I am curious why the new processors show a speed range for the GHz

ztird75 · Apr 6, 2016

I am in the process of purchasing a new laptop and notice the following description: 6th Generation Intel® Skylake™ i7-6820HK Overclockable (2.7GHz - 3.6GHz, 8MB Intel® Smart Cache)....

So does the speed change depending on the work load or does this just mean you can safely over clock to 3.6 ghz?

Is this an automated feature or something you tweak in bios?

Is this something new? All my previous processors listed only their base speed..

Also never seen "smart cache" what does this mean?

Thanks for the help!

Karsten75 · Apr 6, 2016

There are two possible explanations for what you observe, depending on exactly what it might be that you refer to.

1. Most newer Intel processors have turbo-boost features that will speed up a few cores (from 1 to 1-n, where n is the total number of cores in the processor) depending on the load. This might mean that if only one of 4 cores in a processor is under load, then the processor frequency will be increased to a higher number.

That is shown in this processor designation, for instance.

http://ark.intel.com/products/88969/Intel-Core-i7-6820HK-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz

The "base frequency" of 2.66 GHz is what the cores will run at if all of them are busy. If fewer are busy, then the frequency can be stepped up to the maximum 3.6 Ghz. The mechanism is intended to provide optimum performance, while still holding the processor within a TDP (Thermal Design Power) range.

2. THe other aspect that you might be referring to is that for the first time in a very long time Intel has made available mobile processors that can be overclocked. This is dependent on the cooling and power design of the platform it is built with and results in laptops such as this:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/10213/evga-rolls-out-sc17-highend-gaming-laptop-designed-for-overclocking

geofelt · Apr 6, 2016

I think what you are seeing is speedstep.
That is the capability of a processor to lower it's multiplier when there is little to do.

Look in your windows power settings.
There will be options to specify minimum and maximum performance for operating plugged in, and on battery.

So long as you run at 100% under load, you are ok.
You can monitor this with cpu-Z

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I am curious why the new processors show a speed range for the GHz

ztird75

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Karsten75

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geofelt

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