Additional functions in this BIOS

Or a Q X9300.

 

Is there a similar BIOS for the W880CU that will allow for CPU overclocking? I just bought a W880CU and I have an i7-940xm.

Thanks!

 

You need Throttlestop, which is much more powerful and flexible than a partially unlocked bios. With T-stop, you can adjust not only multipliers, but also TDP (CPU power limits), the real key to extreme performance. Get it here: ThrottleStop.zip - [email protected]

 

Thanks Revelator, I'm familiar with Throttlestop.
My question then is, what will Throttlestop allow me to do? Overclock the base frequency of the turbo frequency? What I'm interested in is overclocking the base frequency. Coming from a QX9300 running at 2.93GHz, I would be sad to settle with a 2.13GHz quad core
Other question, if Throttlestop overclocks the base frequency, what happens when less cores are used? Does the turbo frequency jump even higher than normal?

 

You can't overclock the base frequency, the BIOS just changes the turbo multipliers as well. But you're missing the point, as long as the CPU doesn't go over the CPU power limits (which you can change with Throttlestop), it will always run at max turbo.

 

Basically Throttlestop makes your cpu always turbo'd at max level.

 

No, you can't change the base frequency with ThrottleStop, but the base frequency has very little functional relevance with the i7 chips. It sets the operating frequency (16x the baseclock (2.13GHz) with the 940XM) when turboboost is disabled. With TB enabled, the base frequency just sets the base upon which the TB multipliers build. The only method available to increase the base frequency is to increase the baseclock (133.3MHz) using SetFSB for those computers with PLL's that can be adjusted. The Clevo W870CU/Sager NP8760's do not permit such changes; I don't know whether the W880CU will either, but doubt it, although I am not aware that anyone has even tried yet.

What you can do is set the multipliers where you wish and adjust the TDP/TDC to provide the power to the CPU that it requires to operate at those multipliers/frequencies. Core i7 multipliers have been adjustable for some time using EVGA's eLeet utility. It is the ability to adjust TDP/TDC that is unique to Throttlestop and which unleashs the power of the i7 mobile extremes. In theory, you can set the multi's to 28-28-28-28 (maybe 29x across with the 940XM). i.e., all cores/threads operating at 28x (3.73GHz), if your power brick can supply the power and your cooling system can manage the heat. My 8760/920XM won't; the most I can use and manage is 26x across the board, and that requires 90 watts of power to the CPU and generates a lot of heat, which makes it suitable only for relatively short bursts of maximum output. The chart below shows the relationships of multiplier settings to power limits to effective useable multupliers and resulting frequencies for 4 core/8 thread (i.e., maximum) operation at full load.

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Obviously. you can further customize. To maximize performance in for programs using single or dual core processing, you can increase the 1-2 core multipliers and use something like 28-27-24-24. so that a single core program can be processed at up to 3.73GHz. With any of these combinations, you begin to over-power the QX9300 o/c'ed to 2.93 somewhere around the 940's stock settings of 25-24-18-18 because of the improved efficiency of the Core i7 architecture and the much higher frequencies at 1 or 2 core levels. At higher levels, with higher effective multipliers, your new 940XM blows away your old QX9300. It just takes a little time and some experimentation to fully appreciate the power of the 920XM and 940XM and the flexibility they provide and to learn how to best apply it. It is always a trade off balancing performance, power and heat. For me, 26x across the board (or 28-27-26-26, again.the 3-4 core multis define the power needs) is the practical limit and then only for limited times. You will quickly come to love the 940XM, but it takes Throttlestop to make it sing. I'm sure others can further clarify and better explain the details, but given the equipment you're coming from and your new purchase, you seem to understand these matters pretty well.

I aplogize to all for the length of this post, but have barely scratched the surface of the subject. But remember, the power to manipulate multipliers and power limits can. if used recklessly at the extremes, also be the power to break things, so be careful.

 

Great post Revelator! Should be a good indication for anybody who wants to OC the 920XM or 940XM, but can you tell us just how hot the i7-920XM will get at 26-26-26-26? Btw, if you would add max temps to that list it would be worth an official i7-9x0XM oc thread.It will be also useful for H-Emmanuel, but his problem will be that the W880CU's CPU cooling is inferior to the W870CU, so the CPU temp will probably be the limiting factor.