Power constraints on the motherboard occur due to overheating or system performance limits.
Power constraints on the motherboard occur due to overheating or system performance limits.
I've got an i7 9700 + Strix B360-F gaming setup, and I always see the CPU clock hitting 3.7GHz max during games. When I run XTU, I get a power limit throttle warning. After adjusting BIOS settings, I switched to performance mode, but now the CPU runs at 4.5GHz. It seems unusual that you need to force power saving to enable turbo boost without throttling. What do you think?
I believe the guide has an error (possibly a typo). It doesn't clearly explain the function and references memory frequency incorrectly.
The guide doesn't clearly explain the function of that adjustment, making it hard to confirm its behavior. To gather more details, I recommend reverting to Auto mode, using hwinfo (such as PL1/PL2 and TAU) for reference, and then switching back to Performance to see the updated values. This setting likely activates power-saving mode.
Intel CPUs operate with two primary power constraints: short-term and long-term limits. On non-overclocking systems, these values are typically followed. Initially, a higher power ceiling is applied, which gradually adjusts to the long-term specification. Certain boards enable continuous operation at the elevated limit. The lower threshold serves as the TDP, representing the minimum cooling requirement needed to run the CPU at its rated capacity, such as with standard coolers. Intel historically permitted builders to set the final power cap without impacting warranty, as it wasn't considered overclocking—until issues arose with Raptor Lake. AMD has enforced stock power boundaries for Ryzen, though their current approach remains unclear.
the cpu will reach 4.5ghz or slightly lower and then drop to 3.7ghz when you adjust the power settings in bios to performance mode. this behavior is typical because the i7-9700 has a base clock of 3ghz and can boost up to 4.7ghz under load. setting it to performance mode allows it to run at its maximum possible speed during demanding tasks. playing around with bios can help optimize performance, but it's important to understand the limits of your hardware.
Boosting offers flexibility but isn't assured to work under every situation. The highest turbo speed shown usually appears only when one core is active and others aren't restricting it. When all cores are engaged, the maximum speed drops again. Checking the 9700 there, it performs slightly better than many others. It seems the peak turbo reaches around 4.7 GHz with two cores, while 4.5 GHz applies for five to eight cores. The speed falls sharply to 3.5 GHz because of the long-term power cap. This design aims to match what most builders can handle with their coolers. Setting performance mode often aligns the long-term limit with the short-term one. If cooling is sufficient, you might get the higher speed. For a deeper grasp, reviewing the interview linked here would be helpful.