ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZAAAB
1
2
3
4
General setup informationTested configurations
5
CPU: i7-13700K
CPU cooler: DeepCool AK620
Motherboard: MSI Z790 Gaming Plus WiFi running BIOS 7E06vH61(Beta version) with 0x129 microcode
RAM: 2x16GB DDR5 6000MT/s CL30
GPU: RTX 4080 Super
6
IA CEP
AC load line
DC load line
LLC
CPU Voltage mode
Voltage offset
Max observed Vcore spike after log-in
7
Configuration A - Intel Default lite load with -140mV offset
Enabled110110Auto
Adaptive + Offset
negative 0.140V
1.322V
8
Configuration B - AC=80/DC=110 with -125mV offset
Enabled80110Auto
Adaptive + Offset
negative 0.125V
1.288V
9
Configuration C - AC=68/DC=68/LLC=6 with -125mV offset
Enabled68686
Adaptive + Offset
negative 0.125V
1.282V
10
Conifguration D (Lite Load 5), no offsetDisabled20110AutoAutonone1.316V
11
Intel Default Settings enabled
12
CPU turbo ratios - default - P-cores @5.3GHz; E-cores @4.2GHz
13
Turbo Boost Max 3.0 - enabled, allowing P-core 4,5 to boost to 5.4GHz
Cinebench R23
2-minute run, where PL2 is active for the first ≈minute and then PL1 for another ≈minute		R23 is an interesting one because all four configurations perform similar to each other, but with clear differences based on the power limit.

- At 188W, config D (LL5) has higher average effective clocks compared to the rest, by about 50MHz for the P and E cores, therefore scores a bit higher.
- At 125W, the situation changes and configs A-C perform better, with higher average effective clocks. This sets a trend - the lower the load is, the better the offset configurations perform compared to the Lite Load one.
14
ICCMax = 307A (default)
15
Enchanced turbo = disabled (default, I think?)
16
XMP enabled - 6000MT/s CL30 at 1.4V
17
C1E - disabled
18
iGPU - disabledPL1=125WPL2=188W
19
PL1=125W; PL2=188WConfig AConfig BConfig CConfig DConfig AConfig BConfig CConfig D
20
TJMax - 95CVcore average (V)1,0441,0541,0461,0531,1841,1831,1871,183
21
Vcore-VID average difference (V)0,0130,0120,0130,0140,0130,0120,0130,014
22
Other baseline testing conditions and general notesVcore max during PL1/2 (excl. spikes) (V)1,0561,0561,0541,0521,1901,1881,1901,186
23
The ambient temperature throughout all tests was maintained at 24CMax Vcore spike (if any) (V)1,2941,2641,2501,2321,2941,2641,2501,232
24
After each configuration was applied and the PC rebooted, I waited for 5 mins for the startup processes to stabilize.Power average (W)125W=PL1125W=PL1125W=PL1
125W=PL1
188W=PL2188W=PL2188W=PL2
188W=PL2
25
I waited for around a minute between each test, for each configuration.Power max (W)125W=PL1125W=PL1125W=PL1
125W=PL1
188W=PL2188W=PL2188W=PL2
188W=PL2
26
Fan curves are the same for all configurations.CPU Package temp average (C)6869676784868384
27
The Last of Us Part 1 is running at 4K with DLSS=Quality, Ultra quality preset, and a framerate limit of 70, applied using the in-game limiter. This is how I typically play (locking all games to 70-75), so that's why I've tested everything this way. Although CPU utilization would be higher with unlocked fps, I wanted to keep the tests applicable to my use case scenario, so that I can find the best configuration for me.Average effective clock speed (MHz)44234431443343704914490449064954
28
Average effective P-cores clock speed (MHz)46374649464945795153514451465190
29
Average effective E-cores clock speed (MHz)35713559357335363963394739474012
30
AC Odyssey is runnning at 4K with Ultra preset, no DLSS, again locked to 70fps using the in-game limiter.
Average SVID IOUT - current (A)120120119118159159155159
31
For each data log for a game I started a timer of 1 minute, during which I tried as best as possible to replicate my moving patterns for each tested configuration. Of course, the same saves are used, and all in-game runs were very similar to each other and therefore comparable.Short run R23 scoredidn't test limited at 125W≈30200≈30200≈30150≈30300
32
33
OCCT Stability test at default settings
2-minute run, where PL2 is active for the first ≈minute and then PL1 for another ≈minute		Here the Lite Load 5 setup is a clear winner at PL2, and it seems that in a heavy load of the type OCCT generates, AC<DC configurations excel due to the large VDroop happening. Because of the low AC, the CPU doesn't expect much Vdroop, but OCCT load seems to cause a lot of it, so the bigger the difference between AC and DC/LLC is, the lower the VCore will be.
One thing to note is that the E cores didn't go past 4.1GHz with LL5, while they got up to 4.2GHz using the other three configurations.
Also, I don't understand the mechanism behind it, but the LL5 configuration had a significantly lower power draw at PL2 - 13W less than the runner up, config B.


Config B, where AC<DC=LLC is at second place at PL2, so it seems the AC load line undervolting is definitely the way to go if your use cases generate CPU loads similar to the ones OCCT does.

At PL1, they all effectively perform the same.
34
All data logs from HWInfo can be found as hidden sheets
35
36
DC-LLC calibration / VCore-VID relation - notes
In theory, when calibrating DC with LLC you have to aim for VID = supplier voltage at load. However, as you'll notice, this is not the case for any of the configurations, including the Intel Default one, which is the BIOS's default setting.

The AC=DC value of Config C was calibrated to LLC6 by measuring the average difference between Vcore and VID during a 2 minute R23 run, and matching it with the same of configs A and B. The average difference for all configurations is almost exactly 0.013V.
There are two potential reasons for this:
a) VCore sensor reading is inherently inaccurate and when DC is properly calibrated to LLC, VCore is always 0.013V (13mV) higher on average compared to VID during load.
b) MSI's default auto configuration of DC=110 + LLC=Auto is not properly calibrated. I've given them the benefit of the doubt now, assuming they have this properly calibrated.

It is likely that DC=68 is not 100% correct for LLC6, but the general VCore-VID behaviour is mostly the same as with the default DC=110 and LLC=Auto.
-> If we assume that DC=110=LLCAuto, then the correct DC value for LLC=6 should be somewhere between 66 and 68.
-> If we assume that DC=110=/=LLCAuto, then nobody without proper measurement tools could know what the correct DC value for LLC=6 should be. To calibrate VID=VCore +-3mV under load, DC should be = 60, but VCore is likely reporting larger value than the actual voltage supplied to the CPU.
37
38
PL1=125WPL2=188W
39
Config AConfig BConfig CConfig DConfig AConfig BConfig CConfig D
40
Vcore average (V)1,1201,1211,1231,1221,2881,2571,2751,222
41
Vcore-VID average difference (V)0,0120,0130,0130,0130,0120,0130,0130,013
42
Vcore max during PL1/2 (excl. spikes) (V)1,1261,1261,1261,1261,2901,2621,2761,224
43
Max Vcore spike (if any) (V)n/an/an/an/an/an/an/an/a
44
Power average (W)125W=PL1125W=PL1125W=PL1
125W=PL1
185172178159
45
Power max (W)125W=PL1125W=PL1125W=PL1
125W=PL1
186173179160
46
CPU Package temp average (C)6564646579737671
47
Average effective clock speed (MHz)46534698467046725065506250655045
48
Average effective P-cores clock speed (MHz)48854928489049035284528452845284
49
Average effective E-cores clock speed (MHz)37233779378837494189417441894089
50
Average SVID IOUT - current (A)111110110112143137140131
51
52
53
Geekbench 6 - one run (≈4 minutes)I tested this because it's a very light load for the most part, but with sharp load spikes here and there, so I thought it'd be a good test of max spikes in Vcore, current and power draw.

Here we also see that the two configurations with DC/LLC=110 + an offset see much lower max power draw spikes compared to the LL5 preset and the DC=LLC=68 + offset modes. LL5 has the highest average VCore, while the VCore spikes are within 10mV range across the four configurations.

Scores were within margin of error, around 2990 pts for single core and 19680 pts for multi core.

The win goes to config B for having the lowest metrics across the board.
54
55
56
57
58
CPU doesn't get power limited to PL1
59
Config AConfig BConfig CConfig D
60
Vcore average (V)0,8960,8970,9161,001
61
Max Vcore spike (if any) (V)1,3041,2941,3081,296
62
Power average (W)18171820
63
Power max (W)156151175173
64
CPU Package temp average (C)38404042
65
Average effective clock speed (MHz)283287n/an/a
66
Average effective P-cores clock speed (MHz)314318n/an/a
67
Average effective E-cores clock speed (MHz)157164n/an/a
68
Average SVID IOUT - current (A)18172121
69
Max SVID IOUT - current (A)150143144151
70
71
72
Assassin's Creed Odyssey - one minute run-around the same area and save file, same configuration of NPCsIn this game, Lite Load 5 has by far the highest average Vcore. This resembles the higher average Vcore during Geekbench 6, and is maybe related to the lower average current and/or power draw in these two scenarios. This is also typical during general usage without heavy load. LL5 always maintains the highest average VCore, because there is no offset applied to the V/F curve, and the low AC load line doesn't lead to much of an undervolt during low-load scenarios, when no VDroop is happening.
The win goes to B or C because of the lowest average VCore.
73
74
75
76
77
CPU doesn't get power limited to PL1
78
Config AConfig BConfig CConfig D
79
Vcore average (V)1,2401,2221,2251,264
80
Max Vcore spike (if any) (V)1,2481,2461,2341,266
81
Power average (W)62606266
82
Power max (W)69758175
83
CPU Package temp average (C)54535454
84
Average effective clock speed (MHz)1179122412481224
85
Average effective P-cores clock speed (MHz)1457151115401511
86
Average effective E-cores clock speed (MHz)54726970
87
Average SVID IOUT - current (A)47424847
88
Max SVID IOUT - current (A)91828687
89
90
The Last of Us Part 1 - one minute run-around the same area and save fileIn The Last of Us, this time config A, the 110/110 + offset configuration, had the highest average Vcore. Config D/Lite Load 5 still has the second highest average Vcore, and perhaps this game's CPU load is a middle ground where the VDroop is high enough for config D to have lower average Vcore than config A, but not high enough so that the lack of a V/F offset is compensated enough to match config B and D.
The win goes to B or C because of the lowest average VCore.
91
92
93
94
95
CPU doesn't get power limited to PL1
96
Config AConfig BConfig CConfig D
97
Vcore average (V)1,3241,2881,2891,305
98
Max Vcore spike (if any) (V)1,3281,2901,2921,308
99
Power average (W)85767879
100
Power max (W)91818385