CPU seems to be running hard with just steam (Not computer savvy)

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ajkuras

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Dec 22, 2015
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I have noticed for the past week and a half or so, when I go to start steam on my computer, it takes around 30 seconds to fire up steam. A week and a half ago, launching steam only took about 3 seconds. Today I checked out task manager while I started steam and my CPU speed jumped way up and stayed up for as long as steam was open.

I have an i7-6700 with a supposed max speed of 3.40 GHz. With steam running, I am getting readings around 3.9 GHz. This computer is not made for overclocking so I'm not sure why it is going over the max speed, and why steam seems to be putting such pressure on the CPU I have no idea. Maybe this is normal, I'm not sure, I'm not that knowledgeable, all I know for sure is Steam is taking a hell of a lot longer to start than it used to. Help me out please?
 
Solution
R_1
depending on the speed increase, in this 3.9, the CPU was only using one core at the time. it was working on a single threaded application, and your CPU closed 3 cores and sped up the remaining. single threaded apps work better on a single core. doing this the CPU can adjust to the workload, if two cores are being hammered it will turn off two and turn the speed up a bit on the others until the process completes. the fastest turbo speed reserved for single core. due to thermal stresses all 4 cores will not run at 4.0 unless the system is overclocked.
simplification at its worst. more can be read here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Turbo_Boost
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ajkuras

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Dec 22, 2015
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Is it normal for it to have that speed consistently while just steam is running though? It goes back down to about 1.25 GHz once I close out steam.
 
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R_1

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depending on the speed increase, in this 3.9, the CPU was only using one core at the time. it was working on a single threaded application, and your CPU closed 3 cores and sped up the remaining. single threaded apps work better on a single core. doing this the CPU can adjust to the workload, if two cores are being hammered it will turn off two and turn the speed up a bit on the others until the process completes. the fastest turbo speed reserved for single core. due to thermal stresses all 4 cores will not run at 4.0 unless the system is overclocked.
simplification at its worst. more can be read here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Turbo_Boost
 
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ajkuras

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Dec 22, 2015
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Ok. I think I understand. Thank you so much, this is a relief. I was afraid something was wrong with my CPU. Guess I'll keep looking into the Steam issue then.

 
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