13th gen latency issues and optimisation.

[tommy161911]

Hey everyone,

I'm running an i7 13700KF on a Gigabyte Z690 board with an air cooler, and I've been trying to track down some annoying interrupt latency spikes on my PC. I noticed these latency spikes actually caused input lag in games like CS2, so I'm trying to optimise my PC as best as possible. 

Most of my testing was from an idle system with bare minimum running in background to rule out other processes interrupting. I used LatencyMon and HWiNFO to diagnose. It looked like the latency spikes were happening whenever the CPU cores woke up from park, or when the P-cores dropped its clock speed during light idle.

At first, I tried adding to registry:

setacvalueindex 1

to completely disable cores idling. It fixed the latency, but my CPU was pulling 100W+ and running super hot just sitting on the desktop because the cores were pinned.

Next, I went into the BIOS. I initially tried changing the package C state limit to C3, but that didn't actually stop the individual cores from going to C6/C7 according to HWiNFO. What worked instead was disabling the C6+ states. 

LatencyMon runs perfectly clean now, and my idle power draw is sitting at a very reasonable level. I also use Process Lasso to switch between the standard Balanced power plan for normal desktop use and the Bitsum Highest Performance plan for gaming, which keeps the clocks up without forcing the CPU to draw crazy amounts of power.

But I have another issue which is fans ramping up randomly. Because the CPU isn't going into those deep sleep states anymore, it runs a little warmer at idle. Now, whenever a random background Windows task pops up, the CPU boosts, the temps spike for a split second, and my cooler fans ramp up and down. It is not overheating at all, but the constant revving is annoying. 

I have a few questions for anyone who has dealt with this:

1. Is disabling the deeper C states while leaving the lighter ones active the best way to handle latency on 13th gen?
2. Is this fan ramping issue just something I have to live with and tune out with a custom fan curve in the BIOS, or is there a better way to configure the CPU?

3. Does disabling C6+ state affect the longevity of the CPU in any way? 

My power plan config and BIOS settings attached below:

Balanced

• Min CPU state: 5%
• Idle demote threshold: 40%
• Idle promote threshold: 60%

Bitsum Highest Performance (modified)

• Min CPU state: 100%
• Idle demote threshold: 0%
• Idle promote threshold: 0%

Any advice would be hugely appreciated, and happy to go into details regarding anything!

[BrenzL_Intel]

Hello tommy161911,

Thank you for reaching out to the Intel Community Forum

We're sorry to hear that you've experienced an issue with your desktop. To better assist you, please provide the following information:

1. Are there any troubleshooting steps you’ve tried so far?

2. To provide you with the most efficient support path, I need to know: Was this processor purchased within the last 30 days? If so, your retailer can often provide immediate replacement or refund options.

3. Did you overclock the processor?

• Please note that if the system was overclocked (manually or using Intel® Speed Optimizer or AI Assist or other methods), including voltage/frequency beyond the processor supported specifications, your processor voids warranty.

4. Are there any signs of physical damage on the processor?

5. Have you updated your BIOS to the latest version and applied the ‘Intel Default Settings’?

Thank you for choosing Intel and have a great day.

[tommy161911]

Hi Brenz, 

I wouldn't necessarily say there's an issue with the CPU, I'm just trying to optimise it. 

1. I've tried disabling core parking using Park Control, which mitigated latency spikes but didn't completely get rid of it. I tried Window's High performance power plan but this still parked CPU cores and ramped clocks down. Next I tried disabling Race To Halt and Energy Efficient Turbo, which admittedly didn't make a difference but I just left it off. Because the latency occurs when cores are woken from C6+ states and/or core clocks ramping down, I tried both disabling C-states via BIOS, or don't let them idle via registry value above. This did make my CPU run hotter and consume more power on idle so while it fixed latency issues, it isn't a permanent solution. 

2. This processor was warrantied previously following degradation issue. But it has been more than 30 days since I received the new CPU, and hasn't shown any symptoms of degradation as far as I'm aware. 

3. No, the CPU is running stock except disabling hyper-threading and some power saving features attached in the images above. 

4. No. 

5. Yes, current BIOS version is F33 for the Z690 Aorus Elite AX. 

I guess my question is, how can I make sure my system's latency is as low as possible when it's needed, while retaining efficiency functionality. Is there a way to ensure C-states don't reach C6+, ideally via software, which I can apply from Windows when needed? I'm happy to explore power plans, BIOS settings, tweaking registry values, etc. 

Thank you for looking into this! 

[BrenzL_Intel]

Hello tommy161911,

I will do further research on this matter and post the response on this thread once it is available.

If you have questions, please let us know. Thank you.

Best regards,

Brenz L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BrenzL_Intel]

Hello tommy161911,

Please be informed that Intel does not recommend changing BIOS settings or modifying the system registry, as these actions may cause system instability, performance issues, or other unexpected behavior.

Intel strongly advises using Intel‑recommended default BIOS settings to ensure that the processor and the system operate within validated and fully supported parameters.

If you have already made changes or require assistance in restoring the original settings, please be advised to revert the system to the Intel Default Settings within the BIOS.

If the concern remains after applying the Intel Default Settings, please run the Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool (IPDT) to test your processor and provide the results in this thread so we can review them further.

Best regards,

Brenz L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Y_Yuw]

Hello tommy161911,

Is there too much program in your Windows System background？Or too high Core Voltage? In my opinion, CPU should not need too much power just sitting on the desktop.My 14900K just need 30 to 45 watts when i watch vedio and chatting on WeChat.

[tommy161911]

Hi Y_Yuw,

Thanks for replying. My system was initially very efficient as well with all efficiency settings enabled in BIOS - idle power consumption looked exactly like yours, which is expected as cores are parked. And my PC is as lean as possible: clean Windows installation, heavy debloating of unnecessary processes. But this did not translate well to performance in CS2. I'm using Ethernet directly connected to fibre, with my ISP having direct routing to Valve servers, so we can rule out any network-related issues.

My mouse movement was extremely sluggish, clicks wouldn't register for what felt like seconds, my spray control wouldn't register at all - I had zero chance to react to my opponent AT ALL. Even watching back my demos, from their POV, they had an eternity to shoot me. Before you disregard my experience as just me being bad, I'm rated top 300 in Australia, 8k globally, Faceit level 10, so trust me when I say I can feel the latency. When the system worked it felt great, but this was rare and extremely infuriating - days where I could beat anyone, then days where I was losing to silvers.

Anyway, I posted to this forum hoping anyone would have more insight into similar issues. I've tried debloating Windows, clean installation of drivers, adjusting every possible graphics setting, processor prioritisation, BIOS tweaks (including disabling E-cores and hyperthreading), registry tweaks, MSI prioritisation, RAM tweaks, network driver tweaks - everything. Everything on default, everything optimised, you name it. The game regardless felt great 1 out of 10 times. My LatencyMon results on stock defaults would frequently spike to +2000μs.

I took my time writing this reply because I'm just fed up. I went out and bought a 9800X3D and a motherboard replacement. Everything else remained the same. No tuning, no tweaking, no nothing. My LatencyMon spikes peak at 300μs after hours of running with me doing literally nothing. My game feels great. I realise I changed the entire platform, so I can't pin it on one variable alone - the 3D V-Cache likely helps a lot too given how cache-sensitive CS2 is. But the fact that I tried every combination of BIOS settings on Intel, including disabling E-cores and hyperthreading, and still couldn't get consistent results says a lot.

If this reply does violate any guidelines, my apologies. But to anyone chasing ghosts like input lag and latency for gaming, the best thing you can do for yourself is just buy a 'dumb' CPU without any P/E core shenanigans and deep C-states. Don't get me wrong, C-states are genuinely useful for power efficiency at idle - I'd love to have them on my desktop too - but they're evidently harmful when you need consistently low latency for gaming, and the constant wrestling with Intel's thread scheduler just isn't worth it.

[BrenzL_Intel]

Hello tommy161911,

Thank you for your feedback. Upon checking the photo, you provided that shows your system’s temperature and usage overview, I noticed that your CPU is currently utilizing only around 5%.

Please be advised that Windows system background processes can vary depending on user optimization, installed applications, and startup configurations. These factors may affect how system resources behave during startup or idle periods.

Regarding your concern about Intel’s default settings, please be assured that Intel processors are designed and configured to maintain stable CPU usage—from idle to high‑performance workloads—based on system demand. These settings are optimized to ensure balanced performance, efficiency, and thermal management.

If you would like to further verify your CPU’s health and performance, you may run a diagnostic using the Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool (IPDT). This tool will help identify any potential errors, and based on the results, we can analyze whether there are any issues with your processor.

Best regards,

Brenz L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BrenzL_Intel]

Hello tommy161911,

I just wanted to follow up to see if you had a chance to review the information I posted. Your feedback at your earliest convenience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. 

Best regards,

Brenz L.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BrenzL_Intel]

Hello tommy161911,

Since I haven't received a response from you, I will be closing this inquiry. If you need further assistance, please submit a new question, as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Brenz L.

Intel Customer Support Technician