Minimum i7 920 voltage

[sma11s101]

I know this isn't exactly overclocking but i figured someone here would know.

I have been having heat problems on my new build with an ASUS p6t and discovered that it is due to the AI Suite bumping the voltage up to 1.3v by itself at stock speeds. This was bringing my load temperatures into the 90s. To compensate this i have been turning down the voltage in the bios and it is now stable at 1.05v with load temps below 70.

My question is, how low could i go if I'm not overclocking? I'm new to all this so what will happen if i go too low? Performance decreases or just a crash?

Thanks,
Alex

 

[overshocked]

^ it really dpends on your chip, I may be able to go to .9 with my chip and you may need 1.05v

what cooler are you using?

Those temps are horride!

 

[sma11s101]

I have reseated the stock HSF 3 times now. I intend to get a cheap aftermarket alternative since I dont intend to OC but for now I'm trying not to fry the thing.

 

[overshocked]

Get the core contact freezer it is only $24
and frosty tech rated it number 2.

Do you have any case airflow?

 

[sma11s101]

Its an Antec 902 with the stock fans all on high. Temps are the same with side panel off.

 

[overshocked]

^ hmmm thats really odd, i would get a new HSF pronto!

 

[toosober]

Yuck! The stock heatsink is crap even if you do not overclock.

 

[sma11s101]

Im still wondering though, as i lower the voltage, what will happen if i go to far? I would rather not discover for myself that it does something i dont know how to deal with.

 

[overshocked]

^ nothing "bad" will result from lowering the voltages.

 

[toosober]

If you go to low, the most harm would be data corruption to anything written or even accessed at the point of failure. Resetting to the factory voltage and scandisk will set you straight again.

 

[sma11s101]

Ok thanks. And also i was just wondering if its normal for the core and CPU temps to be very different. I read the calibration guide on here about them being 5C apart at idle. Currently CPUID HW monitor says my cores at at 70 under load but CPUTIN is 57. Which of these should i trust?