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6700k cpu utilisation drops when stress tested

JTam5
Beginner
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Hi guys,

Not really sure what's going on with my 6700k cpu which is at stock. When using CPU-Z using stress test, my cpu utilisation from Task Manager (Performance Tab) keeps dropping. CPU-Z score is also shown to steadily decrease in unison with the decrease utilisation figures. At first I just ignored it, but I had to do some heavy excel macro work on the weekend and the time it took my 6700k took longer to perform then on my laptops skylake 2 core, 4 thread cpu. I've also watched cpu utilisation when running:

- Cinebench: and the utilisation hovers between 100% to 99%

- Prime 95 Benchmark: Similar to CPU-Z and it just keeps decreasing

I've also updated my mobo's bios version (I have a Gigabyte Z170x Gaming 3) no difference. In addition, no problem with thermals, hottest any of the cores got to was 71 degrees during all of these tests (viewed from CPUID HWMonitor). I've taken a screenshot which shows the test and reduction of CPU utilisation over 60 seconds.

Hoping someone out there can point me in the right direction.

Thanks

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idata
Employee
1,161 Views

Hello jtam01:

 

 

Thank you very much for providing the picture.

 

 

This problem is it recently, or it happens since the day you got the processor?

 

 

What is the model of the memory RAM you are using?

 

 

Which Windows version are you using?

 

 

When you use 3rd party tools there could be misreadings in some of the reports, that is why we rely in the Intel® processor diagnostic tool, it does an overall test on the processor and if it passed the test it should be fine:

 

 

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/19792/Intel-Processor-Diagnostic-Tool

 

 

I ran the CPU-Z tool, perform the stress test and the CPU utilization did not decrease at all, so this also could be a problem with the processor itself.

 

 

By any chance, do you have the option to test your processor on a different board, or your board with a different processor?

 

 

Any further questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Alberto

 

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JTam5
Beginner
1,161 Views

Hi Alberto,

Answers to your questions

1) Yes, I've had this issue from the day I got the processor. I too thought it may have been a 3rd party tool and didn't think much of it. On Friday I did some work on it which required a bit of grunt it took a far longer than time then I was expecting, this was compared against a laptop i5 2 core, 4 thread laptop.

2) RAM - Kingston Hyper X Fury DDR4 16GB

3) Windows 10

4) Ran the diagnostic test and it passed. I was looking at the CPU utilisation and it was bouncing between 99 to 100%.

5) I have a mini ITX system with a B150 motherboard. It may not be able to fit with my cpu cooler. Will give it a try after work today. If I can't fit it, i'll move my i5-6500 onto my motherboard and test it. I can confirm that my 6500 in my itx build does not result in a reduced cpu utilisation when using CPU-Z.

Took a screenshot with the passed test below:

jtam01

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idata
Employee
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Hello jtam01:

 

 

Thank you very much for sharing that information, we really appreciate you took the time to do that.

 

 

Perfect, try the tests you mentioned above, and once you get the chance please let us know the results.

Additionally the memory RAM seems to be fully compatible, make sure the speed it is running is not higher than the following:

DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V

http://ark.intel.com/products/88195/Intel-Core-i7-6700K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_20-GHz http://ark.intel.com/products/88195/Intel-Core-i7-6700K-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-4_20-GHz

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards

Alberto

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idata
Employee
1,161 Views

Hello jtam01:

 

 

I just wanted to check if you were able to test the processor with the B150 motherboard?

 

 

According to the following link is fully compatible with i5-6500:

 

 

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B150-GAMING-M3.html# support-cpu https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B150-GAMING-M3.html# support-cpu

 

 

Please let me know the results.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Alberto

 

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JTam5
Beginner
1,161 Views

Hi Alberto,

Sorry for the delay.

Yes, I switched out my i5-6500 into the system and it was working for a while, but then I noticed it was having similar problems. I noticed that on my version of CPU-Z, the number of handles was climbing. Before commencing the test handles hovered between 25k to 40k, when using the test for a prolonged period handles went up to 300k. As such I did the following:

1) Reformatted the system

2) Check the Ram

3) Installed a newer version of CPU Z

4) Re-tested the i5-6500, fine - utilisation stayed at 100%

5) Reinstalled the i7-6700k. Improvement, but it hovers between 98-100%.

I don't know if this is the desired behaviour? What happened on your system?

Thanks

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idata
Employee
1,161 Views

Hello jtam01:

 

 

No problem at all, thank you very much for sharing those results.

 

 

To answer your question, during the stress test that I performed the cpu utilization stayed at 100%.

 

 

But the fact that the processor hovers between 98-100%, it is expected as well, specially if it is an unlocked unit such as the i7-6700K and it is being used on a board that is not Intel, because remember that the processor is associated to the microcode of the BIOS, so those variations might be expected under those scenarios, besides that the drop down on the utilization is not that much, so it seems to be working fine.

 

 

If you use the i5-6500 on the Gigabyte Z170x Gaming 3, does the utilization stays at 100% or it also hovers? Is the PC running slow with that other processor as well?

 

 

Depending on those results, remember that the processor has 3 years of warranty and if you are interested in the replacement we can always assist you with that. Please get in contact directly with us through chat, email, phone or online support, you just need to select processor on product type and you will get those options:

 

 

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html# @12 http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact-support.html# @12

 

 

Please let me know the results of trying the steps above.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Alberto
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JTam5
Beginner
1,161 Views

Hi Alberto,

Yes, I tested my i5-6500 on the Gigabyte Z170x Gaming 3 mobo and it does stay at 100%. When doing so, the system is a bit laggy.

On the 6700k, it isn't really that slow

Let me know what you think.

Thanks

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idata
Employee
1,161 Views

Hello jtam01:

 

 

Thank you very much for that information.

 

 

Yes, based on that information, it seems to be there might be a problem with the processor itself. At this point I think the replacement option will be a good thing to do, because the processor is showing inconsistencies on the performance, and based on the tests done on this thread the source of the problem seems to be the processor.

 

 

Please, use the link above if you are interested in replacing the processor and let us know if you were able to contact Intel directly.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Alberto

 

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idata
Employee
1,161 Views

Hello jtam01:

 

 

I just wanted to check if you were able to get in contact directly with Intel to replace the processor and if you need further assistance on this matter?

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Alberto

 

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