How to handle VRM overheating on ASRock H310CM-ITX/ac?
The frame rate would suddenly plummet from a smooth 60 FPS to a choppy 20 FPS, which is absolutely lethal when fighting mobs. Checking the logs, the VRMs on the ASRock H310CM-ITX/ac were hitting 105-112℃, triggering a thermal throttle that locked my CPU at a pathetic 0.8GHz. I spent two hours reinstalling GPU drivers three times thinking it was a software crash, which was an exercise in pure desperation. I eventually rigged a small 4cm fan directly onto the VRM heatsink, forced it to 100% speed, and lowered the power limit in BIOS from 65W to 55W. HWInfo showed VRM temps dropping from 108℃ to a manageable 76-82℃, allowing the CPU to climb back to 3.6-4.2GHz. I almost fried the motherboard header because of a wiring short during the fan install, but after re-routing the cables, it held up. Total system draw stayed between 110-130W. The fan noise is a bit obnoxious, but after a 4-hour stress test, the frequency is stable and memory temps are at 58-63℃.
