i5-9600K registering at 1.9 GHz while it's basclock is 3.7GHz.

[Szabodomi]

So one day I randomly opened my task manager and looked at the CPU clock while playing Elite:Dangerous and I saw this (picture attached) and i was surprised seeing my CPU running at 1.91 GHz is that normal, like can the processor underclock itself below the base frequency or is it just a false reading? This surprised me because I've never seen it running below 4.6 or so GHz.

[Jurrunio]

Check per thread usage, maybe it's just not seeing enough work

[Haro]

maybe use something like hwinfo64 

update the bios ? for all we know it could be a wrong reading 

[Void Master]

 

11 minutes ago, Szabodomi said:

i was surprised seeing my CPU running at 1.91 GHz is that normal, like can the processor underclock itself below the base frequency or is it just a false reading?

If the the CPU is at idle or light loads, it automatically down-clocks itself to save power. Did u pause the game and then head to task manager or monitor it while running ?

Try using msi afterburner and rivatuner statistic server to monitor your CPU and GPU usages in game then report back.

[Zando_]

Just now, Void Master said:

If the the CPU is at idle or light loads, it automatically down-clocks it self to save power. Did u pause the game and then head to task manager or monitor it while running ?

Try using msi afterburner and rivatuner statistic server to monitor your CPU and GPU usages in game then report back.

^^^^ This. CPUs downclock when at or near idle, very often below the base clock. They hop - or should hop, if they don't then something is wrong - right back up to boost clocks once they're under load. When manually OCing you can disable speedstep/C states and such so it won't do this (it can help with stability when working out what your optimal OC is), whether you do that or not once your OC is stable is just personal preference + how your board behaves with variable clocks and voltages past stock. 

[Szabodomi]

12 minutes ago, Jurrunio said:

Check per thread usage, maybe it's just not seeing enough work

So i used hwinfo64 as @TofuHaroto suggested and each core is registering the same speed as task manager does. @Void Master No, i didn't pause the game that's why I was surprised, but now I checked and the cpu clock is around 4.3 while ingame and when I tab out, the game probably enters some kind of  low performance mode. So yeah thanks for the suggestions, so it's just underclocking while I'm not viewing the game window, kinda wierd i haven't noticed it before. @Zando Bob well i didn't disable this when trying to overclock but I got to 5.15 stable so i was happy with it 5.2 was like ok until I ran a stress test and then it bsod-d.

[Stahlmann]

That's to save power when the clock is not needed. If you enable the performance power plan it won't go under base clock at all times.

[Void Master]

3 minutes ago, Szabodomi said:

So i used hwinfo64 as @TofuHaroto suggested and each core is registering the same speed as task manager does. @Void Master No, i didn't pause the game that's why I was surprised, but now I checked and the cpu clock is around 4.3 while ingame and when I tab out, the game probably enters some kind of  low performance mode. So yeah thanks for the suggestions, so it's just underclocking while I'm not viewing the game window, kinda wierd i haven't noticed it before. @Zando Bob well i didn't disable this when trying to overclock but I got to 5.15 stable so i was happy with it 5.2 was like ok until I ran a stress test and then it bsod-d.

When you tab out then you are basically pausing the game.

Just go to windows power options and set it to high performance.

You can also disable Intel enhanced SpeedStep Technology in the BIOS.