Asrock bios cpu voltage: ASRock Z390 Extreme4 Motherboard Review BIOS and Overclocking

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The Basic Principles of OverclockingHow to Overclock With MSI UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With GIGABYTE UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With ASUS UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With ASRock UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With AMD Ryzen MasterOverclocking our APUs to 4. 0 GHz and UpOverclocking Results: CPU and GamingOverclocking The Ryzen 2000 Series APUs: The Conclusion

The ASRock BIOS design and layout is consistent throughout the AM4 motherboard range. Everything was present on our motherboard, except the ability to change the settings of the integrated graphics. The only options for overclocking the graphics were in the way of SoC voltage, and even then, it could only be set as an offset value, not a true value. This is a little disappointing given that the ASRock X370 Gaming-ITX/ac hasn’t got any hard issues within the BIOS for the graphics, but on the plus side, everything else is done well.

Upon entering the BIOS, the initial menu screen offers information about the board including the installed components including the processor. It is not an easy mode, and the information is very limited. Everything needed for overclocking is in the OC Tweaker menu.

In the OC Tweaker menu, changing the ‘CPU Frequency and Voltage Change’ from auto to manual opens up the frequency and voltage options. At the top is the frequency, while down the bottom is the voltage. Starting with frequency, rather than offer a CPU ratio, ASRock just offers a plain frequency, and clearly does the multiplier manually. 

When it comes to applying the XMP profile, unlike the MSI board in our data testing in this article, the ASRock board only opens up a single XMP profile, the standard DDR4-3600 CL16 that the sticks are rated for. Enabling XMP and then changing the memory frequency to the setting that’s required is easy enough, as the value goes up in increments and can be adjusted using the + or – keys on a numpad. Alternatively, if the user presses enter a long list via a drop-down menu appears.

Further down the same page, options are present for changing the offset values to the SoC voltage or VDDCR. Just below these is the DRAM voltage, which when we enabled XMP automatically set the value to 1.4 volts, rather than 1.35 for which our kit is rated, which was a little odd.

Pressing F10 and selecting yes saves the settings and reboots the system. Unfortunately the options changed to not appear as in some other vendors Save and Exit popups.

Note – To overclock the integrated graphics on this board, users will need to install the AMD Ryzen Master overclocking utility within Windows. We go into Ryzen Master on the next page.

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How to Overclock With ASUS UEFI BIOS
How to Overclock With AMD Ryzen Master
The Basic Principles of OverclockingHow to Overclock With MSI UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With GIGABYTE UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With ASUS UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With ASRock UEFI BIOSHow to Overclock With AMD Ryzen MasterOverclocking our APUs to 4.0 GHz and UpOverclocking Results: CPU and GamingOverclocking The Ryzen 2000 Series APUs: The Conclusion

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How to increase the voltage on the processor and how can it be reduced?

Greetings! I have already mentioned processor overclocking in my articles, and you probably heard about it, but I did not touch on this topic separately. Overclocking or overclocking is the acceleration of the processor by increasing its clock frequency.

There are many ways to overclock, and in general the topic is extensive, so it is not so easy to understand it. But I can tell you about one of the simple ways, or rather about increasing the voltage. Moreover, it does not involve any extreme actions and may even be useful. Therefore, we will continue to talk about how to increase the voltage on the processor, and at the same time how it can be reduced.

Nuances for Intel processors

It is not possible to increase the CPU frequency on every Intel device. In most models, this feature is blocked, which you cannot influence in any way. But if you still want to use something from Intel for experiments, choose a processor with the letter K at the end of the name. This means that it has been unlocked to increase the frequency.

KF are also useful, but be careful with them, because the F mark means the absence of a graphics core. I have already talked about processor markings and some suffixes that you should know.

Nuances for AMD CPUs

If you have an AMD device, it will be easier with it, because most processors from this manufacturer are open to overclocking.

Before you start, just check if your particular model can be overclocked. If it is not very old, then there should be no problems.

Is it necessary to increase the voltage

Overclocking the processor will not work without increasing the voltage, because acceleration in any case is associated with a large power consumption and a greater load on the CPU. Therefore, you cannot increase the frequency, and leave everything else unchanged.

As for overclocking, it all depends on your desire. It is not necessary to overclock processors, nevertheless, manufacturers are trying to make such products that will satisfy you with performance without additional manipulations. But if you don’t have enough speeds or just want to know how to improve the performance of the processor, there is nothing wrong with this, if everything is done correctly.

But I still have to say that extreme overclocking is not the most useful procedure, it can lead to rapid wear of the device or its breakdown. Therefore, be careful.

With the help of programs or through the BIOS, which is better

Having decided to increase the voltage on the PC, you will find ways to do it through the BIOS and special software. And of course, here you want not to try everything in a row, but to do everything right right away.

Those who have already overclocked the processor note that it is better to work with voltage through the BIOS. All due to the fact that voltage experiments are carried out here before the OS is loaded. And if after changing the settings it loads, this will be the first sign that everything is working stably.

And the only advantage of the programs is the ease of management and search for settings, the efficiency of the BIOS does not differ.

How to increase the voltage on the processor

So, to increase the voltage on the processor, you need to act step by step. First — a mandatory check of the state of the system. Download the popular HWiNFO, AIDA 64, CPU-Z and see what performance the system produces during normal operation, if there is anything strange, like overheating or power drops. If the information does not seem enough, there is also ASRock Timing Configurator, ZenTimings, DRAM Calculator for Ryzen.

After checking the stability of the system, install the desired program or go to BIOS. This is usually done before the OS boots, by pressing the F2 key. But in Windows 10, this can be a problem, because this system usually loads quickly, and it can be difficult to catch the right moment. But on the other hand, it allows you to get into the analogue of BIOS, UEFI, without requiring you to catch the moment to press the button during reboot. But only if UEFI, of course, is.

Once you select a program, you can find the exact instructions on how to use it, so I won’t go into more detail here. I can only say that for AMD, AMD Ryzen Master or Clock Tuner for Ryzen may suit you, and for Intel, Intel Extreme Tuning Utility. But it is better to read about good software on overclocker sites.

If you work through the BIOS, here I can already tell you something. Although it’s still not that easy, because the BIOS may look different depending on the manufacturer of the motherboard.

Just keep in mind that the desired parameters will not be immediately visible. Usually they are located somewhere in the advanced settings, for example, in the tab with the words Advanced, Power, Voltage. For example, MSI will have Frequency/Voltage Control.

But with Gigabyte it can be more difficult, because the BIOS may not have the necessary parameters, but in Gigabyte UEFI you can search for them. There should be an Advanced Voltage Settings tab. If you have ASRock, then you can’t do anything through the BIOS at all, only through UEFI. But do not worry, all the sections you need are named approximately the same, so Voltage Configuration will come in handy here.

Look for lines related to the CPU or Processor, because different voltages can be applied not only to the processor, but we are interested in it. Find CPU Configuration or something like that. If you’re lucky, the section with the word Voltage will immediately catch your eye, where the current value is written in Volts (V).

If you don’t see anything similar, it’s better to find solutions specifically for your BIOS, so as not to change something that does not require it.

Keep in mind that you cannot raise the voltage as much as you want. You need to add no more than 0.1-0.3 to the original value. Take small steps so that in case of problems, you can quickly determine which values ​​you need to fall back to so that everything is in order.

Sometimes you may be asked not to change the value itself, but to add a percentage of the current voltage level. Choose the minimum. This can be found at ASUS, where in the Advanced tab you must first find JumperFree Configuration, and then set AI Overclocking to Overlock. This will give you the functionality you need.

Stability check

To check if the system is stable after a voltage increase, you can use utilities such as

• Linx.
• OSST.
• Cinebench R23 and others.

All these programs are benchmarks, that is, they specifically load the system, thereby checking its stability. But be careful, as this software conducts a stress test, that is, it tries to use the maximum resources, and this may cause problems. I have already written about popular benchmarks, so you can find more programs and read about their benefits in my material.

You need to check the stability regardless of whether you corrected the voltage programmatically or through the BIOS.

Why lower the processor voltage

Increasing the voltage allows the processor to work at a higher frequency, but you can forget about saving energy. Here, the opposite is true, and the voltage is usually reduced just the same so that the power consumption of the CPU is less, and hence its temperature.

Is undervoltage dangerous? I will only say that the voltage has limits that determine what voltage can be considered “normal”.

And any way out of these limits can potentially harm the device.

So don’t get carried away, and if you get carried away, be prepared for any results.

Lowering using a software utility or in Bios

Since it is better to raise the voltage on the processor through the BIOS, it is also worth lowering it here in order to immediately correct the settings if the system does not start.

But if you want to use special software, it will also be useful.

How to reduce the voltage of the processor

To determine how to lower the voltage, no special programs or special BIOS settings will need to be studied. For undervolting, you need to look for the same sections — something related to CPU and Voltage. Inside the programs, follow the same instructions as if you were to find a section to boost voltage.

However, it is better to take even smaller steps here. If it is worth raising in tenths, then the decrease should be hundredths, 0.01-0.03 each, and even less, thousandths. That is, 0.001-0.003. Also choose the minimum interest. And roll back to the last value, when everything worked stably, having met with problems.

Checking settings and stability

Special tests come in handy here too. They will show you how stable the system can work with such a voltage, whether it can withstand the load. The programs that are used before the test will help you find out how much the processor temperature has changed and whether other parameters are jumping.

Before overclocking your processor, be sure to dive into the topic. I have only gone through the highs and experienced overclockers would surely find many additions to my words, so you better watch the videos on the channels dedicated to overclocking the CPU, and read as many articles and forum threads on this topic as possible.

Only with a solid theoretical foundation can one move on to practice.

In general, overclocking is interesting, so I wish you good luck if you decide to do it. For now, I will reveal no less interesting topics related to the PC, and in order not to miss new publications, you just need to subscribe to my social networks! See you!

Sincerely, Andrey Andreev, the author of the blog.

How to properly overclock the processor in the BIOS

Before you start overclocking the processor (CPU), you should find out if the processor you want to overclock can be overclocked. It’s also worth looking into motherboard specs, as low-end motherboards with limited features don’t allow for overclocking.

In addition, I would like to warn you that there is always a risk of damaging the processor and motherboard. During overclocking, it is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature and stability of the processor. If overclocking is incorrect, after a while a blue or black screen may appear and freeze tightly so that even a reboot will not help. In such cases, it is recommended to remove the CMOS battery and install it back, thereby resetting the settings.
With proper CPU overclocking, you can achieve performance gains from 10% to 30%.

Before overclocking, it is recommended to install programs such as AIDA 64 and CPU — Z on the computer.

AIDA64

AIDA64 is designed to view the characteristics of the computer, as well as testing the processor, power phases, RAM and chipset at maximum load.

To enable testing, click on the graph icon (circled in red) — after that, a menu will appear for setting the elements that will be loaded.

Check that the four checkboxes are checked, then click Start to start the test with the load on the motherboard, RAM, power phases and CPU.

Test for 5-10 minutes. The test results will show the condition of the cooling system — it may be time to replace the thermal paste or install a new cooling system.

CPU-Z

Here we can look at the characteristics of the central processor: its characteristics, cache, frequency, number of cores and threads, TDP and more.

Processor overclocking

Overclocking is done through the BIOS. When you turn on the computer, press one of the buttons — «F10», «F2», « tab » or « del » — and then get into the settings menu BIOS 9011 9 .