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    2720QM Problems

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Jas71, Aug 5, 2011.

  1. Jas71

    Jas71 Notebook Evangelist

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    When I run Prime95, my CPU clock goes up to 3000+MHz for a second or two then moves down to 2500MHz and won't go any higher. Is this what is to be expected or is there something wrong here? Thanks.
     
    Jas71, Aug 5, 2011
    #1
  2. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    I'm using wPrime instead of Prime95, but on the extended 1024M runs (using 8 threads), my 2820QM starts off at 3.10GHz, stays there for about 45 seconds, then drops to ~2.75GHz for the duration of the run. I think that's the nature of the TurboBoost design in the Sandy Bridge processors.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 5, 2011
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  3. ewitte12

    ewitte12 Notebook Evangelist

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    Turbo boost is also faster the less cores are in use. The maximum is for only 1 core.
     
    ewitte12, Aug 5, 2011
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  4. maxtek

    maxtek Notebook Consultant

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    Make sure you don't have anything running in the background that might affect the test. :)
     
    maxtek, Aug 5, 2011
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  5. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

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    download and run throttlestop. I get 2.6 ghz across all 4 cores when its only supposed to be 2.0 ghz as advertised by intel when running all 4 cores.
     
    Raidriar, Aug 5, 2011
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  6. LVNeptune

    LVNeptune Notebook Virtuoso

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    Last I checked throttlestop didn't support these processors ? I tried to run it a few months back.
     
    LVNeptune, Aug 5, 2011
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  7. ewitte12

    ewitte12 Notebook Evangelist

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    Anyone know if the QS/ES cpus are unlocked? My other laptop is a QS 2720 with 8MB cache. I was going to go back to the original i3 and sell that but may put in the AW if its unlocked. Or the ES 2920xm is not that expensive ;)
     
    ewitte12, Aug 5, 2011
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  8. LVNeptune

    LVNeptune Notebook Virtuoso

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    ES 2920xm are 100Mhz slower than the retail ones but are about $300-400

    We can't set the values for OC'ing on the 2920xm currently due to BIOS limitations, however.
     
    LVNeptune, Aug 5, 2011
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  9. ewitte12

    ewitte12 Notebook Evangelist

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    Wouldn't throttlestop fully work though?
     
    ewitte12, Aug 5, 2011
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  10. Jas71

    Jas71 Notebook Evangelist

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    I didn't have anything running in the background, I am aware that turbo boost will only last a certain duration. The problem is it only goes to 3GHz for a second or two and not 45 sec like it should. I remember before I did a clean install it would stay at 3GHz for a much longer time.

    Edit: I can't seem to get wPrime to install, it says there is some unexpected error. Anyone have a working link they can share? Thanks.
     
    Jas71, Aug 5, 2011
    #10
  11. unclewebb

    unclewebb ThrottleStop Author

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    ThrottleStop supports the newer Sandy Bridge processors but it can't unlock a locked CPU. Intel has added a variety of lock bits to this new design so if a laptop manufacturer decides to lock a feature in the CPU then ThrottleStop won't be able to change that value and the adjuster will be grayed out to show this. Nothing I can do about that. It's still a great monitoring tool so you can see exactly what your CPU is up to.

    A 2630QM has a maximum Turbo Boost multiplier of 26 available when all 4 cores are active and the CPU is operating below the built in TDP / TDC turbo power limit. Your CPU is running exactly as designed. This is a big improvement compared to the last generation 720QM where you usually didn't get any Turbo Boost at all when all 4 cores were fully loaded.

    Jas71: It's possible that your bios has set the short term turbo power limit to a very short duration of time. How much time your CPU spends at the high turbo power limit is totally up to the bios and in most Dells, this is not adjustable.

    Downloads | wPrime Multithreaded Benchmark

    Many users prefer wPrime 1.55 which has less issues than some of the newer versions.

    The batch of ES CPUs on EBay recently are not genuine 2920XM CPUs. They may be Extreme with an unlocked multiplier on the right board but Intel has never offered any retail CPUs that are the same as the early ES versions that are on EBay.
     
    unclewebb, Aug 5, 2011
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  12. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    The Revelator, Aug 5, 2011
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  13. Jas71

    Jas71 Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks for the help guys, the wPrime still won't work for me. It says there was some unexpected error when I try to run it. I think my CPU may be running normally but I just thought it wasn't.
     
    Jas71, Aug 5, 2011
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  14. ewitte12

    ewitte12 Notebook Evangelist

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    QS should be close but I saw one for $799 lol. Might as well get the real thing. Anyway I was asking if the multi was locked on my QS 2720qm .
     
    ewitte12, Aug 5, 2011
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  15. ewitte12

    ewitte12 Notebook Evangelist

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    Are you right clicking and running as administrator?
     
    ewitte12, Aug 5, 2011
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  16. Jas71

    Jas71 Notebook Evangelist

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    That worked, thanks.
     
    Jas71, Aug 7, 2011
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  17. ValkerieFire

    ValkerieFire God Follower

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    A simpler way to check your performance may be to run a benchmark. Your 4dmarkVantage CPU score should be in the 19400-19900 range. My OEM 2720 gets 19650 +\- 200. My ES 2720 w/mb cache got 19965. Passmark should be around 7600ish.

    Prime95 is good for heat testing and stability but not performance. SuperPI will do math and that can be used to check performance.
     
    ValkerieFire, Aug 7, 2011
    #17