Advice on CPU Clock Speed Fluctuation

dreamer_toons

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After doing a reformating and re-install of my system recently, I realise that my CPU clock speed fluctuates randomly within the range of 800 to 4800 every 1 -2 seconds despite the system is idling.

System specs are on the right.

CPU core temperature is consistently between 36 - 38.

Some brief BIOS setting are :
- 48 for all core,
- adaptive mode
- eist, turbo, voltages are auto
- memory is set to XMP 3200

No changes are made to these BIOS setting before and after the recent housekeeping. Windows update is pause and no window security scanning is taking place in the background. CPU utilisation is between 3% - 7%.

Seriously, I dont remember the clock speed fluctuating wildly before; at most it spikes and it drops and maintains at 800 most of the time when Im not doing anything on the system.

Or I remember wrongly and this is normal?
 

Koenig168

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CPU 3 to 7% is not idling. You can use Task Manager to see what applications are running.
 

dreamer_toons

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CPU 3 to 7% is not idling. You can use Task Manager to see what applications are running.

Beside the window's essential services, there are no other applications and services running in the background.

I checked the power plan and it is in balanced option. The CPU responded accordingly when I switched the between power saver and high performance.

Another observation was my CPU vcore stayed around 0.6+ to 0.8+ as the clock speed stayed at the max for few seconds and dropped.

I have not monitored the clock speed in the past and just happened to notice this random peaking.
 

Rashkae

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Windows has a LOT of services that fire off and perform a sync, some task, etc.

So, it's normal to see some cores ramp up for a second or two.

Especially if you run steam, an RGB tool like iCue, etc
 

Koenig168

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Even then, should not idle at 3 to 7%. For comparison, my system idle at the minimum 1% with the occasional bump to 2%, based on Task Manager.
 

ItsmeagainhK

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I got my 7700k at 4.8 running 24/7 with static, high performance at all times. My friends did ask me about it but I’m not sure how I got this as well. Their 9th gen and 10th gen cpu speed always fluctuate and never got the turbo speed on idle.
 

dreamer_toons

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No malware/virus detected; after all it is a clean system after the reformat and install.

Probably I will leave it as it is since there are no adverse effects on my day to day usage and the temperatures remains under 40.
 

hlots123

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No malware/virus detected; after all it is a clean system after the reformat and install.

Probably I will leave it as it is since there are no adverse effects on my day to day usage and the temperatures remains under 40.
3-7% cpu, 800 to 4800 every 1-2 sec - do u control fan/pump/rgb using s/w like Rashkae mentioned?
if only windows & no active programs, mine usually near 0% cpu

I got my 7700k at 4.8 running 24/7 with static, high performance at all times. My friends did ask me about it but I’m not sure how I got this as well. Their 9th gen and 10th gen cpu speed always fluctuate and never got the turbo speed on idle.
perhaps 6-7th gen era boards have mce enabled by default, whereas 9-10th gen more likely mce off. Or they set some avx offset...
 
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