how to undervolt a mobile core i5

[Comdrpopnfresh]

I'm have no clue how to go about doing this on the current i5m processor- I'm more interested in tweaking the voltage than clockspeed, but am interested in overclocking the intel graphics portion of the chip

 

[Zap]

The typical software used is CrystalCPU or RMclock, however I have not had success on recent platforms. One of those (maybe RMclock?) has a paid version that gets updated more often to support newer hardware, but I haven't tried it.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

yeah- I got zippo from crystalcpuid too. Not much experience with rmclock. Poo to paid versions- lol.

Wonder if nhc has been updated recently and can handle this.
thanks for ur reply

 

[cbn]

I'm have no clue how to go about doing this on the current i5m processor- I'm more interested in tweaking the voltage than clockspeed, but am interested in overclocking the intel graphics portion of the chip

Just wondering what your reason for undervolting is? Are you trying to lower power consumption and/or noise?

(The general impression I have gotten from people is that undervolting doesn't really lower power consumption unless something called "p states" can also be fine tuned.)

 

[cbn]

http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2008/05/29/what-exactly-is-a-p-state-pt-1/

Here is short and concise explanation on "p-states" for other people like me (not necessarily the OP) that are just beginning to learn these things.

 

[Zap]

Undervolting does lower power consumption. With a notebook, every little bit helps.

 

[cbn]

Undervolting does lower power consumption. With a notebook, every little bit helps.

It would be interesting to see how adjusting p states through those programs you listed in post #2 compared to simply adjusting the voltage and FSB/BCLK and/or multiplier downward in the Bios.

 

[Zap]

Uh yeah, good luck trying to do that on a notebook. The OP mentioned "mobile" Core i5.

 

[Dice144]

Wish there was some modded bios to allow more underclocking on laptops.

 

[cbn]

Wish there was some modded bios to allow more underclocking on laptops.

Yep, you would think demand would be highest for this in the laptop market.

I was guessing those "p state" voltage adjusting programs worked outside of the Bios and were independent of the platform (ie, laptop or desktop). Of course, I have never used the programs myself.....so it looks like I guessed wrong.

EDIT: Nevermind, it looks like I have misinterpreted the situation here in this thread. It looks like Zap is saying undervolting lowers power consumption (through p states) in post #6, but the problem is that we can't measure power savings differences between simple bios undervolting/underclocking because current laptop designs do not provide this option.

 

[Zap]

Can't use BIOS, but since some notebooks (mostly older ones) can be software controlled for undervolting/underclocking, we CAN measure power savings. I know that it worked for me with my Dell Inspiron 6000 because I was able to increase battery life by a good 15-20% or more by locking my 1.6GHz CPU at 800MHz (not even letting it up-clock dynamically) and locking the voltage down to whatever I had it at versus letting it do its own thing.

 

[Massive Overkill]

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/524257-how-supercharge-m11x-core-i5-i7-um-cpus.html

Try lowering your TDP max. Nice thing about this utility is I can have max OC/TB while on power, and then have it automatically switch to normal or even reduced CPU when on battery.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Just wondering what your reason for undervolting is? Are you trying to lower power consumption and/or noise?

(The general impression I have gotten from people is that undervolting doesn't really lower power consumption unless something called "p states" can also be fine tuned.)

lower power consumption, greater battery life. Running at a lower voltage per clock setting is going to produce power savings. Granted, toying with the p-states allows matching not only voltages to operating speeds, but those speeds onto performance requirements. I haven't been able to do the prior nor the latter well since I disbanded my s939 system- you could toy with the multiplier and a wide range of voltage on those chips... Intel has a philosophical difference when it comes to implementing and storing of these matching clock-voltage properties. I could lower the voltage on my core duo mobile chip to an extent, but it was so stable I know it could handle even less- no reg's on the chip to make the transition though.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

The typical software used is CrystalCPU or RMclock, however I have not had success on recent platforms. One of those (maybe RMclock?) has a paid version that gets updated more often to support newer hardware, but I haven't tried it.

RMclock hasn't been updated since 2008... you aren't going to have much luck with it

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

The shielded operating configuration of the i5-m is irking me! There seems to be no ways to change the voltage, clock multipliers, or anything regarding the installed ddr3...

According to intel's processor specs on the i5 mobile series, they support ddr3 at 800mhz and 1066mhz. Is this just a kind of mfg recommenation that can be ignored without problems? The ddr3 in my laptop is stock rated for 1333mhz, but it'll only run at 1066. Further, there's not even a spd timing profile for the 1066 freq, but there is one for 1333 & even one more @ a higher freq!

It'd be nice to have the tweaking comforts had in the past. I'm not sure it it's an intel vs amd issue, but using my first build as a baseline- a s939 platform- the proceeding s775 system dropped abilities to tweak and was poor in comparison... and my new i5 mobile system is even poorer than the 775 one. CPU-z can't even read the vcore of my i5m!
I don't view this all as a result of system manufacturer + their own added features (or lack of), or bios options being poor or not there.....

I think this is either:
1) intel v amd product methods
2) an increasing trend of intel (or intel+amd) holding cards that are jokers (or 'how to play poker') to their their chest- making attributes allusive for no practical reason
3) the software useful before is not catching up or continue developing

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

anyone have experience with these programs and successful perf states/ voltage/ freq/ multi alterations on mobile core i5's?

-ThrottleStop

-Rmclock