{
  "id": 19558158,
  "title": "My motherboard was feeding my CPU too much voltage, and one BIOS tweak fixed it",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/my-motherboard-was-feeding-my-cpu-too-much-voltage-and-one-bios-tweak",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-11T21:30:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "XDA Developers",
    "slug": "xda-developers",
    "url": "https://www.xda-developers.com/motherboard-secretly-overvolting-cpu-fix/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Motherboard voltage issues can be a frustrating problem for PC builders, as even expensive components can have varying power requirements. The default BIOS settings often apply too much voltage, which can lead to instability and thermal throttling. By adjusting the motherboard BIOS, users can often achieve better performance and efficiency from their hardware. In the case of Intel Core i9 14900K processors, some samples may work at higher clock speeds with lower voltage, while others may struggle to maintain stability even at lower clock speeds. Downgrading the BIOS to an older microcode version can allow for more aggressive undervolting, but this comes with risks. In a test setup with an Intel Core i5 13600K and MSI B760M-A-DDR5 motherboard, the motherboard's VRM was not very powerful, and the CPU drew near 1.325V while maintaining a clock speed of 5.1 GHz. Undervolting the CPU to 1.250V allowed for stable operation and adequate cooling, while higher voltages led to crashes in certain games and benchmarks.",
  "summary": "Leaving your BIOS on auto defaults could be secretly cooking your processor, but taking control of your hardware is a literal game changer.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}