What is the Intel Turbo Boost Technology?

IMPORTANT: To determine if a particular computer model supports the Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, refer to the Marketing Specifications or operating instructions supplied with the product. Manuals are posted on your model support page.

The Intel Turbo Boost Technology is a feature that allows processor cores to automatically reset to run faster than the base operating frequency if the processor cores are operating below power, current, and temperature specification limits. The Turbo Boost feature is activated when the operating system requests the highest processor performance state.

The maximum frequency of the Intel Turbo Boost Technology is dependent on the number of active processor cores, while the amount of time the processor spends in the Intel Turbo Boost Technology state depends on the workload and operating environment. Any of the following variables can effect the upper limit of Intel Turbo Boost Technology on a given workload:

• Number of active processor cores
• Estimated current consumption
• Estimated power consumption
• Processor temperature

When the processor is operating below these limits and the user's workload demands additional performance, the processor frequency will dynamically increase by 133 MHz on short and regular intervals until the upper limit is met or the maximum possible upside for the number of active cores is reached.

NOTE: There are some factors that may limit the Intel Turbo Boost Technology from engaging, such as overheating, the active Power Plan, running on battery power or insufficient AC power current, among others.