x230 overclock i5-3320m to 3.3GHz

[TOTAL]

Hi
I have windows 7 ultimate installed on thinkpad x230. The lenovo power manager is installed, too, system performance setting set to maximum turbo, so there is nothing higher than this, and according to system explorer by sysinternals, the cpu frequency is 2601 - looks like it has not been overclocked. How to do that?

[axur-delmeria]

Run a CPU-intensive workload while verifying the clock speed with other software tools. Do note that 3.3GHz can only be achieved while on a single-core load.

[TOTAL]

Thank you. Turns out that there is a discrepancy between what system explorer says and what a core temps other tool says, don't have my laptop to check but a other app could register fluctuating frequencies up to 3200 something, so it must be that system explorer is not taking into consideration the multipliers, I guess.

By the way, the app shows multi core activity, so I am not sure what to think.

When I keep the cores temperature with think fan within 80 Celsius, is it generally safe to keep the machine of this age and make constantly over clocked? I use the laptop for music, which is when the power matters most, but otherwise browsing or YouTube can benefit of extra GHz but not as a must, though useful.

[jursky]

I would try to get rid of Lenovo Power Manager. Just recently on my X230 with Windows 10 and Lenovo Vantage (automatically downloaded from Windows Store) got downclocked to 1.6 GHz, quickly after booting into the Windows. When I removed that Lenovo Vantage application from the system, it jumped back to ~3.4 and started to be responsive again. So.. I personally would get rid of everything Lenovo related. Also back then when I still had W530 with Windows 7, I never bothered installing that Power Manager driver - laptop was still working just fine.

[TOTAL]

That's interesting that your overclocking is possible using just Windows.

I wonder if you are aware of still another killer functionality battery max and min levels and using the charger electric current directly, not from battery, which spares the battery infinitely. Might not give this effect at all if charger isn't used, though.

[axur-delmeria]

Technically it's not even overclocking because 3.3GHz is just the max boost clock so it's still within the CPU's rated speed. Also, Power Manager limiting the CPU speed to 1.6GHz could be caused by:

- using a 65w charger without a battery installed

- power plan set to max battery

[TOTAL]

Good to know this is not overclocking.

The charger is original, 65 Watts.

I am getting it spanning from 1.1 to 3.3, with the low clock for pdfs and max for real time music making. I have to say the power management is seamless, no hiccups from momentary falls to low cpu.

Still, better to use thinkfan because with bios settings for fan, the cpu temp goes up to 90, when you start to smell a hot laptop. With think fan, it uses some extra speeds, which keeps the temperature below 80.

In case it helps someone here.