Before I get started, I do not, and I repeat DO NOT want to over clock my computer, but increase its clocking speed.
Okay, with that out of the way. I have an old laptop, Dell Precision M50. Now, according to it, my computer can run up to 2.2 Ghz. According to several programs, my max clock speed on my computer is 1196 Mhz.
The problem is those same programs say my current clock speed is only 645 Mhz. How do I increase the clock speed on my laptop to get at least closer to the max clock speed?
I checked the BIOS page where I'd figure it would be at, but there's nothing there at all other than setting my PC to max performance which does nothing to change the current clock speed. Anyone know of any programs or how I can increase my clock speed?
2010-03-04T20:29:29Z
As it stands, it always is at the 645 Mhz even when I use high demanding CPU programs. A program like Skype says my computer is slow and it just doesn't work that well with video chat. Yet, the clocking speed always remains at 645mhz.
And it's the same when watching, say a Veoh or Youtube video. Even when fully buffered, the frame rate is like 12 frames per second on all videos, not just a few.
I should have mentioned: When it comes to over heating or drainage of battery life, I don't care. This laptop is a bad one that I'm using until my desktop is fixed in a few days.
So, overriding the limitations my computer sets, how could I do that?
Jamfo2010-03-04T20:10:02Z
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What you are seeing is normal operation of your processor.
Most processors, and especially those of laptops, have a process known as "speedstepping" that they use to vary the processor's clock speeds depending on the needs of the applications at any given time. During times when the computational demands are low, the processor is "down-shifted" to a slower state. As demands on the processor increase, the clock multiplier of the processor is increased, increasing the speed of the processor.
Think of it the same way as driving a car. When you're plodding along on a 25mph residential street you're in 2nd gear. But get out on to the highway and your car shifts to 3rd and 4th gear. Your processor is doing the same thing.
The reasons for doing this are two-fold.
First, a processor operating at a slower state uses far less electricity than a processor running full speed. This becomes even more important in laptops where battery life is always a concern. Slowing the processor allows an idle or slow-use laptop to conserve power stretching battery life.
Second, a processor operating at a slower state produces far less heat than a processor running full speed. Again, this becomes critical in laptops where removing excess heat from the system is a challenge compared to the roomy, fan-filled boxes of their tower counterparts. A processor that is able to slow down is able to run cooler aiding the system in the removal of heat.
And it's not just laptop processors that do this. If I were to run a benchmarking program such as CPU-Z on my Core 2 Quad desktop right now, when all I'm doing is typing on this web page, it would come back with very low speeds on my processor... an effect of low utilization. But when I crank up a game such as Half Life 2 or Crysis, the processor picks up and runs full speed.
So have no fear! What you are seeing is normal behavior and not something you need to try and mess with.
Laptops are designed to slow the processor down when it doesn't need to run at full speed, which lowers the heat it generates and reduces its power requirements. Your processor speeds up when it's needed, but otherwise it will downclock. You can override it, but you'll end up dealing with overheating and shortened battery life as a result. As such I can't recommend it. Your processor isn't hitting top speed because no program you're using needs it.
If you want full speed all the time regardless of the workload then you're better off using a desktop instead.
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