Undervolting

Undervolting is the practice of reducing the voltage supplied to a computer processor or other integrated circuit while attempting to maintain stable operation. It aims to lower power consumption and heat output without reducing the clock speed or overall performance noticeably.

The method relies on the relationship between voltage, current, and thermal output. Lower voltage can reduce power draw and heat generation, potentially allowing components to run cooler, quieter, or at higher sustained performance due to less thermal throttling. Undervolting can be applied to CPUs, GPUs, and other chips, and is often used in laptops to improve battery life and thermal behavior, or in desktops to reduce energy use and noise.

Undervolting can be implemented through BIOS/UEFI settings or software that adjusts voltage curves or offsets. Common approaches include setting a lower core voltage, or configuring dynamic voltage and frequency scaling to operate at a reduced voltage for given loads. In practice, settings are typically tested for stability across representative workloads and monitored for temperature and performance changes.

Risks and limitations include potential system instability, crashes, or boot failures if the voltage is set too low. While undervolting itself does not usually cause hardware damage, improper configuration can lead to data corruption or unbootable systems. Support for undervolting varies by processor and platform, and some devices or firmware may restrict voltage adjustments.

Overall, undervolting can reduce heat and power consumption with minimal performance impact on some silicon, but results vary and careful testing is essential.