Processors are made with relative good margins of error. Different chips behave differently and to make sure that a series of processors doesn’t contain too many bad units there are margins of errors. A processor that ships with 3.0GHz clock frequency can often do several hundreds of megahertz more. This is so that as many CPUs as possible will clear the factory specifications. The same system is used for the feeding voltage for the CPU.
Even if many 3.0GHz CPUs handles well with 1.3V (just an example) the manufacturer sets the operating voltage well above this, say 1,4V. With this broad margin any voltage drops will not have the same bad effect as it would with lower voltages.
Intel has presented a new processor design that uses Self Tuning. In short this means that processor optimizes itself for its intended use, according to several parameters like clock frequency, voltage and temperature. Both CPU core and cache memory comes with a chip for troubleshooting that directly notices if anything is wrong and automatically adjusts the properties of the processor to reduce the chance of damage or crash.
The technology enables processors to operate, more or less, with optimal performance and power consumption automatically. Would it be hot in the summer and the CPU temperature rises the temperature can clock down, or cold in the Winter it can increase performance, much like an advanced version of Intel’s Turbo Boost technology.
When Intel’s Self Tuning technology will make it into retail remains to be seen, but it feels like a healthy and logical development for CPUs.
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