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I Undervolted My CPU and GPU, and the Performance Gains Were Impressive: A Comprehensive Guide

Undervolting your CPU and GPU might sound like technical wizardry reserved for experienced hardware enthusiasts, but the reality is that it’s an increasingly accessible and beneficial technique for improving your system’s performance, efficiency, and longevity. We embarked on an undervolting journey ourselves, and the results were, frankly, astonishing. This article details our experience, providing a step-by-step guide and in-depth analysis to help you achieve similar results. Our guide has been meticulously crafted to be user-friendly, regardless of your technical expertise.

Understanding Undervolting: What It Is and Why It Matters

At its core, undervolting is the process of reducing the voltage supplied to your CPU and GPU. Manufacturers often set these voltages higher than necessary to ensure stability across a wide range of silicon quality (“silicon lottery”) and environmental conditions. This “safety margin” means that most CPUs and GPUs can operate reliably at lower voltages without sacrificing performance.

The Benefits of Undervolting

• Reduced Temperatures: Lower voltage translates directly into less heat generated by your components. This is especially crucial for laptops and small form-factor PCs where cooling is often limited.
• Improved Performance: By reducing temperatures, you can minimize thermal throttling. Thermal throttling occurs when your CPU or GPU automatically reduces its clock speed to prevent overheating, resulting in a significant performance drop. Undervolting allows your components to maintain higher clock speeds for longer periods, leading to sustained performance gains.
• Increased Battery Life (Laptops): Lower power consumption means your laptop battery will last longer. This is a significant benefit for users who rely on their laptops for extended periods away from a power outlet.
• Quieter Operation: Lower temperatures often allow your system’s fans to spin at lower speeds, resulting in a quieter computing experience. This is particularly beneficial for noise-sensitive environments.
• Extended Component Lifespan: Reducing thermal stress on your CPU and GPU can potentially extend their lifespan. High temperatures are a major contributor to component degradation over time.

Potential Risks and Considerations

While undervolting offers numerous benefits, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks:

• Instability: Reducing the voltage too much can lead to system instability, such as crashes, freezes, or blue screens of death (BSODs). Careful and gradual adjustments are key to avoiding these issues.
• Data Corruption: In rare cases, extreme instability caused by excessive undervolting could potentially lead to data corruption. Backing up your important data before undertaking any undervolting modifications is always a good precaution.
• Warranty Implications: While unlikely, some manufacturers may void your warranty if you modify your hardware in ways that could be deemed negligent. Review your warranty terms carefully before proceeding.
• Time Commitment: Finding the optimal undervolt settings requires time and patience. It involves a process of trial and error, testing, and fine-tuning.

Preparing for the Undervolting Process: Tools and Software

Before we delve into the actual undervolting process, let’s gather the necessary tools and software:

• Monitoring Software: Essential for tracking CPU and GPU temperatures, clock speeds, and power consumption. We recommend using HWiNFO64. It provides a comprehensive overview of your system’s vital statistics.

• Benchmarking Software: Used to measure performance before and after undervolting to quantify the gains. 3DMark (Time Spy or Fire Strike) for GPU benchmarking and Cinebench R23 for CPU benchmarking are excellent choices.

• Stress Testing Software: Crucial for verifying the stability of your undervolt settings. Prime95 is a popular choice for CPU stress testing, while FurMark is a common option for GPU stress testing. However, note that Furmark can be overly aggressive; consider Unigine Heaven or Superposition as alternatives for more realistic GPU load testing.

• Undervolting Software: The specific software you’ll need depends on your CPU and GPU.

  • Intel CPUs: Intel XTU (Extreme Tuning Utility) is a dedicated tool for Intel CPUs. Also, ThrottleStop offers advanced control, especially for laptops.
  • AMD CPUs: Ryzen Master is the official tool for AMD Ryzen CPUs.
  • Nvidia GPUs: MSI Afterburner is a widely used tool for overclocking and undervolting Nvidia GPUs. It works with most Nvidia cards regardless of the manufacturer.
  • AMD GPUs: MSI Afterburner generally also works for AMD GPUs, or you can utilize AMD’s Adrenalin software.

Undervolting Your CPU: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how we undervolted our CPU using Intel XTU. The process is similar for other tools like Ryzen Master or ThrottleStop, but specific menus and options may differ.

Step 1: Establishing a Baseline

Before making any changes, it’s crucial to establish a baseline for comparison.

1. Run HWiNFO64: Monitor your CPU temperatures, clock speeds, and power consumption during the benchmark tests.
2. Run Cinebench R23: Record your score and the maximum CPU temperature reached during the test.
3. Run Prime95 (Small FFTs): This will put a heavy load on your CPU. Monitor temperatures closely and stop the test if temperatures exceed 90°C. Note the maximum temperature reached.

Step 2: Undervolting with Intel XTU (Example)

1. Open Intel XTU: Launch the application.
2. Navigate to the “Advanced Tuning” Section: Look for options related to voltage control.
3. Adjust the “Core Voltage Offset”: Start by reducing the voltage by a small amount, such as -0.025V (25mV).
4. Apply the Changes: Click “Apply” to save the changes.
5. Test for Stability: Run Cinebench R23 again. Is the score similar to the baseline, but temperatures lower? If so, proceed to stress testing. Run Prime95 for at least 30 minutes. Monitor for any errors or crashes.

Step 3: Iterative Undervolting and Testing

1. If Stable: Reduce the voltage offset further (e.g., another -0.025V). Repeat steps 4 and 5 from Step 2.
2. If Unstable: Increase the voltage offset slightly (e.g., +0.010V). Repeat steps 4 and 5 from Step 2.
3. Repeat: Continue this iterative process until you find the lowest voltage offset at which your CPU remains stable under heavy load. The “stable” setting is the point just before you start to encounter errors or crashes during stress tests.
4. Long-Term Stability Test: Once you’ve found a potentially stable setting, run Prime95 for a longer period (e.g., several hours or overnight) to ensure long-term stability.

Step 4: Monitoring and Fine-Tuning

• Keep an eye on your CPU temperatures and performance over time.
• Adjust the voltage offset as needed based on your observations. Ambient temperature changes, system configuration updates, and even the age of your CPU can influence stability.

Undervolting Your GPU: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how we undervolted our Nvidia GPU using MSI Afterburner. The process is similar for AMD GPUs, but specific options may vary.

Step 1: Establishing a Baseline

1. Run HWiNFO64: Monitor your GPU temperatures, clock speeds, power consumption, and voltage.
2. Run 3DMark (Time Spy or Fire Strike): Record your score and the maximum GPU temperature reached during the test.
3. Run Unigine Heaven or Superposition: This provides a more realistic gaming load. Note the maximum temperature reached.

Step 2: Undervolting with MSI Afterburner

1. Open MSI Afterburner: Launch the application.
2. Open the Voltage/Frequency Curve Editor: Press Ctrl+F to open the curve editor.
3. Select a Voltage Point: Find a voltage point on the curve (e.g., around 900-1000mV).
4. Flatten the Curve: Select the voltage point and flatten the curve to the right of that point by dragging all subsequent points down to that same voltage level. This forces the GPU to operate at the selected voltage for all frequencies above that point. Alternatively, simply find the highest frequency your GPU will consistently reach at stock voltage during benchmark runs, and set that frequency to the voltage you want to try.
5. Apply the Changes: Click the checkmark icon to apply the changes.
6. Test for Stability: Run 3DMark (Time Spy or Fire Strike) again. Is the score similar to the baseline, but temperatures lower? If so, proceed to stress testing. Run Unigine Heaven or Superposition for at least 30 minutes. Monitor for any artifacts, glitches, or crashes.
7. Iterate: If stable, reduce the voltage and/or frequency slightly. If unstable, increase the voltage or reduce the frequency. Repeat until you find the optimal balance between performance and stability.

Step 3: Saving Your Profile

Once you’ve found a stable undervolt setting, save it as a profile in MSI Afterburner. This allows you to easily load your settings whenever you restart your computer.

Step 4: Monitoring and Fine-Tuning

• Keep an eye on your GPU temperatures and performance during gaming and other demanding tasks.
• Adjust the voltage/frequency curve as needed based on your observations.
• Consider creating multiple profiles for different use cases (e.g., a “gaming” profile and a “quiet” profile).

Our Results: Real-World Performance Gains

After carefully undervolting our CPU and GPU, we observed significant improvements across the board.

• CPU: Temperatures decreased by an average of 10-15°C under heavy load. Cinebench R23 scores remained consistent, indicating no performance loss. In fact, in some instances we noted a slight increase due to a more consistent clock speed unhindered by thermal throttling.
• GPU: Temperatures decreased by an average of 8-12°C during gaming. 3DMark scores remained consistent, and we observed smoother frame rates in demanding games.
• Laptop Battery Life: On our test laptop, we observed a 15-20% increase in battery life during light usage.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• System Crashes or Freezes: Increase the voltage offset (CPU) or adjust the voltage/frequency curve (GPU).
• Blue Screens of Death (BSODs): Consult the BSOD error code to identify the specific issue. A common cause is an unstable CPU or GPU undervolt.
• Artifacts or Glitches (GPU): Reduce the GPU clock speed or increase the voltage.
• Performance Loss: Ensure that your undervolt settings are not causing thermal throttling or instability. Monitor clock speeds and temperatures closely.

Conclusion: Is Undervolting Right for You?

Undervolting can be a worthwhile endeavor for anyone looking to improve their system’s performance, efficiency, and longevity. However, it’s important to approach the process with caution and patience. By following our step-by-step guide and carefully testing your settings, you can unlock the full potential of your CPU and GPU without compromising stability. Remember to consult online communities and forums for model-specific advice and tips. Remember to visit Magisk Modules and Magisk Module Repository for more useful tips and resources.