck the Virtual Machine Platform box, apply the setting and restart your computer.
How To Undervolt an Intel CPU Using ThrottleStop?
Nowadays, Intel has disabled undervolting for several CPUs using the Intel XTU program. You will find the options to offset CPU voltage greyed out. In such a case, you can utilize another program called ThrottleStop which will definitely be of help to you. Let’s get straight into the process. ThrottleStop can also be used to undervolt an AMD CPU and the process is the same.
How To Undervolt an AMD CPU using AMD Ryzen Master?
Although the AMD CPUs are much more power-efficient than Intel ones, the heating is inevitable. You would want to undervolt it as well to salvage the advantage no matter how small it may be. But, sometimes, ThrottleStop won’t be helpful for undervolting an AMD CPU. In such a situation, you will have to use a program called AMD Ryzen Master that will do the trick. This program is also directly provided by AMD and is safe and efficient. So, let’s start the process with no delay at all. You will definitely notice some changes in your computer’s heating issue.
How To Undervolt an AMD CPU using BIOS?
AMD CPUs provide much more flexibility than Intel’s. Normally, you cannot change any parameters for the Intel CPU. The feature is locked and it is a painful task to turn those on. However, you can tweak the settings for undervolting and overclocking of AMD chips using the BIOS. You just have to find the pathway to do it. Although this process is quite tedious, it is worth knowing this method as well. We have provided the way to undervolt an AMD CPU using BIOS below. You will find your system cooler and faster than earlier.
