What is Boost Technology? A Technology for Temporarily Increasing CPU Clock Speed

Boost technology is a technology that improves performance by temporarily increasing the clock frequency as needed.

Most modern CPUs are equipped with boost technology, but the names differ depending on the manufacturer, and even the same manufacturer may have several types, making it a bit confusing.

Also, many people wonder what the difference is between this boost technology, which increases the clock frequency, and CPU overclocking.

Therefore, this article will explain in detail the basic mechanism of boost technology and the different technologies of Intel and AMD.

This article also explains the basics of how to read CPU manufacturers and model numbers, performance indicators, and how to choose from the perspective of performance and compatibility.

≫ Related article: How to Choose a CPU for a Custom PC [Performance / Features / Compatibility]

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What is Boost Technology?

This section explains the basic knowledge of boost technology and the differences from overclocking.

A technology that automatically and temporarily increases clock frequency

Boost technology is a technology that allows the CPU to automatically increase its clock frequency as needed, temporarily improving performance.

Normally, CPUs operate at a base clock frequency specified in their specifications, but when high-load tasks (such as gaming, video editing, or AI calculations) occur, if certain conditions are met, the clock is automatically increased to improve performance.

The specific conditions vary depending on the type and version of boost technology, but basically there are three main factors:

• Load: Whether heavy tasks are being executed.
• Temperature: Whether the CPU is not too hot.
• Power: Whether there is enough power supply.

This article focuses on PC CPUs, but boost technology is also available for GPUs, and even mobile CPUs for smartphones and other devices have boost technology.

In this way, it is now standard for processors to be equipped with boost technology in a broad sense.

Different names for Intel and AMD

For PC CPUs, there are two main companies: “Intel” and “AMD,” and each has a different name for boost technology.

Boost technology is a general term for technologies that temporarily increase clock frequency, so each manufacturer uses a different name.

If you don’t know these names, you won’t know which type or version of boost technology a CPU supports, or even if it supports boost technology at all when choosing a CPU.

Difference between Boost Technology and Overclocking

The main differences between boost technology and overclocking are as follows:

There are differences in purpose and who controls it, but the most important part is “whether it is covered by warranty”.

Turbo boost technology increases the clock frequency within a range that the manufacturer deems safe.

This is based on extensive testing during development, and during actual operation, the system monitors load, temperature, power, etc. in real time and temporarily increases the clock frequency within a “safe range” based on that information.

Because the manufacturer has confirmed safety and stable operation, if a failure occurs, it is basically covered by the manufacturer warranty.

On the other hand, overclocking involves the user setting the clock frequency using the BIOS or software.

Regardless of whether the PC operates normally, it is possible to set clock frequencies that cannot be reached with turbo boost technology.

Therefore, overclocking comes with the following risks:

• Unstable operation
• Increased heat generation
• Hardware degradation and shortened lifespan
• Negative impact on peripheral parts

Overclocking is entirely at the user’s own risk, and since the user is free to set it and break it, it is basically not covered by warranty.

About Intel’s Boost Technology

This section explains the various performance enhancement technologies of Intel’s boost technology and their features.

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel Turbo Boost Technology is a technology that allows Intel CPUs to automatically increase clock speed as needed.

This was the first boost technology developed by Intel and has been installed since the first generation of the Intel Core i series.

The later versions such as 2.0 and 3.0, as well as other technologies introduced below, are extensions and developments of this mechanism.

During normal operation, the CPU runs at the specified base clock speed, but when higher performance is required, Turbo Boost is activated and the clock speed temporarily increases.

It automatically boosts single cores or a few cores under high load as needed.

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 supports a wider range of load, temperature, and power management, improving the overall accuracy and flexibility of boosting.

This technology has been installed since the 3rd generation of the Intel Core i series (Sandy Bridge) and is available for Core i5, i7, and i9 grades.

The main difference between Turbo Boost Technology 1.0 and 2.0 is that 1.0 increases the CPU clock speed under certain conditions and only operates when the CPU temperature and power consumption are within acceptable limits.

On the other hand, 2.0 evolves the functions of 1.0, allowing more cores to be boosted simultaneously and improving multi-threaded performance.

It is equipped with more advanced power management functions, allowing more efficient management of CPU temperature and power consumption.

This makes it possible to maintain high clock speeds for longer periods of time.

In addition, the ability to dynamically adjust clock speed according to the overall system load has been improved, enabling more flexible and efficient performance improvement.

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 is a technology that identifies one or two high-quality cores (best cores) within the same CPU and prioritizes certain processes on those cores to achieve even higher performance.

It does not replace Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, but is installed as a separate technology in parallel.

This technology has been installed since the 6th generation of the Intel Core i series (Broadwell-E), and is only available on some high-end models such as Core i7 and i9.

To make full use of this feature, the OS and drivers must support it (Windows 10 and later are supported).

While the normal turbo boost function increases the clock speed of all cores, Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 optimizes by selecting specific cores, achieving both efficient power consumption and high processing power.

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 dynamically increases the CPU clock frequency to improve performance when needed, adjusting the clock speed of each core according to the overall load when there are multiple cores.

In contrast, 3.0 focuses on further enhancing the performance of specific cores, making it possible to achieve higher performance in applications where single-threaded performance is important.

In short, 2.0 improves the performance of all cores, while 3.0 targets specific cores to extract even higher performance.

At this point, you may be wondering what “high-quality cores (best cores)” and “specific processes” mean, so let’s dig a little deeper.

What are high-quality cores (best cores)?

“High-quality cores (best cores)” refer to cores that can operate stably at higher clocks due to manufacturing variations among the multiple cores on the same CPU chip.

Why do cores of different quality exist in the first place?

CPUs are mass-produced from silicon wafers, but there are minute variations in the manufacturing process.

This is a physical property that cannot be completely avoided.

As a result, even within the same CPU, the following differences arise:

• Cores with good power efficiency and low heat generation
• Cores that are strong at high clocks and tend to operate stably
• Cores that are somewhat unstable and difficult to increase the clock

These differences are called process variations.

Intel actively utilizes these variations and developed a technology that selects the cores with the best operating characteristics (best cores) during the testing process, concentrates specific processes on those cores, and extracts higher performance.

CPUs equipped with Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 operate as follows:

1. Automatically identify one or two best cores at startup or during manufacturing
2. Notify the OS (such as Windows) that “this core should be used preferentially”
3. When a single-threaded or important process occurs, assign it to the best core
4. Execute the process at a clock higher than normal turbo boost

This allows the same CPU to improve single-threaded performance by utilizing high-quality cores.

Best cores cannot be selected arbitrarily by the user; Intel determines them during manufacturing through quality checks.

By the time the user starts using the CPU, the best cores are already marked inside the CPU, and information is provided to the BIOS and OS (such as Windows).

What are specific processes?

“Specific processes” generally refer to tasks that run on a single thread or lightweight to medium thread loads that can be optimized for specific CPU cores.

Examples of “specific processes” include:

• High-load single-threaded processing (e.g., game engine logic, part of video encoding)
• Main thread processing that the OS or application determines should be executed as quickly as possible
• Tasks where analyzing the load per thread shows it is more effective to process on the best core than on other cores

It is not simply “high-load processing = assign to best core,” but rather whether the process is running on a single thread and can benefit from the best core.

Intel Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB)

Intel Thermal Velocity Boost (TVB) is a boost technology that allows the CPU to operate at an even higher clock frequency than the normal turbo boost limit, but only when the CPU temperature is sufficiently low.

This is one of several boost technologies provided by Intel, designed to maximize performance in high-cooling environments.

This technology was introduced in some mobile CPUs from the 8th generation (Coffee Lake), and in desktop CPUs from the 9th generation (Coffee Lake-R).

It is only available for the top-grade Core i9, and is installed in addition to Turbo Boost Technology.

TVB increases the clock frequency by about 100–200MHz above the normal maximum turbo boost when the CPU temperature is at or below the threshold of 70°C (65°C for laptops).

For example, if the normal maximum turbo is 5.0GHz, TVB can raise it to 5.1GHz or 5.2GHz.

However, whether TVB works depends on the CPU temperature, so cooling performance is important.

Intel Adaptive Boost Technology (ABT)

Intel Adaptive Boost Technology (ABT) is an additional boost feature for high-end Intel CPUs, designed to run as many cores as possible at high clock speeds when multiple cores are under heavy load.

It is especially focused on improving performance in multi-threaded processing.

This technology has been installed since the 9th generation of the Intel Core i series (Rocket Lake-S), and is only available for the top-grade Core i9 models with a “K/KF” suffix (overclocking models) for desktop CPUs.

On many motherboards, this feature is OFF by default and must be enabled in the BIOS settings.

Normally, when running many cores at the same time, the CPU must lower the overall clock due to heat and power constraints.

Adaptive Boost Technology adjusts the boost clock “adaptively” to run as many cores as possible at the highest possible clock within those constraints.

“Adaptively” means that the CPU changes its operating clock in real time according to the system state (temperature, power, current, load) at the time.

In other words, instead of running at a fixed clock, it automatically optimizes to run at the highest possible clock depending on the situation.

Because ABT runs the entire CPU at high clock speeds, the following prerequisites are required:

• Powerful power design and cooling to run many cores at high speed simultaneously
• Designed to be used with high-performance motherboards
• Intended for high-load applications such as creative work and gaming, not general use

Therefore, it is not implemented in Core i7 or lower or power-saving models, and high-quality parts such as CPU coolers, motherboards, and power supplies are also required.

Intel Deep Learning Boost (DL Boost)

Intel Deep Learning Boost (DL Boost) is an instruction set extension technology provided by Intel to accelerate deep learning inference processing.

In other words, it is a technology to speed up AI processing, greatly improving performance when running AI processing on the CPU.

This improves the execution speed of AI models, enabling faster response in applications that require real-time data processing.

This technology has been installed since the 10th generation of the Intel Core i series (Comet Lake).

DL Boost is a new set of instructions added to Intel’s x86 instruction set (AVX), focusing on efficient calculation processing with “INT8 (8-bit integer)”.

The core instruction is VNNI (Vector Neural Network Instructions), which allows matrix and convolution operations that previously required multiple steps to be executed with fewer instructions.

To put it simply, it enables fast deep learning inference on the CPU without a GPU.

However, it does not provide the same performance as a GPU, but rather greatly improves the efficiency of CPU-based inference processing and enables a certain level of real-time inference even in environments where a GPU cannot be used.

DL Boost is used in the following situations:

• AI inference (image recognition, speech recognition, natural language processing, etc.)
• Edge AI (embedded or industrial devices where a GPU cannot be installed)
• CPU-based AI inference (GPU-less servers, etc.)

About AMD’s Boost Technology

This section explains the various performance enhancement technologies of AMD’s boost technology and their features.

Precision Boost (PB)

Precision Boost is a technology that allows AMD CPUs to automatically increase clock speed as needed.

It aims to minimize power consumption while delivering maximum performance when needed.

During normal operation, the CPU runs at a low clock frequency for efficiency, but when heavy tasks occur, Precision Boost activates and temporarily increases the CPU clock frequency.

This allows tasks to be processed faster than usual.

For example, when playing games or editing videos, it can instantly provide the necessary power.

This technology was developed by AMD and first introduced with the first-generation Ryzen (Zen architecture).

Before Ryzen, AMD CPUs also had boost technology called AMD Turbo Core Technology (such as Phenom II X6 and FX series).

However, Precision Boost is a step forward from the simple turbo function of Turbo Core Technology, developed as a technology that automatically controls the clock of multiple cores in real time based on load, temperature, and power.

In this sense, Precision Boost is considered “the starting point of AMD’s modern boost control technology.”

Precision Boost 2 (PB2)

Precision Boost 2 is a technology that maximizes performance by efficiently utilizing all CPU cores.

This technology is the second-generation automatic clock control technology introduced with the second-generation Ryzen (Zen+, Ryzen 2000 series).

It has evolved significantly from the first-generation “Precision Boost,” especially in highly efficient boost control for multi-core operations.

Precision Boost 2 monitors CPU temperature, power consumption, and load in real time, and if these conditions allow, automatically boosts the clock frequency of all active cores as much as possible.

In particular, Precision Boost 2 demonstrates its true value in situations that require multi-threaded processing, improving overall processing speed by efficiently utilizing multiple cores.

Precision Boost 1 had the function of automatically increasing the CPU clock speed under certain conditions, but its operation was mainly limited to single cores or a few cores, and clock frequency control was also stepwise.

In contrast, Precision Boost 2 allows for finer-grained clock speed adjustments and can dynamically adjust the clock speed of all CPU cores.

Also, because it operates based on temperature and power consumption, the CPU can operate efficiently without overheating, allowing users to enjoy more stable performance.

Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO)

Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) is an extended boost control feature that enables boost performance beyond the operating range of Precision Boost 2.

Simply put, it is a semi-overclocking feature that further relaxes or strengthens automatic CPU boosting according to the user’s environment.

This feature is basically OFF, but when the user turns it ON, the system increases the clock frequency according to the environment.

Although it is called boost technology, it is a type of overclocking, so it is not covered by warranty and should be used with caution.

This technology has been installed since the AMD Ryzen 2000 series and is available for high-performance models with a K suffix.

Normally, Precision Boost 2 operates within safe limits (power, current, temperature) set by AMD.

On the other hand, PBO expands those limits according to the motherboard and cooling performance, allowing for higher clocks and longer boost durations.

Precision Boost Overdrive 2 (PBO2)

Precision Boost Overdrive 2 (PBO2) is a technology that achieves efficient performance improvement by maximizing CPU capability while considering power and temperature constraints.

PBO2 is the second generation of this technology, further evolving PBO.

This technology was introduced with the AMD Ryzen 5000 series (Zen 3 architecture) and is available for models with an “X” suffix.

Other models may also be supported, so check the official specifications if you are interested.

The main difference between PBO1 and PBO2 is that PBO2 further evolves the functions of PBO1.

PBO1 relaxes power and temperature limits to maximize CPU performance, allowing the CPU to operate at higher clock speeds.

On the other hand, PBO2 optimizes each CPU core individually, enabling more efficient overclocking.

This allows for even higher performance for specific tasks.

In addition, PBO2 introduces AMD’s new algorithm, allowing more detailed management of CPU temperature and power consumption.

This improves overall system stability and allows for safe, high performance even during long-term use.

Extended Frequency Range (XFR)

Extended Frequency Range (XFR) is a feature that further increases the normal boost clock limit in environments with excellent cooling performance.

While Precision Boost automatically increases the clock up to the boost clock limit set by AMD, XFR is an additional mechanism that allows that limit to be exceeded only when there is sufficient cooling performance.

XFR is a boost technology introduced by AMD in the first-generation Ryzen (Zen) to Zen+ generations. Although it is a type of overclocking, it is officially covered by warranty according to AMD.

Extended Frequency Range 2 (XFR2)

Extended Frequency Range 2 (XFR2) is an automatic overclocking technology introduced in AMD’s second-generation Ryzen, and is an important feature for maximizing CPU performance.

Compared to XFR 1.0, XFR 2.0 operates under a wider range of conditions and can boost more cores simultaneously, so overall performance improvement can be expected.

This technology depends on CPU cooling performance, and PCs with excellent cooling systems can maintain higher clock speeds.

This allows users to maximize hardware potential and achieve efficient performance improvement.

From the Ryzen 3000 (Zen 2) series onward, the operation of Precision Boost 2 has become very flexible and detailed, so the XFR-like behavior of “operating at higher clocks when the temperature is low” has been integrated and abolished into PB2.

In addition, with the advent of Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) and Curve Optimizer(*), it is now possible to optimize clocks more freely and safely, and the role of XFR has ended.

*Curve Optimizer is a feature installed in AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs and later, which adjusts the voltage-frequency relationship to achieve lower voltage operation.

Summary: There are many types of boost technology

This article explained the basic knowledge of boost technology and detailed boost functions for Intel and AMD.

Here are the key points again.

Boost technology is a technology that allows processors such as CPUs and GPUs to temporarily increase performance.

Basically, it is a mechanism that “automatically increases the clock frequency only when needed,” enabling flexible operation: energy-saving during normal use and powerful during high load.

Both Intel and AMD have developed their own boost technologies, such as “Turbo Boost” and “Precision Boost,” and there are detailed differences and evolutions for each version.

In addition, additional features such as PBO and TVB, which further enhance performance under certain conditions, have appeared, expanding the range of performance tuning.

Even though it is simply called boost technology, its content is diverse.

Be sure to understand it well and use it to help you choose and operate your parts.

This article also explains the basics of how to read CPU manufacturers and model numbers, performance indicators, and how to choose from the perspective of performance and compatibility.

≫ Related article: How to Choose a CPU for a Custom PC [Performance / Features / Compatibility]

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PC Parts Estimation & Compatibility Check Tool

Automatically checks each component you need when selecting parts for a custom-built PC—perfect for beginners.