Actual minimum processor state

[Tillemon]

So say my max processor speed is 3 GHz, then my minimum is 1 GHz roughly lets say.

So in terms of setting my minimum processor state, which is by default at 5%. Should I set it to 30%? Or is there truly a power savings if it's down at 5%?

Does it just never truly drop below 30%? Or does by having it at 5% really only feed it 5% of the total power it's capable of handling?

 

[hang-the-9]

Fist though, why are you messing with the default settings?

 

[Tillemon]

Fist though, why are you messing with the default settings?

Why not? I've read about getting serious gains for cpu heavy tasks by setting the minimum to 50%. Also, by default, my maximum was set to 90%, so naturally I bumped that up to 100%. Any reason to not do this?
Answers to the original question would be greatly appreciated as well.

 

[Ecky]

There should be no gains by raising the minimums, at least with modern chips. Once the CPU is loaded, it stays at max clock anyway until it's done with whatever it's doing, and recent CPUs jump to max clockspeed far more quickly than older ones.

The lowest power state / clockspeed you get is determined by the CPU. Windows can request the chip drop 95% form 3ghz down to 150mhz, but most modern Intel CPUs will go no lower than 800mhz, so 5% and 25% minimum state will have exactly the same effect.

 

[Tillemon]

The lowest power state / clockspeed you get is determined by the CPU. Windows can request the chip drop 95% form 3ghz down to 150mhz, but most modern Intel CPUs will go no lower than 800mhz, so 5% and 25% minimum state will have exactly the same effect.

So setting my minimum to 25% should theoretically be no different than having it at 5%?

Is there any reason to have the maximum below 100%?