Why new processors show a speed range?

[ztird75]

I am in the process of purchasing a new laptop and notice the following description: 6th Generation Intel® Skylake™ i7-6820HK Overclockable (2.7GHz - 3.6GHz, 8MB Intel® Smart Cache)....

So does the speed change depending on the work load or does this just mean you can safely over clock to 3.6 ghz?

Is this an automated feature or something you tweak in bios?

Is this something new? All my previous processors listed only their base speed..

Also never seen "smart cache" what does this mean?

Thanks for the help!

 

[kanewolf]

The clock speed is automatically changed by the hardware as load (number of active cores) and temperature change. A single threaded program might get 3.6Ghz but a multi-threaded program using all cores would only get 2.7Ghz.

 

[PreevBR]

I am in the process of purchasing a new laptop and notice the following description: 6th Generation Intel® Skylake™ i7-6820HK Overclockable (2.7GHz - 3.6GHz, 8MB Intel® Smart Cache)....

So does the speed change depending on the work load or does this just mean you can safely over clock to 3.6 ghz?

Is this an automated feature or something you tweak in bios?

Is this something new? All my previous processors listed only their base speed..

Also never seen "smart cache" what does this mean?

Thanks for the help!

http://ark.intel.com/pt-br/products/88969/Intel-Core-i7-6820HK-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz
3.6 GHz is the max turbo speed (This mean it will change clocks based on processor loads) your processor can have, you can disable it in BIOS if you want to save battery.
Intel® Smart Cache is a technology made by Intel to better handle the processor cache (In this case, 8MB)

Good CPU afterall

 

[synphul]

It's been this way with many cpu's, not really a new feature. They use intel speed step which allows the cpu to throttle down using less power and producing less heat when idling or under lighter loads. Typically the cpu using turbo boost (an automatic feature) max out with a single core loaded 100% to the 3.6ghz, 2 cores at 100% it will reduce to 3.5ghz and 3-4 cores down to 3.5ghz. Unless laptop cpu's are that much different, it shouldn't be stuck at 2.7ghz under load with all 4 cores active, that's not how turbo boost works.

With a quick search I'm only getting links to sites similar to cpubenchmark which aren't the best or most reliable. Sites like those refer to as 'overclocking' when a cpu uses turbo boost and that's not accurate. Overclocking would be pushing the cpu above and beyond what it's designed to run at and turbo boost is part of the cpu's design. If intel says 'up to 3.6ghz' then 3.6ghz isn't overclocked. 4ghz would be overclocked (which some have apparently gotten this cpu to 4.2ghz).

"Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t." - From intel.

Also "Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery."

http://ark.intel.com/products/88969/Intel-Core-i7-6820HK-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz

 

[ztird75]

It's been this way with many cpu's, not really a new feature. They use intel speed step which allows the cpu to throttle down using less power and producing less heat when idling or under lighter loads. Typically the cpu using turbo boost (an automatic feature) max out with a single core loaded 100% to the 3.6ghz, 2 cores at 100% it will reduce to 3.5ghz and 3-4 cores down to 3.5ghz. Unless laptop cpu's are that much different, it shouldn't be stuck at 2.7ghz under load with all 4 cores active, that's not how turbo boost works.

With a quick search I'm only getting links to sites similar to cpubenchmark which aren't the best or most reliable. Sites like those refer to as 'overclocking' when a cpu uses turbo boost and that's not accurate. Overclocking would be pushing the cpu above and beyond what it's designed to run at and turbo boost is part of the cpu's design. If intel says 'up to 3.6ghz' then 3.6ghz isn't overclocked. 4ghz would be overclocked (which some have apparently gotten this cpu to 4.2ghz).

"Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t." - From intel.

Also "Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery."

http://ark.intel.com/products/88969/Intel-Core-i7-6820HK-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz

 

[ztird75]

Thanks everyone for your time and information, very helpful and now I have some clarity regarding these processors! 😉