Intel has disabled the DLVR (Digital Linear Voltage Regulator) bypass functionality on its Core Ultra 200S processors with the latest microcode 0x112 update. This change means users can no longer easily bypass DLVR through the BIOS, resulting in potentially higher power dissipation at high loads.
DLVR, introduced in 2021 and integrated with Raptor Lake CPUs (though initially disabled), is enabled by default on Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200S processors to improve power efficiency. However, DLVR can lead to increased power dissipation under high loads due to voltage conversion. Previously, users could disable DLVR (often labeled "Power Gate Mode" in the BIOS) on Z890 motherboards to mitigate this.
As reported by HardwareLUXX, the latest BIOS update with microcode 0x112 removes the DLVR bypass option on some motherboards, leaving only a "Stable Mode." This change has been confirmed on ASRock and MSI motherboards, while BIOS updates for Gigabyte and ASUS boards are still pending.
Intel's justification for this change, as reported by HardwareLUXX, is:
This was done to prevent accidental misuse of DLVR bypass, also known as power gate mode, by ensuring it's only used in extreme overclocking scenarios with sub-ambient cooling such as liquid nitrogen.
While DLVR excels in low-load scenarios like gaming, its impact on power efficiency at high loads remains a concern. The restriction of DLVR bypass to extreme overclocking with liquid nitrogen cooling severely limits user control over this feature.
