Question Capability of the VRMs on my motherboard for CPU power limits?

[Dave3000]

In my secondary PC, which is a PowerSpec B686 which consists of an MSI H610M-G DDR4 WiFi motherboard and an i5-12400 CPU, I noticed in the BIOS that the short-term power limit of 115W for my CPU, but according to the official specs of the i5-12400 its maximum turbo power limit is 117W. Is it 115W limit (unless I manually enter the numbers for the power limits) due to a limitation on my motherboard, such as the VRMs on the motherboard? Also in the CPU Cooler Tuning setting in the BIOS, the MSI Unlimited Setting and the MSI Performance Setting, it sets PL1 to 100W and PL2 to 115W (which is below the official 117W turbo limit of this CPU), is it because this option in the BIOS is also factoring in the VRMs of the motherboard and what these VRMs are capable of safely? Is uncapping the power limits (setting PL1 and PL2 to 4095 from what I read) of the i5-12400 too much for the VRMs of this motherboard to handle even if I upgraded to a much better CPU air cooler and a new case (current case too small for a 120mm tower air cooler).

 

[lopri]

Yes, I think that is the most likely explanation. VRM is perhaps not spec'ed for more than 115W.

 

[Dave3000]

I'm currently using this PC only as a Jellyfin server and I don't require transcoding for anything in my media library as they are in formats that my Apple TV 4k will direct play, it's not worth replacing the motherboard with a higher end one? I will have to buy a new case and power supply as well if I do replace the motherboard because I couldn't disconnect the ATX power cable from the motherboard, plus my power supply is non-modular, so I don't have the option of disconnecting the ATX power cable from the power supply end instead and the ATX power cable is routed behind the motherboard's underside panel, so I guess the case, power supply, and motherboard will be stayed linked together permanently, just because the ATX power cable is stuck to the motherboard's ATX connector.

 

[In2Photos]

No, it's not worth it. I'm using an i7-8700 and motherboard from a Dell Precision 3630 for my unraid/Jellyfin server. If that system can handle that task your system is more than capable.

 

[tcsenter]

Almost all those designs using the lower tier 'cost saving' H110, H210, H310, and so on are intended or marketed for embedded, otherwise lower power systems that aren't going to support the performance tier processor models. Some exceptions here and there.