CPU Offset mode = fluctuating clock speed?

[Carfax83]

I recently switched from fixed mode to offset mode for my 3930K. I have it set to .055v offset, with LLC on minimal Vdroop compensation, and all C power states enabled..

I tested the settings for stability in Crysis 3's most CPU intensive level (Welcome to the Jungle) in windowed mode with CPU-Z open to monitor the voltage..

While I expected to see voltage fluctuation, I was surprised that my CPU clock speed was also fluctuating. According to CPU-Z, it was bouncing anywhere from 3.6 to 4.5ghz..

Performance didn't seem to be impacted though. The game was still very smooth with no stuttering or lag.

My question is simple. Is that normal in offset mode?

 

[Carfax83]

Wow, so nobody knows?

 

[Unoid]

I run my 2600k with all cstates enabled (dunno how) with offset at 4.6ghz
LLC @ 2 and around 1.3v offset voltage.

It speedsteps perfectly and idles low. But when I play crysis 3 for example, my cpu will stay at 4.6ghz unless it's on a video cutscene or something where it's not rendering.

When i want to OC my 2600k to 4.8 or 5ghz I can, but I can't speedstep and I have to disable all c-states, it just burns power for little performance.

I never notice my CPU ratio jumping when loaded.

edit: if you're performance is the same, why does it matter

 

[(sic)Klown12]

I'n not sure if it's supposed to do this, but my 4930K does the same. It'll stay pegged to 4400 for a while, then have split-second drops back down to the 3400 base clock before jumping back up. I use TMonitor by CPUID, which refreshed 20 times per second, and it seems just to last a quarter of a second.

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/tmonitor.html

 

[Unoid]

are you overclocking just the turbo mode, or some option in that sense?

 

[Carfax83]

are you overclocking just the turbo mode, or some option in that sense?

I used the turbo mode as a guide for the settings, and then edited the voltages as they were too high.. I can implement the same settings using manual though.

Do you think that's what's causing it?

 

[Unoid]

I'm not that knowledgeable on Z68/x79 OC options to really answer that well.

 

[Carfax83]

edit: if you're performance is the same, why does it matter

It doesn't really matter. I was just wondering whether that was normal. When I had it in fixed mode, it stayed at 4.5ghz all the time. I think running in fixed mode prevents Speedstep from switching the voltage and clock speed dynamically, unless it's idling.

Since Crysis 3 isn't fully loading my CPU, Speedstep is dynamically adjusting the clock speed and voltage....which is fine really.

As long as my game is smooth, I don't care..

I'n not sure if it's supposed to do this, but my 4930K does the same. It'll stay pegged to 4400 for a while, then have split-second drops back down to the 3400 base clock before jumping back up. I use TMonitor by CPUID, which refreshed 20 times per second, and it seems just to last a quarter of a second.

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/tmonitor.html

After doing some research and experimentation, I'm pretty sure it's because of Speedstep.

At such a high overclock, most programs will not utilize the full resources of the CPU, so Speedstep will dynamically adjust voltage and clock speed based on load.

You can get rid of it by running fixed mode, but I don't recommend it. Offset is definitely the best..

 

[Deders]

http://www.argusmonitor.com/en/