Windows – Why is Intel Turbo Boost Not Working On My Laptop

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.01 automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the rated operating frequency if they’re operating below power, current, and temperature specification limits. Frequency increases occur in increments of 133 MHz for Nehalem microarchitecture processors and 100 MHz for Sandy/Ivy Bridge microarchitecture processors. When any of the electrical or thermal limits are reached, the operating frequency automatically decreases in decrements of 133 MHz/100 MHz until the processor is again operating within its design limits. 3.5 Ghz in your case is the design limit at which processor can run continuously for long time given the standard cooling is working properly.

Availability and frequency upside of Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 state depends upon a number of factors including, but not limited to the following:

• Type of workload
• Number of active cores
• Estimated current consumption
• Estimated power consumption
• Processor temperature

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 allows the processor to operate at a power level that is higher than its TDP configuration and data sheet specified power for short durations to maximize performance.

links :

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Turbo_Boost
• http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/turbo-boost/turbo-boost-technology.html

The base clock speed is a guaranteed clock speed for full typical (but not peak) utilization. As long as one is not running a power/thermal virus (i.e., not peak utilization), one should be able to fully use the hardware at the stated clock speed without violating the thermal design power.

When software is not using all the available cores, or sufficient cooling is provided, some additional thermal headroom is available which can be exploited by increasing the clock speed of the active cores (Turbo Boost).

Incidentally, minimum clock speed is not especially useful for evaluating energy efficiency since a significant amount of power consumption is static power (independent of the work done). At a certain point, race to sleep (a.k.a., hurry up and go to sleep) will be more energy efficient than reducing the clock speed because sleep states reduce the static power use.