Turbo Boost can increase the clock
speed of each core individually to get
more performance out of the chip.
Basically, if the current application
workload isn't keeping all four cores
fully busy and pushing right up
against the chip's TDP (Thermal Design
Power) limit, Turbo Boost can increase
the clock speed of each core
individually to get more performance
out of the chip.
Example: For the Core i7-920XM, that
maximum speed bin is 3.2GHz, not the
2GHz value which is marked on the
part. In principle, the 920XM could
run all of its cores at 3.2GHz all the
time if enough power was available and
if the heat sink could keep the chip
cool. (This is why Turbo Boost isn't
like consumer overclocking: the chip
is operating within its design
specifications at all times.)
Read the full article:
Explaining Intel's Turbo Boost technology
Are we likely to need better power supplies and even bigger heat sinks and fans with these new chips?
I suppose, if you improve cooling you can push the limits further with Turbo Boost, as it is linked to the thermal design specifications.
Latest generation Intel processors automatically under clocks your processor in order to save energy when you are not using it. Seeing "Energy Saver" listed under the monitor program is nothing to worry about.
From Intel:
Turbo Boost -
Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 is activated when the Operating
System (OS) requests the highest processor performance state (P0).
The maximum frequency of Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 is dependent
on the number of active cores. The amount of time the processor spends
in the Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 state depends on the workload
and operating environment.
Speed Step -
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling
very high performance while also 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
From what I can tell and have seen, these two technologies are highly linked. Turbo Boost is a feature that has come from Speed Step (that has been available for a long time) and enabling Turbo Boost requires Speed Step to be active.
I would say that your BIOS is lying to you and it should disable the ability for Turbo Boost to be changed whilst Speed Step is disabled. From looking at some of the laptops I have on my bench, Speed Step can not even be disabled - it is a good feature that can increase the battery life quite a bit and I am not sure why you would want it disabled.
Also, if you really want to update, go to the official Dell site, type in your asset code and download the latest BIOS/EFI Updates and chipset drivers. I think the BIOS/EFI has the best chance here but, it never hurts to update the chipset drivers either.
Best Answer
The purpose of the Intel Turbo Boost Technology Driver is described on the FAQ page of the driver: