CPU Core voltage varies

Is it normal for the CPU Core Voltage to vary? During the course of an hour mine varied form 1.41 to 1.52 with 1.49 being seen most of the time.

MB: Asus P5ND2-SLI
CPU: CPU INTEL|PD 805 2.66G 775 2x1M R (Stock Fan)(Overclocked 20% to 3.2G)

Jeff

 

what do you have it set at? If its too high over stock then its because ur PSU cant handle it; get a better PSU if you want stable voltages.

 

I'd have thought that variance was on the high side, jjocsak. It may indicate a low-quality PSU, or one that's being pushed too close to its limits.

But if you haven't had any trouble (random crashes, memory errors, etc.), I'd say "don't bother fixing what ain't bust". Some variance in voltage levels is normal, and if your system can deal with those variances, why spend the money trying to fix it?

But what's the voltage it's supposed to be supplying? You know, the nominal voltage?

And you might want to check with the board or CPU manufacturer to find out what the acceptable variance and minimum for the CPU core voltage is. It'll take a somewhat higher voltage than the nominal, but that will shorten the CPU's lifespan.

ATX PSU's are supposed to provide voltages on each of its rails that are within 5% of nominal. But that's the PSU - it provides +/- 3.3v, 5v, and 12v supplies to the motherboard and peripherals. It's the motherboard that provides the CPU core voltage, and I don't know what the variance spec normally looks like. So it could be the motherboard that's misbehaving rather than your PSU - if the PSU voltages are within spec and not varying by that much.

 

If your overclocking (like you say you are) it could be the mobo compensating for the load on the cpu. CPUs dont run 100% all the time so the voltage changes could reflect the CPUs % of load time

 

Thanks for all your help, but I think AMDxp is correct. It seems to be well within the range of the CPU and temps are stable as well.

Jeff