I5-2500K Idle State

[TheBazinga]

I know that the I5-2500K is suppose to idle at 1.6ghz. But I don't know if mine is doing this correctly. It idles until it is over 20% usage and then does even go up to the full 3.3Ghz. It goes up to about 3Ghz and hangs there. I ran Prime95 and it goes up to 3.4Ghz under 100% usage.

Should I be concerned? Is this normal for my processor?

Thanks!!!!

 

[HostileDonut]

I do not own that CPU, so, here is what I can tell you. You are missing .3Ghz when it is on turbo and off turbo. Check your BIOS and see if you can bump it up to 3.3 and 3.7 instead of 3.0 and 3.4.

 

[TheBazinga]

The stock speed of the I5-2500K is 3.3Ghz. I'm sorry, I guess I should have stated that above

 

[HostileDonut]

The stock speed of the I5-2500K is 3.3Ghz. I'm sorry, I guess I should have stated that above

Yeah, I know, 3.3Ghz and turbos at 3.7. Your CPU is running 3.0 and turboing at 3.4Ghz. that is a .3Ghz difference.

 

[TheBazinga]

That isn't full turbo at 3.4. The reason is is bcz with all four cores running the highest it will go with turbo is 3.4. With just one core it will go up to 3.7 like it is suppose to.

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

That isn't full turbo at 3.4. The reason is is bcz with all four cores running the highest it will go with turbo is 3.4. With just one core it will go up to 3.7 like it is suppose to.

That's the essence of Intel TurboBoost. One core only can Turbo to 3.7. Two - 3.6. Three - 3.5. All four - 3.4. It's normal.

EDIT: Basically, what TurboBoost is supposed to do is to help with programs that don't utilise all cores. If, for example, some old program doesn't use all cores, it will just Turbo one core to 3.7 and the program will be happy (well, happier than with 3.3, I guess xD).

 

[HostileDonut]

That isn't full turbo at 3.4. The reason is is bcz with all four cores running the highest it will go with turbo is 3.4. With just one core it will go up to 3.7 like it is suppose to.

Okay, I think I see what you are saying. The turbo for the CPU may only be 3.4Ghz when all the four cores are used. (one extra speed bin) I do know that 3.4Ghz is not full turbo, but for four cores, it may be. It probably is.

 

[HostileDonut]

That's the essence of Intel TurboBoost. One core only can Turbo to 3.7. Two - 3.6. Three - 3.5. All four - 3.3. It's normal.

Okay, still, where he is he getting 3.4Ghz when he is supposed to get 3.3Ghz? With 4 cores, he is getting 3.4Ghz per core.

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Okay, I think I see what you are saying. The turbo for the CPU may only be 3.4Ghz when all the four cores are used. (one extra speed bin) I do know that 3.4Ghz is not full turbo, but for four cores, it may be. It probably is.

It is. Same story on my i7-2600... not sure about the exact clocks, though, because I increased the maximum Turbo multiplier to 42 and now I get 4.2 on Turbo... so I guess in my case, it will be 4.2 for 1 core, 4.1 for 2 cores, 4.0 for 3 cores and 3.9 for all 4. (Or 3.8, 3.7, 3.6 and 3.5, if I leave it on stock turbo multiplier).

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Okay, still, where he is he getting 3.4Ghz when he is supposed to get 3.3Ghz? With 4 cores, he is getting 3.4Ghz per core.

Typo. Supposed to be 3.4. Edited.

 

[HostileDonut]

It is. Same story on my i7-2600... not sure about the exact clocks, though, because I increased the maximum Turbo multiplier to 42 and now I get 4.2 on Turbo... so I guess in my case, it will be 4.2 for 1 core, 4.1 for 2 cores, 4.0 for 3 cores and 3.9 for all 4. (Or 3.8, 3.7, 3.6 and 3.5, if I leave it on stock turbo multiplier).

Wait, do you have a K series CPU?

 

[HostileDonut]

Typo. Supposed to be 3.4. Edited.

Wait, why did you quote me? I am confused. haha! XD Is he supposed to get 3.4Ghz with all cores running?

 

[HostileDonut]

Nevermind, i get it.

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Wait, why did you quote me? I am confused. haha! XD Is he supposed to get 3.4Ghz with all cores running?

I quoted you because you pointed out the typo. He must get 3.3 without Turbo on all cores and 3.4 with all cores in Turbo.

Wait, do you have a K series CPU?

No, I don't, but I can still mess around with Turbo multipliers in the BIOS.

 

[HostileDonut]

I quoted you because you pointed out the typo. He must get 3.3 without Turbo on all cores and 3.4 with all cores in Turbo.



No, I don't, but I can still mess around with Turbo multipliers in the BIOS.

Haha, thanks! Does that work like OCing then, or is it worth buying a k series?

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Haha, thanks! Does that work like OCing then, or is it worth buying a k series?

OC'ing is supposed to increase all cores' speed permamently, and I don't think this little Turbo thing can stand up to real OC (I disabled it, anyway... 3.4 or 3.8, I don't care, most games are more GPU-dependant).

I don't know a lot about overclocking and wasn't planning on it; however, I would get a K chip if it was available on the market at that time (and maybe OC a little just to get the hang of it...) However, for some reason the 2600K is missing some virtualization technology that 2600 has, mind you... maybe that technology doesn't like OC'ing? Again, I don't know, but it sure IS strange.

And if you are going for Sandy Bridge just for gaming, i5-2500K is all you need... overclock it, if you need to, and that's all.

 

[TheBazinga]

So wait my CPU not running all the way up to speed is normal? Just want to make sure......

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

So wait my CPU not running all the way up to speed is normal? Just want to make sure......

It IS normal, because it IS running all the way up to its supposed speed. The Turbo Boost was designed to be most useful in the situations where a program is made to only utilise one core (not four), and that's why the maximum Turbo Speed of 3.7 GHz - for ONE core - is advertised as i5-2500K's Turbo Speed. You said that the benchmark used all 4 cores and the CPU was at 3.4 GHz - that's exactly how it is supposed to be. You've got nothing to worry about.

 

[TheBazinga]

Best answer selected by TheBazinga.

 

[HostileDonut]

OC'ing is supposed to increase all cores' speed permamently, and I don't think this little Turbo thing can stand up to real OC (I disabled it, anyway... 3.4 or 3.8, I don't care, most games are more GPU-dependant).

I don't know a lot about overclocking and wasn't planning on it; however, I would get a K chip if it was available on the market at that time (and maybe OC a little just to get the hang of it...) However, for some reason the 2600K is missing some virtualization technology that 2600 has, mind you... maybe that technology doesn't like OC'ing? Again, I don't know, but it sure IS strange.

And if you are going for Sandy Bridge just for gaming, i5-2500K is all you need... overclock it, if you need to, and that's all.

Okay, thanks. I was wondering you could OC through he turbo-boost easily. Sense you seemed be experienced, I thought I would ask.

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Okay, thanks. I was wondering you could OC through he turbo-boost easily. Sense you seemed be experienced, I thought I would ask.

No problem and, as I said, this can't be considered a real OC =)

 

[HostileDonut]

No problem and, as I said, this can't be considered a real OC =)

Yeah, but if you can get the same performance and pay less, I don't care! I think if I get one, I would get the K series. Okay, I will not hijack this forum.

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Yeah, but if you can get the same performance and pay less, I don't care! I think if I get one, I would get the K series. Okay, I will not hijack this forum.

We can hijack all we like, the thread is marked as "Solved"... xD

Again, you do NOT get the same performance. 4.2 GHz real OC means all cores are running at that speed. Compare that to Turbo Boost, where only one core is running at that speed.

 

[HostileDonut]

We can hijack all we like, the thread is marked as "Solved"... xD

Again, you do NOT get the same performance. 4.2 GHz real OC means all cores are running at that speed. Compare that to Turbo Boost, where only one core is running at that speed.

Oh, yeah, but can't you put up the speed bins on all cores?

 

[amk-aka-Phantom]

Oh, yeah, but can't you put up the speed bins on all cores?

I don't think so... now that I recall it, I remember Asus AI Suite II reporting same clocks on ALL cores when I did it. The mobo is in service right now, so I can't check... but once it's back, I'll be sure to look at it. After all, the BIOS option explicitly states that the BIOS multiplier is "for all cores"... Damn it, again and again, I keep finding new instances of Turbo Boost which I don't fully understand