Semi-random Cinebench R23 single-core scores

[random_member_42937]

Hi everyone.
I've got MSI Mortar II B760M board, i5-14600k. No overclocking, no explicit undervolting. I lowered AC and DC loadlines (both to 0.8), set LLC to mode 7, however I think it's not a "proper" undervolt since AC_LL = DC_LL? CEP is enabled. I'm running Windows 10.
PL1 = PL2 = 253W, IccMax = 220 A.

In Cinebench R23 my multi-core score is around 24500 points, which is fine.

However, in single-core the score is almost always lower that the target 2000-ish points. I usually get from 1600 to 1750, and sometimes I get the target ~2050 points.
I can't quite figure our any pattern of the scores. CPU temperatures are fine. I don't see any dips in the frequency in the HWiNFO, it stays solid 5.3 GHz for P-core 0.
I've tried to set affinity to P-cores (1, 2, 6 cores) in the task manager, but it doesn't seem to do much.
In Cinebench 2024, Geekbench 6, and "Performance Test" by PassMark I get the expected single-core performance digits.

Do you have any ideas why this happens? I can't quite remember, but on the stock board settings I've seen a similar picture (I'll come back and check if necessary).
Is this some very specific problem which only Cinebench R23 indicates? Should I try any other benchmarks?

 

[random_member_42937]

I've disabled CEP just for science and the scores remained the same. I've no ideas what's wrong here...

 

[badboy2k]

Hi everyone.
I've got MSI Mortar II B760M board, i5-14600k. No overclocking, no explicit undervolting. I lowered AC and DC loadlines (both to 0.8), set LLC to mode 7, however I think it's not a "proper" undervolt since AC_LL = DC_LL? CEP is enabled. I'm running Windows 10.
PL1 = PL2 = 253W, IccMax = 220 A.

In Cinebench R23 my multi-core score is around 24500 points, which is fine.

However, in single-core the score is almost always lower that the target 2000-ish points. I usually get from 1600 to 1750, and sometimes I get the target ~2050 points.
I can't quite figure our any pattern of the scores. CPU temperatures are fine. I don't see any dips in the frequency in the HWiNFO, it stays solid 5.3 GHz for P-core 0.
I've tried to set affinity to P-cores (1, 2, 6 cores) in the task manager, but it doesn't seem to do much.
In Cinebench 2024, Geekbench 6, and "Performance Test" by PassMark I get the expected single-core performance digits.

Do you have any ideas why this happens? I can't quite remember, but on the stock board settings I've seen a similar picture (I'll come back and check if necessary).
Is this some very specific problem which only Cinebench R23 indicates? Should I try any other benchmarks?

sounds like a Active Program in the background that is eating up some of the Load and may even be some windows Component that is using the same core at the same time that is dragging it down!

can you try disabling everything that is not necessary and see how it performs?

 

[random_member_42937]

Hey @badboy2k, thanks for replying!
I've got a pretty fresh Windows, and I'm benchmarking on a fresh boot. I've only got FanControl running in background, but closing it completely doesn't affect anything.
Otherwise I've got no non-essential background processes, except for maybe Windows Defender.
I don't see CPU usage above 1-2% in the Task Manager, and as I've stated the boost clocks in HWiNFO do not go below 5.3 GHz. Interestingly, keeping HWiNFO open doesn't influence the score too.
Basically I don't have anything that can slow Cinebench R23 down. It's weird especially since other benchmarks seem to show adequate results for single and multi-thread performance. And it's weird that Cinebench R23 underperforms only in the single-thread test...