Intel i5-8400 stuck at Turbo Boost Frequency

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skinnedballs

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Apr 7, 2018
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Hello!

I'm not really sure if this is an issue or not, but the Intel i5-8400 I recently purchased will not run at base clock speed, in the BIOS or in Windows. It seems like it's stuck at max Turbo frequency. Base speed is supposed to be 2.8 GHz; it'll sit at 3.8 GHz in the BIOS and Windows, and all 6 cores will hit 4GHz in Windows during gaming.

I disabled multi-core enhancement in the BIOS, and it made no difference. I also tried setting it to Auto.
I disabled the XMP profile setting.
I updated the BIOS to the newest version released 3/1; same issue.
I tried enabling/ disabling C1, EIST, and Turbo Boost.
I changed everything from Auto to Enabled; all C states, Turbo Boost, Speed Shift, EIST, Efficient Turbo. Voltage Optimization. No changes.

I'm not having system instability, or any odd issues. Everything honestly is running incredibly well.

The motherboard is the Gigabyte Z370P D3.
 
Solution
gingerrankin
I have a mobo mini-itx gigabyte Z230N wifi and a I5-8400 air cooled.

All setting are auto except XMP profile 1. Within windows I have activated "balanced plan".

like you, in BIOS cpu is sitting at 3,80GHz.

In windows at medium load, all cores are in 3,80GHz (HWMonitor). At more load it seems as if all the cores are at 3.9GHz. but it is not true because some go to 3.80 and they alternate quickly giving the illusion that they are going to 3.90. The percentage of cpu is not high.
In idle, after a long time, all cores down to 16 GHz, 12GHz or even 8GHz. in no time they tend to go to 2.8GHz

If I pass a very high load i.e. cinebench that put six cores at 100%, its are in 3,80GHz.

I think that the gigabyte mobo works differently than...
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skinnedballs

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@GhislainG

Thanks kindly for your reply, but this issue has nothing to do with Windows. It's a motherboard issue, as Windows has no control over processor frequency when the BIOS is booted.
 
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GhislainG

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Jul 16, 2008
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In the BIOS the CPU normally runs at it's rated frequency. While in Windows, the frequency should drop at low CPU utilization unless the power plan is set to high performance or power saving features are disabled in the BIOS (they are not according to your OP). If you believe there's an issue with the BIOS, then I suggest you contact Gigabyte support.
 
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skinnedballs

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Apr 7, 2018
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Yes, that's what I'm saying.

In the BIOS, the processor is at 3.8GHz. It should be at 2.8GHz. It's sitting at Turbo frequency, and it shouldn't be.
 
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aquielisunari

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Mar 31, 2011
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You are possibly mistaken. I know I can change a few things in Windows. Below are some steps that aren't listed that all happen within Windows.

1st off I can make sure my Power options are set right. I normally have it set to High Performance so my 4690K won't be prone to slacking when gaming.
Turbo_Boost.png
I can go back to Power Options(Right click Start and click on Power Options) and change that to Power Saver and my 4690K can relax back to 800MHz should it feel the need.
Turbo_throttle.png
 
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skinnedballs

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I'm not mistaken.

If I am in the BIOS, the processor is at 3.8 GHz, it should be at 2.8GHz base frequency. This has nothing to do with Windows. Windows has no control over the BIOS.
 
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aquielisunari

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Mar 31, 2011
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Oh. Only the BIOS huh? Good that you're getting to know your PC. While in the BIOS it will solicit 1 core and push it to 100% thus its full speed in BIOS. It won't be stuck inside of Windows. I don't think the CPU throttles itself in BIOS. It doesn't need to throttle its performance in BIOS/UEFI because it's not really an environment someone will stay for an extended period except possibly when OC'ing but still those changes don't take that long at all.
 
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skinnedballs

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Apr 7, 2018
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Thanks for replying, but I must respectfully disagree.

The way Turbo Boost works is that the base idle frequency should sit at 2.8GHz in the BIOS, and Windows. During a load scenario, such such as gaming, the frequency should boost one core to 4GHz, or all cores to 3.8Ghz.

It's sitting at 3.8GHz in the BIOS, and it should not be. Also, all cores are hitting 4GHz in Windows, and this processor should not be doing that.

As an example, my friends i5-8400 sits at 2.8 GHz in the BIOS and in Windows. When he games, the processor boosts appropriately.

My AMD FX-8300 sat at 3.3GHz in the BIOS and Windows, and then boosted to 4.2GHz when I was gaming.

That's how it's supposed to work. My 8400 is not doing that. It's just maxed out, always.
 
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aquielisunari

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Mar 31, 2011
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And I see where you said
Not sure if it matters, but if I change Windows power plan to Balanced or Power saver, the processor doesn't seem to have any problems dropping below 1GHz, and everywhere in between, depending on the load. But it's stuck at 3.8GHz in the BIOS. Maybe I should just change everything to enabled? lol.
Click to expand...
so we know that it can throttle. I saw 2 other similar threads. I just don't see why it NEEDS to throttle in BIOS. And I certainly wouldn't expect Intel to follow AMD's behavior. I'll keep looking but this doesn't sound like a problem but instead an unknown. I'd contact the board's manufacturer and see what they can tell you. I don't think an RMA is in order. Instead an explanation is needed.

 
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gingerrankin

gingerrankin

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It is strange that the six cores rise to 4GHz since the specifications of I5 8400 are:

5-6 cores max. 3,8
2-4 cores max. 3,9
1 core max. 4,0
and I5 8400 isnt unblocked.

What program are you using to monitor the CPU? sometimes the windows task manager does not give correct values.

it seems as the "Enhanced Multi-Core Performance" is activated, but I see in your first post that it is not that.
 
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skinnedballs

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Yeah, I've posted this in a few other forums as I haven't gotten a solid answer on this.

But yes, you're right, it doesn't need to throttle I guess, that's why I'm asking if it's actually an issue or not.

Like I said, Intel's Turbo Boost runs just like AMD's Turbo Core. They are very similar.

And again, my friends i5-8400 runs as it's supposed to at 2.8GHz in the BIOS AND Windows, and then boosts to 3.8GHz when needed.

Windows has nothing to do with this because Windows will drop the frequency to below 2.8GHz in Balanced mode. But in Performance it should sit at 2.8GHz, and then boost to 3.8GHz or beyond as NEEDED.

But remember, in Windows Performance mode, it hands over control of processor frequency to the motherboard. That's why it should sit at 2.8GHz in Windows as well.
 
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skinnedballs

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Apr 7, 2018
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YES! THANK YOU! Someone who finally understands what I'm trying to say!

I use CPUID HWMonitor, Core Temp, and Windows Task Manager. They all report the same speeds, and the BIOS matches these programs.

But still, it shouldn't be sitting at 3.8GHz in the BIOS, and it shouldn't technically be hitting 4GHz on all cores. That's why I'm wondering if this isn't a motherboard issue.

Like I said, my buddy just finished his i5-8400 build with an ASROCK board, and it runs by the Intel specs. Mine doesn't.
 
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gingerrankin

gingerrankin

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I have a mobo mini-itx gigabyte Z230N wifi and a I5-8400 air cooled.

All setting are auto except XMP profile 1. Within windows I have activated "balanced plan".

like you, in BIOS cpu is sitting at 3,80GHz.

In windows at medium load, all cores are in 3,80GHz (HWMonitor). At more load it seems as if all the cores are at 3.9GHz. but it is not true because some go to 3.80 and they alternate quickly giving the illusion that they are going to 3.90. The percentage of cpu is not high.
In idle, after a long time, all cores down to 16 GHz, 12GHz or even 8GHz. in no time they tend to go to 2.8GHz

If I pass a very high load i.e. cinebench that put six cores at 100%, its are in 3,80GHz.

I think that the gigabyte mobo works differently than the asrock ones.

Are you sure all your cores works at 4,00GHz together? Maybe it quickly changes the one at 4 GHZ.
 
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Solution
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unclewebb

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Sep 11, 2007
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Your understanding of Intel Turbo Boost is wrong. When sitting in the bios, the C States are disabled and the CPU defaults to using full Turbo Boost. In this situation, your CPU will be running at 3.8 GHz. That is normal.

When you are in Windows with the C States disabled, the CPU will run at the exact same 3.8 GHz speed. On locked (non-K) processors, the turbo boost function is dependent on what C States are enabled.

If you want a better understanding of Intel CPUs, give ThrottleStop a try. It will show you what C States your processor is using and it will give you a more accurate look at what the CPU multiplier is doing compared to other monitoring programs.
 
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