Why is my i5 3570 running at 3.59 GHz despite being labeled as 3.4 GHz (with turbo)?
Why is my i5 3570 running at 3.59 GHz despite being labeled as 3.4 GHz (with turbo)?
When I inspect the cores one by one, I notice they're consistently stuck at 3590mhz, with no higher frequencies detected. The person mentioned might be referring to a situation where two cores are utilized together, preventing any single core from exceeding 3.6GHz.
CPU is functioning perfectly as expected. (others have already discussed single core versus all core turbo, so you don't need to worry about seeing peak single core speeds constantly; it won't happen.) Nothing that requires clicking, deselecting, or adjusting will alter its behavior—it's a fixed CPU.
I've heard that certain non-K CPUs, including my own, might still be overclocked. I'm not sure if my motherboard can handle it :C
Speed equals heat. Intel can't foresee precisely which cooling method you'll use, so it creates a single power profile for that CPU. Cores don't experience steady workloads; when a program needs 3 cores or more, the next available core gets engaged based on string throughput. This leads to fluctuating core activity, creating peaks and valleys in temperature. Additionally, neighboring cores contribute radiant heat. Therefore, one core can achieve peak turbo speeds since it has three others ready to switch, with no outside heat interference. Two cores offer a bit more flexibility, but the second core might still feel some heat from its neighbor. Three or four cores increase thermal stress, making performance worse. Intel intentionally reduces turbo speeds when more than one core is active to keep temperatures balanced across the entire chip. Overclockable 'K' CPUs can be toggled on, but under overclocking settings, power profiles are turned off when all cores are locked at maximum turbo.