My cpu should be stronger..?

[Sephirothskr]

I got an alienware 14 laptop for christmas. This is my first decent gaming machine. However... the processor seems a little week for some reason at 2.40 ghz. I have an intel quad core i7-4700mq. On alienwares page it says "up to 3.4 ghz!" there isn't even an option for something that high. Can someone explain what I need to do that's SAFE?

 

[Derza10]

It will turbo boost up to 3.4. Download Open Hardware Monitor start it up and then use your computer on a cpu intense game... Minimize the game and see what your Max clock speeds get up to (the program will have a column for current stats and max stats). I bet you see ~3.4 GHZ.

 

[jimmysmitty]

The newer i7 CPUs have a technology called Turbo Boost. What that means is the CPUs actual speed is 2.4GHz but if it is within thermal and power limits it will boost the CPU speed to 3.4GHz to help finish the task faster.

So in reality you have a 2.4GHz i7 that can turbo boost to 3.4GHz if needed.

 

[Sephirothskr]

How do I acess this "turbo boost"?

 

[Derza10]

It will do it on its own you don't have to do anything.

 

[Sephirothskr]

Ok. It's just when I looked at games on can you run it it said I can't run them so I was bewildered. Hahaha

 

[Fire2251]

i7-4700mq Clock Speed is 2.4 GHz, Max Turbo Frequency 3.4 GHz
I don't think you can overclock your CPU since Bios on laptop is most likely locked and your CPU is not designed for overclock. In addition, you need better cooling if you overclock your CPU.

 

[CTurbo]

That is a GREAT laptop processor. I don't know what you were expecting.

 

[Sephirothskr]

Ok thanks guys for the quick replies.

 

[Sephirothskr]

One other thing, upon looking at open hardware monitor, one processor is doing much more then rest. Cpu core is at around 50 and the others stay around 15% (running assassins creed 4 doing this.) am I utilizing my resources efficiently???

 

[Derza10]

Some programs will user more cores than others, it is completely normal to have some cores do more work in different situations.

 

[jghaverty]

Even the highest end of the gaming laptops still pale in comparison to a "normal" PC. Heat and other issues limit performance, and theres no reason to expect top shelf performance across the board. People too often confuse "gaming laptop" with "gaming computer". They simply just wont perform as well as their desktop constituents. That said, that's a great processor, should be able to handle most things out right now pretty well.

Make sure all your drivers are up to date, thats a good place to start.