[mips_r4300i]

As a data point, I just built a new dev machine with a 14900K on a new ASUS board.

Out of the box with default settings, it was pushing 320W through the CPU in stress tests.

I use my machine for FPGA compiles so I need reliability. I learned that ASUS Multicore Enhancement is not the only thing that must be disabled, you must manually enter the power limits.

Now my compiles take exactly the same length of time but use at least 100W less power.

I am glad to know that with your field data, I've inadvertently sidestepped a potentially catastrophic bug. I don't want to release an FPGA bitstream to users with flipped bits. And the FPGA tools already crash on their own enough.

[rygorous]

Yeah, pushing current CPUs (Intel and AMD both) as far as they'll go is well into the diminishing returns. For AMD HW I'd likewise recommend using one of the "Eco" modes. The single-digit percentage points you get out of those last few hundred MHz really don't move the needle on productivity workloads, and the power draw reduction is substantial. It also makes the machines much quieter under load.