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Intel Custom Power Plans for Windows

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40K views 38 replies 13 participants last post by  ManniX-ITA  
#1 · (Edited)
Updated 30th November for Windows 11.

CRITICAL FIX FOR Windows 11


I've been told my custom power plans for Ryzen are quite popular also for Intel CPUs (thx @robolee).

These plans are not optimized for Intel and while may be better than the standard Windows plans, they are not even remotely the best.
Especially when used with 12th & 13th Gen with E-Cores.
But same goes for the standard Windows plans, they are terrible and not properly configured for the P-Cores.

I've spent a few hours optimizing and benchmarking on a 12600K a new set of dedicated plans.

They should work as well on 11th Gen and priors but I can't be sure.
Probably works also on Windows 11 but I can't be sure of that as well.
The Windows 11 plans have not been tested (but they should work).


Big big thanks to my rat-lab friend ZioGualty who left me his rig that I abused as guinea pig for this work :D

Installer Download
  • Updated Intel Custom Plans
    • Balanced LowPower, Snappy, High Performance are same, just changed naming schema
    • Added Ultimate LowPower and Ultimate HighPower
Version V2:
ManniX_Custom_Power_Plans_V2.zip

Windows 10:


These plans are very similar to their AMD counterparts.

They all are more performant than the Balanced plan.
The Balanced Snappy and High Performance plans are more performant in MT than the High Performance standard plan (50-60 points in CPU-z and 100-200 points in GB).
The Balanced LowPower is faster than anything else in ST (5-10 points in CPU-z and 20-40 in GB5) but it loses quite some in MT.

Windows 11:

If you are using Windows 11 and care about performance and latency use the Ultimate Performance or Ultimate LowPower plans.

There's a bug in W11 power management which is causing all plans except Ultimate to have increased and spotty latency and low boost peak clocks.
I have verified it on AMD but I think, based on reports from Intel users, the issue is hitting Intel too.

You can verify testing with AIDA64 memory latency test.
AIDA does not work really well with W11, it will give you very often spotty and inconsistent results.
Test only at fresh boot, close all the open tabs in Edge before rebooting or else they'll be loaded in background.
Don't run the whole benchmark with Cache & Memory, double click only on the Latency box in Memory row.
The first run should give you the peak boost clock, not always though. Mine went to up to 5125 MHz for the first time while it was stuck to 5075 MHz before.
The latency on the first run is usually bogus; wait 10 seconds, repeat, wait, repeat, etc.
You should get a much better latency on average, more consistent between runs, and some much lower scores than with any other plan.
I managed to get a 54.7ns, which is only slightly above the 54.4ns result from Win10, while with any other plan I couldn't go below 55.2ns (with very often 57-58-61-66ns).

The Ultimate LowPower is excellent; better average power consumption with a small edge in idle but still same great latency and boost and same benchmark scores as the full Ultimate.

The Ultimate Performance is as expected with minimal power savings, very consistent results.

Custom plans for Windows 11

Intel Core™ Ultimate LowPower
For Windows 11


Modified out of the Ultimate Performance plan so it doesn't the Power Slider.
It's a performance oriented plan with excellent latency but still has a lot of performance saving features enabled with great savings and lower temperatures.
Highly recommend as daily driver.

Version v1:
Intel Core Ultimate LowPower Win11 v1-Backup-2022.30.11-20.06.32.pow

Intel Core™ Ultimate Performance
For Windows 11


Modified out of the Ultimate Performance plan so it doesn't the Power Slider.
It's a performance oriented plan with excellent latency, almost no compromise but still delivers good idle power consumption and low temperatures.
Recommend as daily driver if you want always the max and don't care about power savings.

Version v1:
Intel Core Ultimate Performance Win11 v1-Backup-2022.30.11-20.06.40.pow

Custom plans for Windows 10

Intel Core™ Balanced LowPower

For Windows 10

Modified out of the Balanced plan so it has the Power Slider.
Best for single thread loads, quite responsive.

Version v1:
Intel Core Balanced LowPower 10-v1-Backup-2022.05.12-17.40.19.pow

Intel Core™ Balanced Snappy
For Windows 10


Modified out of the Balanced plan so it has the Power Slider.
Best for multi threaded loads, very responsive but still good power saving.

Version v1:
Intel Core Balanced Snappy 10-v1-Backup-2022.05.12-17.41.14.pow

Intel Core™ High Performance
For Windows 10


Modified out of the High Performance plan so it doesn't have the Power Slider.
Best for multi threaded loads, very responsive and no power saving.

Version v1:
Intel Core High Performance 10-v1-Backup-2022.05.12-17.41.19.pow

Intel Core™ Ultimate LowPower
For Windows 10


Modified out of the Ultimate Performance plan so it doesn't have the Power Slider.
Maximizes power saving, quite responsive but sacrifices some performances.

Version v1:
Intel Core Ultimate LowPower 10-v1-Backup-2022.05.12-17.41.28.pow

Intel Core™ Ultimate HighPower
For Windows 10


Modified out of the Ultimate Performance plan so it doesn't have the Power Slider.
Almost no power saving, max performances.

Version v1:
Intel Core Ultimate HighPower 10-v1-Backup-2022.05.12-17.41.24.pow
 
#2 ·
Hehe, Was requested to post result in this thread while maintaining a PM with Manni.

Tested with SSH (CPUDoc Tool), Intel High Performance/Snappy/LowPower with E core on = No more Stuttering on troublesome game like Division 2.
NZ Feature as spoken with Manni, It's still broken with current version 1.1.6 for Intel 12/13th user

I do not recommend LowPower Plan at all as it has the worst input latency
High Performance>Snappy when input latency are a factor

Of course, OP definitely need alot of other Intel 12/13 user to help on the test as currently there only OP with his friend rig and my friend helping out on the test so progress will be very slow.
 
#4 ·
Plans will import on Win11, but additional parameters for Processor Power Management are missing. Looks good on Win10.
Thanks for the feedback!
 
#6 ·
@ManniX-ITA - Feel free to delete or use for updates for quick installs of power plans for testing.

I am on Windows 11 and wanted to try these power plans.Done up a 1 click install for the plans incase someone does not know how to install power plans.
Google Drive

The read me for download.Will work on all windows 10/11 but I am on windows 11
To install ManniX-ITA Power plans and Windows 11 Ultimate Power Plan-These will work on other Windows systems

Extract zip file to anywhere and click on install.bat
Hit any key to close command prompt
Pick Power Plan from pop up
I included original Windows 11 power plans incase anything goes wrong.(I use Windows 11)
I also removed the TM from ManniX-ITA original files for installing his powerplans.
 
#7 ·
@ManniX-ITA - Feel free to delete or use for updates for quick installs of power plans for testing.
Thanks for sharing, I should have spent a bit of effort on an install batch :p

May I ask why removing the TM?
I never had an issue installing from command line but I never tried it in a batch file.
I'll work on something!
 
#9 ·
I have updated the power plans with specific versions with Windows 11 based on the Ultimate power plan.

Highly recommended to test if you are using Windows 11.
All plans except the Ultimate have a latency and performance issue; I've verified it only with AMD so feedback is welcome.
 
#11 ·
#12 ·
Going to test Intel 13700KF with CPU boost Clock set to 6000Mhz-6200Mhz on Intel Core Ultimate Performance Win11 v1-Backup-2022.30.11-20.06.40.

I will just be checking out some PC Games boosting to 6000Mhz-6200Mhz and see if there is a noticeable difference from other power plans.
Not FPS wise in PC Gaming but duration of CPU boost clocks.Everyone loves the bigger numbers even when they do not even make a difference,I will post a video if I can notice CPU boost clock differences in PC Gaming.

Thanks for sharing the power plans
 
#13 · (Edited)
What settings in power plan did you change that you felt improved latency consistency for amd (im on intel tested below)?

7800c34, 13900kf, windows 11 latest update, this is at least 15 mins after boot so no delay start programs or updating causing fluctuating latency:
normal win 11 high performance mode: 54.0 53.2 53.5 53.2 53.2 53.6 53.1 53.3 53.7 53.2
installed win 11 ultimate perfor. mode: 54.1 53.2 53.2 53.8 53.4 53.1 53.4 53.2 53.4 53.1

The first latency in each higher because ran full aidat64, other 9 just double clicked latency: If I run latency within few minutes of booting, latency will be all over the place with both plans.

Windows power saver plans allow min processor state below 100% so can increase latency.

I never used "power saver" plan, but just ran aida64 with it on, and yeah bandwidth all over the place (very low on some), latency was 58ns first run, basically processor at low power state. win 11 could improve that.

But high power mode on wind 11 doesnt seem to have any bandwidth or latency issues for my intel 13900k (though I also have c states off in bios which may play a role).
 
#14 ·
What settings in power plan did you change that you felt improved latency consistency for amd (im on intel tested below)?
It's a combination of Ultimate plan and heterogeneous settings.

The Heterogeneous policy default is 4, AMD works better on 0 now. Higher FPS in gaming.
But I'm not sure with Intel, I only can test via Teamviewer and running AIDA over it, it's not very reliable.
You can try with 0 or 1 using QuickCPU.
Remember that 2 and 3 are to enable/disable P/E-Cores, don't use them.

On AMD with policy 0 and Ultimate is not enough to make it run very consistent after the last patch.
I had also to change the scheduling policy for foreground/background threads to Prefer Performant/Prefer Efficient.
Default is Auto/Prefer Performant.
You can give it a try.

7800c34, 13900kf, windows 11 latest update, this is at least 15 mins after boot so no delay start programs or updating causing fluctuating latency:
normal win 11 high performance mode: 54.0 53.2 53.5 53.2 53.2 53.6 53.1 53.3 53.7 53.2
installed win 11 ultimate perfor. mode: 54.1 53.2 53.2 53.8 53.4 53.1 53.4 53.2 53.4 53.1
I don't know how consistent is the 13th Gen normally.
These results have much less variance than my 5950X with Win11 without the Ultimate plan and all the settings above.
 
#15 ·
For anyone interested 13Th Gen Test in PC Gaming for CPU Boost clocks with 4 different power plans and 3 games,only 3 games tested because that is all I felt like editing

Tested On 13700KF with Windows 11 22H2 (OS Buile 22621.900) with Different Power Plans Up To 6000Mhz.

I set CPU clocks at 5800Mhz low to 6000Mhz max.May be easier to see CPU boost clocks in PC Games tested.

Power Plans tested for CPU boost clocks
High Performance Win11
Ultimate Performance Win11
Intel Core Ultimate LowPower Win11 v1-By Mannix
Intel Core Ultimate Performance Win11 v1-By Mannix

I tested 3 different games,two game just running around the other game a cut scene to see CPU boost clocks.

I also did not bother syncing to the 0.001 of a second,was just testing to see boost clocks.
00::00 BioShock2Remastered
00:36 Cutscene-The Devil In Me
01:31 Alien Isolation

 
#16 ·
Tested On 13700KF with Windows 11 22H2 (OS Buile 22621.900) with Different Power Plans Up To 6000Mhz.

I set CPU clocks at 5800Mhz low to 6000Mhz max.May be easier to see CPU boost clocks in PC Games tested.
What is the outcome on your opinion?
Would be nice to see some in-game benchmark result.
Like SotTR or F1 22 or similar.

It seems with Ultimate LowPower the clocks are stuck at 5800.
True is LowPower but doesn't look right...
 
#19 ·
If someone likes gaming benchmarking, this is what to look for when comparing my power plans with a 13900K/13700K:

Image


Image


Image


Image


Image


Both the 13600K and 13700K are providing very often much better lows than the 13900K.
I've seen this in many reviews, not only from GN.

In theory with my Ultimate Performance power plan you should get better min fps, or 0.1/1% lows if provided, against the standard Ultimate Performance.
You should also get better min/lows disabling E-Cores and sometimes also reducing the P-Cores to 6.
 
#22 ·
Both the 13600K and 13700K are providing very often much better lows than the 13900K.
I've seen this in many reviews, not only from GN.

In theory with my Ultimate Performance power plan you should get better min fps, or 0.1/1% lows if provided, against the standard Ultimate Performance.
You should also get better min/lows disabling E-Cores and sometimes also reducing the P-Cores to 6.
I believe that is due to some games disliking too many cores/threads. And some games do need the e-cores on (at least ONE).
Even with a 13700k it should be better disabling 4 e-cores, HT or both. Unfortunately almost nobody tries that. One guy in the RPL main thread swears by disabling HT on his 13900k.
 
#21 ·
I reckon that I forgot about it :p

I'll indeed create a Ultimate LowPower and maybe an Ultimate HighPower to replace the High Performance.
 
#26 ·
Just tested the Ultimate LowPower on Windows 11, with a i9 12900k
Is this normal that all P core runs all the time at 5-5.1ghz idle and the E core runs at 3.9ghz idle?
What is the behavior with the High Performance or the Ultimate?
 
#29 ·
#38 ·
you the man Its working like a charm , thanks a lot bro!
 
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#30 ·
#32 ·
Greetings to Mannix and all here, new to this older discussion.

? My question:?
In Summary from what I've ascertained as of reading this post:
the gist then is to leave the E-Cores on? And use QuickCPU to leave all cores unparked?
My testing: Prior to Updating to Windows 11 22H2 latest version: was able to park just the E-Cores using the Gigabyte DRM Fix tool on High or Ultimate Power Plans. Ultimate pow imported.


--the Current status
After a fresh install of 22H2 and latest build version, and updates, the other day, this app no longer works.
In BIOS is a setting to completely turn off E-Cores by setting to Gaming mode. This no longer works.

I don't know what happened.

With 22H2 the latest build on this Desktop, after all the updates is 22621.ni_release.220506-1250.

The tested results or findings as of these new updates of Windows:
1. Cannot unpark cores with BIOS or standard High, Ultimate Power Plans from. Cores park and unpark on their own.
2. Cannot park E-Cores. In High or Ultimate Power Plans Standard out of box.

With 22H2 before all these new updates: slightly older build:
1 Could unpark all cores
2 Could park E-Cores.

With 21H2
1 Could unpark all cores.
2 Could park E-Cores.

With the latest Updates To Windows 11 22H2 latest build:
1) Running QuickCPU all cores unparked, but cannot park just the E-Cores.
2) with the Ultimate Power Plans from here, all cores seem to park and unpark based on need.
However they do not remain unparked nor can park just E-Cores. BIOS settings have no affect.
Legacy Gaming Mode and Gaming Mode.

Two methods to park E-Cores on this board.
1. Setting to Gaming mode.
2. Legacy Gaming mode > using keyboard or drm fix tool to initiate on the fly park/unpark at will.

Intel CPU is Core i5 12600KF
Gigabyte B660 DS3 AC DDR4 Y1 board

I found Ultimate Power plan from parkcontrol installed it.
I found here and installed all the plans for Ultimate.
--END
 
#35 ·
Try using QuickCPU to import the plan.
Some users had the same issue and solved it changing the name of the plan with:

Code:
powercfg /changename GUID NAME
 
#37 ·
I think if you import with QuickCPU shouldn't be necessary to rename it.
Not sure, I don't have this issue.
 
#39 ·
Let me know if you feel the need of an updated plan or isn't working with your CPU.
You'll need to be available to test it in case.

In any case I recommend to use CPUDoc, seems to work quite well on Core Ultra and Windows 11.