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    [need expert knowledge]how turbo boost work?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by raclimja, Aug 16, 2010.

  1. raclimja

    raclimja Notebook Consultant

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    how does turbo boost for Core i7 720QM

    the stock clock speed is 1.6Ghz quad core with 4 virtual cores


    if 1 core is at 100% load and the other 3 is inactive the speed will be 2.8Ghz


    if 2 cores is at 100% load and the other 2 is inactive the speed will be Ghz?


    if 3 cores is at 100% load and 1 core is inactive the speed will be Ghz?


    if 4 cores is at 100% load the speed will be Ghz?


    if 4 cores and 4 virtual cores is at 100% load the speed will be Ghz?
     
    raclimja, Aug 16, 2010
    #1
  2. thundernet

    thundernet Notebook Deity

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    The answer to all your questions is 2.8Ghz.Since the maximum turbo boost frequency is 2.8Ghz, even if one core is at 100% that will be the frequency.The inactive cores don't even take part at the process at that moment.
     
    thundernet, Aug 16, 2010
    #2
  3. Marecki_clf

    Marecki_clf Homo laptopicus

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    2 cores - 2,4GHz
    3 cores - 1,73GHz
    4 cores - 1,6GHz (or 1,73GHz if Your laptop has an efficient cooling system)
    4 cores - 8 threads - 1,6GHz
     
    Marecki_clf, Aug 16, 2010
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  4. jasperjones

    jasperjones Notebook Evangelist

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    There is no such thing as 100% load in practice (even if Windows' resource monitor shows you so). The most torturing software can maybe keep 90% of a CPU's resources busy. Turboboost kicks in when (i) the OS demands P0 (the highest-performance state) for at least one core and (ii) certain thermal and electrical limits are met (e.g., the T_case temperature must be below a pre-specified number). Note that P0 =/= 100% load.
     
    jasperjones, Aug 16, 2010
    #4