Turbo Boost - on or off?
Turbo Boost - on or off?
Does it have the i7-10850H? It is indeed a powerful CPU but there is about 2.4 GHz clock difference between the base and turbo clock, it seems a lot to me. To find a sweet spot, I believe it is possible to underclock turbo boost as well via Throttlestop. I forgot how exactly, but it was possible.
And yes, me neither and the fan working less and quieter is a good thing too.
The turbo duration might be restricted by the watt settings. I haven't seen this issue in my setup, though the difference between base and turbo clock for a single core is 0.6 GHz, and for both cores it's 0.4 GHz. Even with the performance drop (mainly in games and benchmarks), keeping a quiet and cooler laptop without turbo enabled is a benefit you shouldn't sacrifice once you adapt.
Once everything is settled, your laptop is ready for a calm and quiet operation. You might sacrifice some speed, but that's not a big deal.
I understand the sound of fans on busy laptops and desktops, but after spending time in server rooms filled with loud high-pitched Delta fans, I don’t mind the noise from your home computer. It’s almost annoying.
Manufacturers can push mobile CPUs to work harder for more power in performance laptops where battery life isn’t a priority. Others adjust their BIOS settings to slow down CPU speeds, which can greatly increase battery life. I’m not sure how much this applies to older CPUs with simpler designs.
https://www.extremetech.com/computi...bi...ttle-chips
It seems you’re trying to keep the fan speed low for longer life. After ten years, even top-quality fans might begin to wear out. Swapping out old laptop fans can be challenging, especially if you can’t find a perfect match.
Keep up the effort—this could easily add another decade to your laptop’s life. Be careful with older Windows versions online, as security updates are no longer available.
If your BIOS battery isn’t holding up, it might be failing. A brand-new one should read about 3.25V. If it drops below 2.0V, replace it soon. If you’re forcing the system to power on at each start-up, the CMOS battery is likely dead.
Another thing to consider is the main laptop battery. Even the best OEM batteries can start to fail after ten years.
I use a small tool called BatMon to track battery health in older laptops, especially when the manufacturer’s app isn’t working.
https://www.passmark.com/products/batmon/
Opening the Info tab in BatMon lets you compare the original claimed capacity with its current fully charged capacity. You might notice the original was 45,000mAh, but it has dropped to around 33,000mAh over time.
A good guideline is to replace old batteries when they can’t keep the laptop running for at least 45 minutes of regular use. This depends on how often you use the laptop without a stable power source. If it’s always plugged in, you’re less worried about completely drained batteries, except for the risk of swelling.
Laptop technology has improved a lot in the past two decades. I used to be satisfied with 2 to 3 hours on battery life. Now I expect 6 to 8 hours, and top models can even reach 15 to 20 hours in testing.
Thanks for your detailed reply!
The thing is that this turbo boost feels like an extra/premium feature. Maybe it's because of its wording. It's cool to have it, if your laptop can handle it as same as desktop ones.
I can limit/underclock turbo boost clocks as well, so that I can find an excellent sweet spot for performance/heat/noise but I haven't tried it, since it doesn't really feel like performance drop is noticeable for simple Chrome usage, multimedia stuff etc. But I'll keep that in mind.
Haha I guess it's all about getting use to. I probably wouldn't mind my fan's noise that it's making when turbo is on if I were in your situation as well.
It's a good thing that you mentioned about security updates. Since Windows 10 paid extended security updates will last only for few years, I will stop using my laptop after that.
The BIOS battery is probably fine but I haven't had it checked. Hopefully it will last for more few years. And I replaced the main laptop battery relatively recent so it has still about 88% of its original capacity.
I just completed a brief evaluation on a Dell Latitude 5480 equipped with an i5-7200U processor.
The Aida64 stress test showed a CPU clock rate of 3094MHz with temperatures ranging from 72 to 77°C.
Vcore was recorded at 1.012V.
My processor didn’t reach 80°C; if it’s hitting 100°C, it seems a bit excessive. If your CPU (I’m not sure what model you have) is nearing 100°C, it might be too hot. For a top-tier i7, this could be normal.
My 7950X desktop CPU would reach about 95°C under heavy load, but your laptop’s heatsink might need a fresh thermal paste for better cooling. Modern Intel CPUs tend to throttle at 100°C, while AMD models usually stay around 95 or 90°C.
After the test cooled down:
i5-7200U idle clock at 898.2MHz, temperature between 39 and 40°C, Vcore 0.638V.
You might consider installing Linux; I’ve experimented with several distros but prefer Adobe software, so Windows remains my choice.
Excellent temperatures. Newer CPUs, updated laptops, improved cooling systems, and better ambient conditions all contribute to lower CPU temperatures.
I own an i5 3210M, which according to PassMark scores is somewhat less powerful than the i5 7200U, consumes more power, and uses older technology.
It hits 100°C during a combined stress test using Prime95 and Furmark, both without extra cooling or throttling. That’s quite high, and I’m puzzled as to why it isn’t throttling—though my cooling pad does help reduce temperatures by about 10°C.
I’m hesitant to disassemble the laptop myself to reapply thermal paste, as it could damage it. Perhaps I should purchase a high-quality paste and have a trusted technician handle the job, but I’m not sure. I had that done last year during the summer without a paste.
I’m also uncertain about using Linux. My custom GPU driver only functions stably on W10, and I don’t want another complicated experience.
Agreed. I’ve owned laptops from the 1990s that overheated easily, but my latest purchase in 2024 stays quite cool.
I seldom perform stress tests on laptops since their cooling systems are usually a trade-off, and tools like Aida64, Prime95, Furmark aren’t what I actually use. I completed a 90-minute Handbrake conversion on this Dell 5480 i5-7200U before giving it to a friend. The CPU stayed at 73°C and the test finished without any issues.
What temperatures do you observe during regular operation? Your system seems to be functioning properly.
I haven’t ever had a laptop repasted, let alone a desktop GPU card. I’ve swapped CPUs or installed new heatsinks many times, but only during replacements. The only situation where I’d think about repasting a laptop or GPU is if I had concerns about the current paste job. While some users regularly change their GPU paste, I tend to keep things as they are.
What tools do you use to check for throttling? I’m aware of utilities that warn when the CPU slows under heavy use, but I haven’t tried them.
I only performed that stress test because it was asked by another forum helper. I understand the purpose of the test, but I share your opinion as well. Just like yours, a more authentic evaluation would involve a game that fully utilizes my CPU and nearly all of my external GPU.
With turbo boost enabled, outside of gaming it stays around 50-80°C depending on the workload, averaging about 55°C. In intense games it reaches 70-80°C on average, but sometimes spikes above 90°C for a short time before dropping. Some believe this might be linked to insufficient RAM (8 GB). The system is functioning properly, and the room temperature is between 18-21°C.
I wouldn’t risk turning turbo boost back on without a reliable cooling solution. The cooling system has worn out, and I was informed by a tech service that it had become a recurring problem.
HWinfo is the platform I’m using. It generated a text log file indicating that throttling occurred when the CPU hit 100°C during that stress test. This is worrying because it raises concerns about what would happen if I ran it with turbo boost continuously at such high temperatures.