The i5 8400 isn't reaching its full clock speed.
The i5 8400 isn't reaching its full clock speed.
It rarely reaches 4GHz in Task Manager, but under stress tests with Intel XTU it doesn’t hit 4GHz. I’m puzzled—this usually happens only with one core.
For a stress test, expect all cores to be engaged, which means you won't reach 4GHz. Use a single-threaded approach such as CineBench in single-threaded mode.
When all cores are under stress, expect around 3.8GHz on the CPU. It will only reach up to 4GHz for single-threaded tasks. Sometimes the Task Manager isn't the most precise; use HWMonitor to view all cores and their speeds during load.
Yes, games are typically single-threaded. You can run a game alongside MSI Afterburner after installing it.
Classic titles run on one thread. Modern releases can handle up to six threads, and some support many more. In exceptional cases such as Civ 5 it performs exceptionally well with extremely high core numbers.
Currently, few titles rely on just one thread. Crysis stands out as an example. You can still apply afterburner alongside other games simultaneously.
Don't worry! The performance won't be compromised! Here's how the turbo boost works on Intel 8400 2.8ghz = Only low load applications. 4ghz = When only a single core is loaded up 3.6-3.8ghz = When all 6 cores are loaded up. So you'll always be above 3.2ghz when doing demanding stuff.