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I cannot get Turbo Boost working on Linux for my Intel Kaby Lake R processor (i7-8650u), always below 10W, 2.1GHz. Current throttling. #Surface #Lapt

Ramen_LadyHKG

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This is the same post I made on Reddit(linux4noobs) and Tech Power Up - Linux Forum but unfortunately I couldn't get much attention.
Hopefully that doesn't disturb you guys for posting in the ThrottleStop forum.
This might not be absolutely related to ThrottleStop but I used ThrottleStop knowledge and apply to Linux, and you guys know a bit more on that matter.
Can you guys help me with that?

I think there are two issues here,
1) Power Limit settings on Linux is not apply to MMIO
2) that CPU Current Throttling for unknown reason on Linux

This is the performance I got on Windows 11 with ThrottleStop custom settings
View attachment vouk23iwvjba1.webp

It's a laptop from Microsoft, Surface Book 2. I run Fedora Linux and Arch Linux, both of them have this issue. Either Vanilla kernel or surface kernelhas the same problem.


I've tried most solution: cpupower tlp thermald throttled power-profiles-daemon intel-pstate s-tui turbostat DisableSecureBoot I still cannot get it working.

The CPU is not hot, neither power throttling. I can get it up to 4.2GHz, 35W package on Windows with Throttlestop. These digits are What I've never seen on Linux.

It always stays below 2.1GHz, 1.3GHz when all core are stressed, always below 55C. I've made sure, `TurboBoost` is on.
View attachment f78hwg1s8k0c1.webp

View attachment rmfrhrfufk0c1.webp
I've opened these post looking for similar experience, not many responds.

Book2 (15") - No CPU Turbo Boost (always below 2.0GHz) #1041 | Github

What's the maximum CPU frequency you can get on Linux with your Surface? | Reddit r/SurfaceLinux
 
grab cpu-power gui and set the governor to performance and see if that helps
 
This is the same post I made on Reddit(linux4noobs) and Tech Power Up - Linux Forum but unfortunately I couldn't get much attention.


I think there are two issues here,
1) Power Limit settings on Linux is not apply to MMIO
2) that CPU Current Throttling for unknown reason on Linux

This is the performance I got on Windows 11 with ThrottleStop custom settings
View attachment 323521
I have a KLR i5-8250U laptop running Alma Linux 9 (kernel 5.14.0) with working turbo boost (I had at least two cores hitting 3.4 GHz (max turbo freq for this CPU) for extended periods of time while encoding video with ffmpeg), so I would say it is not a general Linux problem unless it is a relatively recent regression. And this is a laptop with pretty crappy cooling by the way; it does not even have a proper exhaust: the "exhaust" is in/near the screen hinge and blows upward along the screen... I would try booting Alma Linux/Rocky Linux/RHEL 9 or the latest OpenSUSE Leap and see how the system behaves.
 
I have a KLR i5-8250U laptop running Alma Linux 9 (kernel 5.14.0) with working turbo boost (I had at least two cores hitting 3.4 GHz (max turbo freq for this CPU) for extended periods of time while encoding video with ffmpeg), so I would say it is not a general Linux problem unless it is a relatively recent regression. And this is a laptop with pretty crappy cooling by the way; it does not even have a proper exhaust: the "exhaust" is in/near the screen hinge and blows upward along the screen... I would try booting Alma Linux/Rocky Linux/RHEL 9 or the latest OpenSUSE Leap and see how the system behaves.
I have another Surface Book 2 user who has i5-8250U instead, does perform normally.

I don't have other cases for i7-8650u though
 
My main laptop is an 8550u running ubuntu and it works as it should as far as boot freq is concerned. If possible see if you can run a newer kernel to see if the issue goes away.
 
My main laptop is an 8550u running ubuntu and it works as it should as far as boot freq is concerned. If possible see if you can run a newer kernel to see if the issue goes away.
I use rolling release Distro, so yes, I'm running latest kernel.

Idle:​


Screenshot_20231201_084852}.jpg



Full Load:​

Screenshot_20231201_084933}.jpg


Run Full load for 1min:​


Screenshot_20231201_085653}.jpg
 
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