What Is Undervolt Protection and How Does It Affect Overclocking in Intel® Extreme Tuning Utility (Intel® XTU)?

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Product Information & Documentation

000094219

07/06/2023

Undervolt Protection (UVP)

Undervolt Protection is a microcode/processor feature that limits voltages from going below a set of voltage minimums, either of the user-defined BIOS value or default in-spec value (whichever is higher). The processor enforces UVP rules and limits, where selected BIOS can disable or change the minimum. 

Note Undervolt Protection is only available on 12th Gen Intel® Core™ Processors and newer processors. 

See the table below for UVP configuration with outcomes:

Configuration What Is Possible
Undervolt Protection Hypervisor (VBS, HVCI) Runtime (OS) Undervolting BIOS Undervolting Runtime Overclocking BIOS Overclocking
Disabled Disabled Yes Yes Yes Yes
Enabled Enabled No Yes
Enabled Disabled No Yes
Disabled Enabled No No

 

Note
  1. OEMs make their own decisions about which menu options to expose to users. This table shows which configurations are possible, if you do not see these options in your BIOS, contact your OEM or motherboard vendor.
  2. Altering clock frequency or voltage may void any product warranties and reduce stability, security, performance, and life of the processor and other components.
  3. UVP is enabled by default to maximize compatibility and prevent runtime voltage reductions. Disabling UVP exposes risks and vulnerabilities and is not recommended.
  4. Depending on your BIOS, UVP can be disabled on specific overclockable configurations of Intel® processors. Desktop overclockable configurations refers to certain unlocked K/KF/KS/X processors paired with a Z/X PCH.

 

Undervolt Protection (UVP) within Intel® XTU

When Undervolt Protection is enabled in Intel® XTU, a control marked with a yellow lightning bolt means that the voltage for that control cannot be set below the BIOS voltage value nor its boot time voltage value (default in-spec). This applies to voltage controls (adaptive and static) and voltage offset controls. With UVP enabled, negative voltage offsets that result in a voltage level below the boot voltage value will not be recognized or applied, and the processor will remain at the previously programmed voltage.

Hovering over a lightning bolt may expose a message: Undervolt Protection is enabled and will prevent voltage from being set below the boot-time voltage.

The image below shows Intel® XTU with UVP applied to Voltage Override and Voltage Offset settings with lightning bolt icon.

Screenshot