I have noticed that my PC was putting out a LOT of heat even when Idle (CPU <10%)
CPU is using 60w package power when doing nothing reported by HWiNFO64
CPU Core power is <5w reported by HWiNFO64
whole system idle power draw is 150~200w as reported by my UPS.
GPU power draw is <5w reported by HWiNFO64
How do I fix this other than replacing parts or updating bios?
Updating bios isn’t an option for me because I’m currently not in the country the hardware was purchased so I won’t be able to get it fixed if things go wrong
Specs are as follows:
Ryzen 5600X CPU
Crucial 16GB x2 3600MT/s
Biostar B550-T Silver
Asus Dual Mini RTX3060TI
Samsung 980 Pro 2TB SSD
FSP FX500G 500w 80+ silver
Secondary system only draws ~80w when idle despite having a i7-3770, a RTX 3060 and a R9 290
This isn’t abnormal for modern CPUs, especially AMD’s chiplet based CPUs. The IO die and core power read low, but package power and heat is abnormally high.
Some hearsay online seems to suggest that the IMC isn’t being reported in the IO die or package power metrics, and may be partially responsible for the high idle power draw, so lowering memory voltage and clockspeed might help, but from what I read, it doesn’t really do that much still.
Intel’s larger chips have similar problems with abnormally high idle power, though not as much as AMD’s chiplet design. I suspect some of it is lost in the substrate, just to the resistance on the traces.
Here’s some readout from my zen3 cpu. Looks like even with 1.2v and jedec, memory is about 20w. Do any AM4 boards support undervolting memory? Like, below 1.2v?
Mind sharing what utility are you using for that readout? Looks nice.
To OP:
If measurement is correct, then 150-200w is still way to much for idle state, disregarding all possibilities.
AMD cpu have higher idle power state due to IMC, but we are talking +10-20W max versus intel CPUS. And your cpu is set to target 88W only, so something is very wrong with your system.
Check the following:
redo you power readings, monitor computer only → move peripherals to different outlet. Monitor alone can easily consume 50W, even 100W+ if its large one. UPS is also not very precise measuring instrument and it distorts measurement by it own power draw.
Use kill-a-watt like instrument if willing to investigate further.
is you system actually idle? Task manager + hwinfo to see whats running and what is you cpu actually doing
check power profiles, maybe you are suppressing you idle state by high power governor
check your gpu, maybe its not entering idle mode at all
disable XMP/EXPO and remeasure the results. Memory OC massively increases power consumption of amd IMC component, by factor of 2 easily
This is what much higher power draw ryzen 7950x3d looks like when using OC memory (DDR5 4800 → 6000):
On the note of memory, though, I think tiered memory makes more and more sense every CPU/GPU generation, since there’s so much more power required for driving higher memory clocks and faster memory controllers. Having a small, simplified, low power cache that’s large enough for the kernel/core essentials/framebuffer for gpus to use long enough for smooth reclocking could address high idle CPU use and troubles with GPU memory reclocking on multi/high refresh displays.
Pretty sure thats caused bz GPU being forced to switch to higher power state. Still better that some AMD models, the cannot enter power saving mode at all with high refresh rate monitors.
Two monitors? Enjoy 90W+ idle from gpu alone sucker.
It also easily verifiable by hwinfo, if have time to tinker. Also for SCIENCE!
Reference value 4k@120hz , VRR off due to bugs on tv side.
Taskmanager and hwinfo64 both show that my system is doing nothing except windows background tasks
I have my power profile on Balanced
hwinfo64 reports it drawing less than 10w, slot and aux power combined
Disabling XMP decreases CPU package power by 10~15w (reported by hwinfo64) and total system power draw by ~10w. However it is still in the 3 digit range.
I am already using it as stated in my original post
go into bios and see if you have disabled cool and quiet… if so enable it.
if you have an eco profile for the cpu in bios then enable it. (it will limit your cpu power without affecting much in the way of performance and good for testing)
if your cpu is still chugging volts something like process hacker 2 or process monitor will let you see whats using the cpu and what launched it.
why?
if your cpu isnt dropping to 0% load then its not idling.
if its sitting at 10% load, then its doing something.
Agreed, too many consider idle to mean that they are not doing something rather than the CPU itself doing nothing.
I run a very lean Win10 OS with my 13400f, and recently either a Windows, Radeon, or Steam update dropped my idle consumption from 35W down to 30W (fluctuates +/-1C), which is similar to the power draw/drop I used to get when I closed Steam previously.
I did not change any settings, but I do run a balanced power profile in Windows and have all the appropriate powe saving features already turned on in the BIOS.
