AMD Phenom II x4 965 BE throttling on stock speeds

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

I have a AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition paired with a Asus M4N68T-M V2 Motherboard running at stock clock speeds 3.4 Ghz and I'm experiencing throttling during stress testing the CPU with Prime95. It would only do this during full load and throttle to 800mhz for about half a minute, then it would jump back up to normal full speed 3.4Ghz, then continues the same cycle every 2-3 minutes. Could it be that my motherboard is insufficient to run the CPU? Or is there not enough power to my board? Or is my CPU too hot? Max load temp is 60c. I'm also running a GTX 660 with a 500 Watt Antec Basiq Power supply. Keep in mind I'm not overclocking and didn't tweak the voltages. Everything is running at stock and it's still has this issue. What is the issue here?! Much help is appreciated!

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

!25W processor on 95W MB (VRM) usually produces problems like that.
In other words. MB is not giving enough power to the processor for prolonged full loads.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

Thanks for the answer! How did you check my mobos wattage? Is there a way I can get this fixed? Should I get a new power supply? Will this damage my computer in the long term if ignored?

DonkeyOatie · Mar 28, 2016

It cannot be fixed. Then power delivery system on that motherboard is intended for 95W maximum CPUs. When you try to run 125W though it, the components overheat and throttle the CPU as they try to keep the temperature down or their performance degrades at high temperatures. If you persist, your motherboard will fail, eventually, and you CPU will not run any faster. you could try cooling them with a fan, or undervolting your CPU to bring the temperatures down.

You have a CPU on a motherboard not intended for it, and what you see is a consequence of that. The power delivery system (VRM) cannot deliver enough power and overheats when it tries to. Your motherboard has too few power phases for the CPU.

Changing the PSU will not help this problem.

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

Picture of that MB says a lot about it's VRM section, bare of a cooler and weak. If it's not giving you troubles in normal work, no sense pushing it too hard and stressing it with those tests, it proves nothing.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

DonkeyOatie :

So can this issue be prevented as long as I keep CPU temps low? Currently my cpu is sitting at 60c max but I can try reapplying thermal paste and adjusting the heatsink if necessary. I don't want to deal with voltages because of my inexperience in that area.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

Can I help it by lowering CPU temps? or will that not help anything due to the motherboard? Currently my cpu is sitting at 60c max but I can try reapplying thermal paste and adjusting the heatsink if necessary.

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

Can't do much about VRM except maybe adding some small heatsinks and/or a small fan above it. CPU temps can be lowered by an aftermarket CPU cooler as AMD supplied are not very good.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

Heres a picture I found off Google of my mobo: http://imgur.com/1bRDyCq

Can you point out to me where the VRMs are? And if you can please let me know where to get VRM heatsinks that'd be nice too since I don't know what they look like. Thanks!

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

VRM ( Voltage Regulation Module) is the part between processor socket and those connectors at the back of MB. Actual regulators are chips in line with that 4pin CPU power plug. Thea re the ones that should be cooled.
Something like this can be used: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/5518/vid-82/Enzotech_Forged_Copper_VGA_Memory_Heatsink_Multipack_-_ATI_and_nVidia_-_14mm_x_14mm_x_14mm_BMR-C1.html?tl=g40c21&id=YRQTXaK8
You could also look at more of coolers here: http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l2/g40/c21/list/p1/Air_Cooling-VGA_HeatsinksCoolers.html
Just have to get appropriate sized ones.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

I'm still unsure where the VRM is. Is this the area of chips where the heatsinks should be placed at?
Link: http://imgur.com/wGyFMyp

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

Just those 4 pairs of chips in the middle.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

So just to clarify, what I circled is in the pic is correct right? Those chips under where it says "AMD CPU Support"? Do you know based on your observation of my board what size heatsinks I should get?

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

What you circled is whole VRM section. What you have to cover are 4 pairs in the middle, they are actually doing the work. Small ones in a row in the picture right above those are their controllers and boxes bellow are filter coils. Those ones don't need coolers.

4Ryan6 · Mar 28, 2016

punkdthrice :

You shouldn't be anywhere near 60c with stock settings, 60c is way too hot for that CPU you need to be well under 52c, or it will throttle you have got to keep it cooler.

After a time period of years some of the stock AMD cooler fans begin to drag and not turn up the full RPMs they did when they were new, plus also over time the heat pipes can actually dry out inside and have zero thermal conduction, also over time the thermal compound can dry out and loose it's thermal conduction, I suggest getting a good aftermarket CPU cooler.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

I'm not sure where these guys are getting the 95w motherboard limitation I could not find a stated motherboard rating but I did find the CPU support list for the motherboard clearly says it supports a Phenom II X4 965BE to 125w.

If it did not support the 125w CPU and was only a 95w M/B you would have burnt up the M/B a long time ago, your problem is CPU temperature not M/B VRM power capability.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

Thanks for clearing that up and being a great help! I've just placed an order online for the heatsinks! I chose a smaller size (6.5mm x 6.5mm x 12mm) because the chips on my mobo don't seem that big. Hopefully they fit!

CountMike · Mar 28, 2016

If you are considering a CPU cooler too, one like this : http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-air-cooler/geminii-s524-v2/ would cool CPU better than stock and also help with cooling other components around CPU.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

CountMike :

I'm currently using the CoolerMaster Hyper T4 and it doesn't seem to be doing very good keeping temps down on load. Idle temps are fine at 32C but load goes all the way up to 60. I'm just going to reapply thermal paste and pray that temps drop.

punkdthrice · Mar 28, 2016

4Ryan6 :

punkdthrice :

You shouldn't be anywhere near 60c with stock settings, 60c is way too hot for that CPU you need to be well under 52c, or it will throttle you have got to keep it cooler.

After a time period of years some of the stock AMD cooler fans begin to drag and not turn up the full RPMs they did when they were new, plus also over time the heat pipes can actually dry out inside and have zero thermal conduction, also over time the thermal compound can dry out and loose it's thermal conduction, I suggest getting a good aftermarket CPU cooler.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099

I'm not sure where these guys are getting the 95w motherboard limitation I could not find a stated motherboard rating but I did find the CPU support list for the motherboard clearly says it supports a Phenom II X4 965BE to 125w.

If it did not support the 125w CPU and was only a 95w M/B you would have burnt up the M/B a long time ago, your problem is CPU temperature not M/B VRM power capability.

Thanks for the tip. I do realize my temps are quite high. I do have an aftermarket cooler, a Hyper T4 which isn't as good as a CM212EVO but I will try reapplying thermal paste.

AMD Phenom II x4 965 BE throttling on stock speeds

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Champion

Titan

Honorable

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Champion

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Honorable

Share this page