Comment on Motherboard makers apparently to blame for high-end Intel Core i9 CPU failures | Ars Technica
GuStJaR@lemmy.world 2 months ago
I was having issues with crashes in multiple games but rdr2 was the worst. I had a rig built with an i9 14900k and Asus hero z790.
I think I finally found the solution and it was to do with the default bios settings for my Asus MB and my i9 14900k.
In the document linked here…
intel.com/…/13th-generation-intel-core-and-intel-…
Page 98, Table 17, Row 3: Reveals the stock turbo power limits for the 13900K and 14900K CPUs are 253W, not the 4,000+ my MB’s Bios settings default to. Page 184, Table 77, Row 6: Lists the maximum current limit at 307A, far below the MB’s default of 500+A.
I found this information in a Reddit post (reddit.com/…/optimizing_stability_for_intel_13900…) and followed the settings as follows:
ASUS Z790 Motherboards:
Save your current settings into a profile so you can return to them later if you want.
Reset your BIOS to default settings. Ai Tweaker tab:
Disable MultiCore Enhancement.
Enable XMP(if your RAM supports it).
Set SVID behavior to Typical Scenario.
Set short duration turbo power = 253
Set long duration turbo power = 253
Set max core/cache current = 307Amps
Doing this immediately stabilised the CPU temps as well as bring down the average temp by ~10 to 15c. It’s been a few months now with zero crashes.
Hope this helps someone
JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 2 months ago
This is not a typo right, 307Amps?! What creative maths have they done to get this number.
The PCB tracks on the motherboard are what, about 0.5mm thick and about 2mm wide (for the larger channels)? I can absolutely guarantee you arent getting 300+ Amps through those tracks.
TechNerdWizard42@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Oh but you are. It’s at 0.8v to 1.2v range so it’s high current.
This is what all the VRM design is for. The motherboards are generally 20-30 layers nowadays with 2oz copper in the power layers. The traces are short and you do get hundreds of amps.
And yes, I’ve designed them on the silicon side.
JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Thanks!
RedWeasel@lemmy.world 2 months ago
That is 253watts at 1.21ish volts. Multiply those together and you get around 307. Divide 307 by 253 to get the exact voltage based on those number.
JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Thanks!
AnyOldName3@lemmy.world 2 months ago
It’s a 250W+ part running at around 1V, so it’s going to draw a lot of current. Power is supplied via many pins on the back of the CPU, and they’re connected to many traces, so it’s not putting all that current through just one. It still puts out a lot of heat anyway, which is why modern motherboards have large heat sinks, sometimes with fans, on their VRMs.
JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Thanks!