Processors

[infy1998]

When I use balanced power mode my cpu clocks stay at 3.9 ghz even with 1 % utilization and as a result temps keep hovering in 50-60 and i have to set it to power saver mode and only then clocks drop to 2.1 ghz ( with 44 c temp ). Why is this happening even when base clock of 3500x should be 3.6 ghz. I am using asus a320m - k prime motherboard with lastest bio update and windows update. 

[pokester]

Are you using the Windows Balance plan or did you install Ryzen Master and are using Ryzen Balanced plan. If not then do that and see if it helps. 

If that does not help it may just be how your motherboard is managing the processor. It is the very bottom of the line of compatibility and was truly designed as a the super budget option for 1st gen Ryzen. It could be having an issues with the Zen2 chip. Many of those boards while having bios updates that will run the chips don't have good enough VRMs to run them well.  It is always possible the chip can be the issue too or even something messed up in the Windows registry.

I wold contact the support department of your motherboard maker. They should be able to assist in isolating the problem and if it is the motherboard offer an RMA if it is under warranty still. 

[infy1998]

Situation worsens if I use ryzen balanced power mode, clock freezes at 4.1 ghz. There is no performance penalty though, only these high temperature fluctuation is kind of unsettling. I asked if some1 was having similar problem with same motherboard and that would have assured me that it had something to do with the motherboard compatibility, For now I have contacted ASUS customer care as u suggested, lets see where it goes. 

[pokester]

I am not sure what is going on with Asus boards but I actually see a lot of complaints like or similar to this with their boards across all generations. However tons of people swear by them, so they can't be that bad. I know they are one of the partners that many tech sites have called out for not having default specs on their boards at AMD reference spec. No idea if that applies to the older board you have as I am pretty sure I have only seen this claim on newer chipsets and I am pretty sure Asus would not have been concerned with bumping the performance number on a budget board like that. 

Hopefully ASUS can suggest settings that get you situation under control and if not help troubleshoot a cpu vs motherboard issue so you can get an appropriate RMA going if they can't alleviate the problem as-is.