CPUs are very powerful these days, so powerful that in a lot of instances, most people don't actually need the full power of what their CPU can offer them. In the wake of Intel's Core i9 bugs which I solved with underclocking, I wanted to talk about the other, more practical reasons why I underclock my processor. They're all fairly basic, but may extend the longevity of your computer and, hopefully, even impact your wallet, too.

To underclock your CPU, there are a few options. On Intel, you can use XTU, and on AMD, you can use Ryzen Master. It's the same steps to underclock your CPU as it is to underclock it, aside from decreasing the speed and the voltage instead of increasing them.

1 Reduced energy consumption

Go easy on the electricity bill... and the environment

With rising global energy costs, some people are doing everything they can to reduce their energy consumption. Underclocking your CPU is a great way to do that, especially when the likes of the Intel Core i9-14900K consume way upwards of 200W of power at their peak. The higher frequencies in the frequency table use a disproportionate amount of power compared to lower frequencies on a CPU, meaning that a relatively minor underclock can consume significantly less power.

Of course, less power in an energy sense means less power in a computational sense, but if you don't need all of that extra performance, it could be well worth it. Even underclocking to 5GHz on the 14900K will cut out a lot of power consumption, but will still be plenty of power for most uses.

2 Less heat generated

A cooler PC is a happy PC

If you're consuming less power in your CPU, your CPU will in turn generate less heat. That means it's easier to cool, and you're less likely to experience thermal throttling. While thermal throttling is usually just the decrease in clock speed of your CPU, sometimes, that thermal throttling can be severe. While underclocking your CPU is essentially the same as jumping to throttle your CPU immediately, a CPU might thermal throttle way further than the mild underclock you can do to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Not to mention, less heat generated is typically better for your computer's components as well. Your motherboard isn't equipped to handle a 100°C CPU in its socket at all times, and not even your CPU is built to manage that. Keeping your CPU cool is in your best interests, even if it means slightly diminished performance in the short term.

3 Quieter components

Less noise from your beastly machine

With an underclocked PC consuming less heat and using less energy, you'll also have quieter cooling as a result. Your PC doesn't need to work as hard to keep your CPU within a safe operating temperature, which in turn means that your fans (and pump, if you water cool) will be quieter. I use an Intel Core i9-14900K, and with an underclock to 5GHz, it's only intense gaming that makes my PC significantly audible from across the room. Think titles like Escape from Tarkov levels of intense.

You don't need to underclock, but it can help

You don't need to underclock your CPU if you don't want to, but if you want to improve on any of the above, it might be a wise decision. It's super easy to do, and as someone who is very much a PC enthusiast, it's something that I always do on my PC now. While it also helps improve stability (given the issues that I've faced with the Intel Core i9-14900K), it makes it easier to cool my PC, keeps it quieter, and consumes less energy too.

For most people, though, it's not necessary to underclock your CPU. I do it because it benefits me, but it mightn't make sense for you to do it. It's different for everyone, so assess what your needs are and see if you really need to underclock or not!