Multiple cores at same speed?

[nazmaz]

I'm might get the 6 core amd phenom sometime in the future, but here is a something I need help with and have been wondering. Do all six cores run at 2.8GHz, (looking to get the regular processor not the black edition.) My current laptop is a dual core and is only 2.1Ghz and both seem to run at 2.1Ghz untill I start CPU intensive programs, then it clocks down to 1050MHz each (or roughly 1GHz). Is this only my laptop or processor? (It's a AMD Athlon X2) I Would Really Appreciate the help.

 

[Herr_Koos]

Methinks you have things a bit confused here. Most modern CPU's will automatically reduce their clock speed and voltage when they are not being used intensively. This explains why your laptop clocks down from 2.1 to 1.0. However, this should bump up to full speed as soon as you fire off an CPU-intensive application. Hence you comment that it clocks DOWN when the CPU is being used makes no sense.

The rule of thumb with the majority of AMD CPU's is that all cores run at the same speed, i.e. they will clock up or down at the same time. As for the Phenom II X6, it has the ability to clock the cores up or down independently, depending on how many are being used. Thus all 6 will not run at 2.8GHz all the time.

 

[Maziar]

AMD CPUs have a feature called Cool n Quiet, which down-clocks your CPU in idle mode, if you disable it,it will always run at stock speeds.
In most laptops,you can't change this since their BIOS is locked, in desktops, however if its a custom-built desktop,then you can change the BIOS settings.
So if you get an AMD Phenom II X6,it may show lower clock speeds, disable Cool and quiet and it will always run at stock speeds(for all cores)

 

[jsc]

... disable Cool and quiet and it will always run at stock speeds(for all corese)

But why would you want to?

 

[Maziar]

I don't want it, the OP asked that his Laptop's CPU downclocks in 2D mode, and i told him the reason.I meant that if he needs his desktop CPU to run at stock speeds, then he has to disable cool n quiet.

 

[nazmaz]

Best answer selected by nazmaz.