Hi,
from what I understand, Intel SpeedStep works this way:
- upon a certain CPU load, the multiplicator is switched up to the next available one.
- below a certain CPU load, the multiplicator is switched down to the next available one.
What I don't understand are the CPU load tresholds and times that are used. Using "CoreTemp" under Windows 7, I can see the switching happening. It seems that only after a certain time of a certain CPU load, my i5 switches up from 1.2 GHz to 1.4 GHz, and so on. Also when load is 2% or lower, after a certain time (a few seconds?) it switches down.
1) Is there a document listing the CPU load tresholds and times that are defined for switching multiplicator up/down?
2) Is it possible to change the load or time tresholds with a kind of (yet to be written) software configuration utility? E.g. to enhance battery life, I might consider upping the mulitplicator only when the load exceeds, say, 50%, and not just 5% or so. Also I might consider CPU peaks of less than say, 3 seconds, to be ignored when I am on battery. etc. This was possible under Windows XP with the tool "Notebook Hardware Control", but it doesn't work on Windows 7.
Thanks,
- ThunderBlade