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    How to switch Turbo Boost On/Off

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by Marcymaru, Oct 3, 2011.

  1. Marcymaru

    Marcymaru Notebook Consultant

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    Hi guys, was just wondering about the quickest way to switch Turbo Boost On/Off.

    I've heard that switching it off will make the laptop run a little bit cooler with no difference in performance.

    Ho can I switch the Turbo Boost Off to try?

    It is something you do through the Bios or there's some easiest and fastest way to do it?
     
  2. Brabostaan

    Brabostaan Notebook Deity

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    Go to BIOS.
     
  3. UberJason

    UberJason Notebook Consultant

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    I would think that turning off Turbo Boost would affect performance for CPU-intensive tasks/games, like Starcraft 2. This isn't a perfect comparison, but the Turbo Boost in my M11x likes to stop working sometimes after coming back from hibernation, and I notice it a LOT in games of SC2.
     
  4. orangeclockwork

    orangeclockwork Notebook Enthusiast

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    Disable in the BIOS and enable via ThrottleStop!
     
  5. fred2028

    fred2028 Sexy member

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    turbo Boost does have an effect on performance. If you are running programs that do not use all 4 cores of the CPU, your programs will run more slowly with turbo boost off. Research what Turbo Boost is for and you'll get it
     
  6. Marcymaru

    Marcymaru Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks for your answers guys.

    I've also read that setting 99% in maximum processor state will do the trick, without touching the BIOS or installing Throttlestop.

    Is that true?
     
  7. Stain

    Stain Notebook Consultant

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    I'd use ThrottleStop so you do not have to reboot to change your Turbo settings :)
     
  8. pancakes1983

    pancakes1983 Notebook Guru

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    I turned off the turbo boost just to see what difference it would make, and to be honest I have not seen any sort of drop in FPS in any of the games that I play yet, and I have had a 10 - 12 degrees cooler laptop in the process, well worth it.

    When it does start to struggle with games etc, I'll be turning it back on.
     
  9. scansbar

    scansbar Notebook Enthusiast

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    If I set it at 99% it will not stop it but if I use the power saver mode then it will stop turbo boost. I haven't found a way unless using throttle stop so I gave up.

    If you figure a way with the power options I would be interested to know as well.
    Thank you.
     
  10. 0204

    0204 Notebook Guru

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    yes.. setting 99% will stop it..cause it turbo boost when more power needed.. which means it's 100% and still need more.. i've created a separate profile with 99% and tested with the intel turbo boost monitor.. it never triggered.
     
  11. DarkFame

    DarkFame Notebook Enthusiast

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    99% does the trick.
     
  12. Marcymaru

    Marcymaru Notebook Consultant

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    So the 99% trick is definitely way much quicker than the BIOS (and you don't even need throttlestop), and you get the same results...

    Thanks guys!
     
  13. scansbar

    scansbar Notebook Enthusiast

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    I figured out my problem....even though I had it set at 99% I noticed in the Minimum power state while plugged in was set at 100% so I changed it to 5% and left the maximum at 99% and it works....an oversight.
    THX
     
  14. libertine

    libertine Notebook Guru

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    10 - 12 degrees???! :eek:
    so if i turned off the turbo boost my m14x will be cooler while playing games??
    damn! thats good... so i will use the 99% trick... :D
     
  15. cbrbiker13

    cbrbiker13 Notebook Geek

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    Potentially Silly Question, but doesn't it do it automatically? If you go to the Intel website, download Turbo Boost monitor, you will see when on the desktop it goes onto Energy Saver mode, Turbo boost off, when in game it's at MAX boost pretty much the whole time :)
     
  16. ZACK02

    ZACK02 Notebook Consultant

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    How can I turn off the turbo boost with Throttle stop? just selecting clock modulation and chipset clock mod and put them on 99% and just that? I have to click on turn on? thanks
     
  17. pancakes1983

    pancakes1983 Notebook Guru

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    yeah i've been monitoring it for the last 1 - 2 weeks and it seems like a good thing to do, havent come across a game that really requires it to be on at this point.

    btw i'm not using the throttle stop at all, i'm on high performance mode, with turbo off.

    I dont think you really need to d!ck around with keeping the cpu from stepping to be honest