5-14400F low Cinebench multi-core score / CPU drops to ~60W despite BIOS power-limit changes

Hi everyone, I'm trying to figure out why my i5-14400F is underperforming in multi-core benchmarks.

My PC:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-14400F
• Motherboard: Gigabyte B760M K V2 DDR4
• GPU: Gigabyte RTX 2060 Super
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Storage: 256GB SATA SSD
• PSU: Gigabyte 550W
• Cooler: ICE C612 V2
• OS: Windows

The motherboard is the Gigabyte B760M K V2 DDR4, which has a 4+1+1 hybrid digital VRM design.

CPU specifications:

• 10 cores / 16 threads
• P-cores: 6
• E-cores: 4
• Max turbo: 4.7 GHz
• Intel base power: 65W
• Intel maximum turbo power: 148W

Benchmark results

Cinebench 2026:

• Single-core: 569
• Multi-core: ~3011–3046

Cinebench 2024:

• Multi-core initially: 720
• Latest: 732

The single-core score seems fine, but the multi-core score is much lower than expected.

Temperatures / clocks

During testing:

• CPU package max temperature: ~75°C
• P-core max clock: ~4.69 GHz
• E-core max clock: ~3.49 GHz

So I don't think CPU temperature is causing the problem.

Power problem

This is the strange part.

During a multi-core Cinebench run, CPU package power:

• Starts around 100–105W
• Then drops to around 60W
• Most of the benchmark stays around 60W
• Near the end it can drop even lower

HWMonitor shows the CPU spending most of the sustained multi-core workload around 60W.

BIOS changes I've already tried

BIOS: Gigabyte B760M K V2 DDR4

I went to:

Tweaker → Advanced CPU Settings → Turbo Power Limits

Initially the settings were Auto.

I changed them to:

• Turbo Power Limits: Enabled
• Package Power Limit 1 (PL1): 100W
• Package Power Limit 1 Time: 56 seconds
• Package Power Limit 2 (PL2): 148W
• PL2 Time: Auto

I also tried changing the platform power-limit settings to approximately:

• Platform Power Limit 1: 135W
• Platform Power Limit 1 Time: 56 seconds
• Platform Power Limit 2: 148W

But the result is basically unchanged.

The CPU still drops to around 60W during sustained multi-core load.

I have NOT changed CPU voltage or done a manual overclock.

What I've noticed

The CPU can boost properly in single-core:

• ~4.7 GHz P-core boost
• Cinebench 2026 single-core = 569

But under full multi-core load it doesn't sustain the expected power/performance and settles around 60W.

Cinebench 2024 = only 732 multi-core.

CPU temperature is only around 75°C, so thermal throttling doesn't appear to be the problem.

What could be causing the 60W limit?

Could this be:

• Another BIOS/platform power limit?
• Current/EDP limit?
• Gigabyte BIOS behavior?
• VRM limitation?
• Windows power-management setting?
• Intel power/current limit?
• Something related to the B760M K V2 DDR4?
• BIOS version/settings?

Would appreciate advice from anyone with an i5-14400F, especially if you're using a Gigabyte B760M K V2 DDR4.

What should I change to get the CPU to sustain higher multi-core power safely?