CPU not boosting to Max Turbo of 4.5GHz

[Omen4Screws]

I recently replaced the thermal paste inside my HP Omen 17 (17-cb0050nr, i7 9750H & RTX 2080), getting the CPU temps well under control. Even under full load, it stays around 70C-75C and max spike of 86C only. 

I've noticed that my CPU Intel i7 9750H does not reach its advertised 4.5GHz even though the laptop is not thermally or power limited. its locked to 3.9GHz. 

I would like to have the rest of CPU clocks please, since i have lot of headroom in terms of Power and thermals, having it boost higher would finally allow me to play Counter-Strike2 at my monitors refresh rate of 240Hz. 

Please make it happen, i know you guys can do it.

[Hawks_Eye · Accepted solution]

Hi @Omen4Screws 

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for posting your query! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I understand how frustrating it must be to have your CPU locked at 3.9GHz despite having ample thermal and power headroom. 

You’ve done a great job optimizing your cooling, and it makes sense to want to unlock the full potential of your Intel i7-9750H.

To troubleshoot this issue and help your CPU reach its advertised 4.5GHz Max Turbo, here are some steps using HP resources:

 

1. Check Power Settings

• Ensure your laptop is set to High Performance Mode in Windows power settings:
  1. Open Control Panel → Power Options.
  2. Select High Performance or Ultimate Performance (if available).
  3. Click Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.
  4. Under Processor power management, set Minimum processor state to 100%.

 

2. Verify BIOS Settings

• Some BIOS settings may limit CPU boost behavior:
  1. Restart your laptop and enter BIOS (usually F10 during boot).
  2. Look for Intel Turbo Boost Technology and ensure it is Enabled.
  3. Check if Speed Shift or SpeedStep is enabled—these can affect boost behavior.

 

3. Update Drivers & BIOS

• Ensure your BIOS and Intel chipset drivers are up to date:
  • Visit the HP Support page for your OMEN 17-cb0050nr and download the latest BIOS update.
  • Install the latest Intel Dynamic Tuning Technology (DTT) driver, as it can influence CPU boost behavior.

 

4. Monitor CPU Power Limits

• Use Intel XTU (Extreme Tuning Utility) or ThrottleStop to check:
  • PL1 (Power Limit 1) and PL2 (Power Limit 2) settings—these dictate boost duration.
  • If PL1 is set too low, your CPU may not sustain higher clock speeds.

 

5. Check OMEN Gaming Hub Settings

• Open OMEN Gaming Hub and ensure Performance Mode is set to Turbo.
• Some OMEN models allow manual tuning of power limits—adjust if available.

 

6. Test with a Single-Core Load

• The 4.5GHz boost is typically single-core. Run a single-threaded workload (e.g., Cinebench R23 single-core test) to see if it reaches 4.5GHz.

If after these steps your CPU still doesn’t boost beyond 3.9GHz, it may be limited by Intel’s firmware or power management settings. 

Let me know how it goes, and I’ll be happy to assist further!

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Omen4Screws]

Hi Hawks_Eye, 

Although i appreciate the write up, none of the below solutions work.

I was on the latest Bios, but i saw there was another version on the support page , installed it and still nothing changed. 

Tried single core test in Cinebench R23, Max CPU boost which was achieved momentarily was 4.2GHz. Multi Core still at 3.9GHz. 

I don't see Intel Dynamic Tuning Technology (DTT) anywhere, neither on the HP support page or my Device manager.

There is no setting in Bios related to turbo, but i can see turboboost, speedstep and speedshift are enabled from Throttlestop.

PL1/PL2 (Static & Dynamic) are 90W after boot according to HWinfo - but if i open up OmenHub Pl1 (Dynamic) comes down to 45W - even with this change no effect on cpu clocks when running cinebench.

What options are left for me?

Edit: Feel free to leave your advice in your next message, i've kind of made peace with the missing clocks since anyways almost all modern games use all cores & threads. But if you have further expert advice on more optimization please guide me. 

[Hawks_Eye]

@Omen4Screws 

Since you've already tried BIOS updates, power limits, and software tweaks, let's explore a few advanced optimization steps to push your CPU closer to its max turbo frequency.

Step 1: Check Windows Power Plan Settings

1. Open Control Panel > Power Options.
2. Select High Performance or Ultimate Performance (if available).
3. Click Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings.
4. Under Processor Power Management, set Minimum Processor State to 100%.
5. Ensure Maximum Processor State is also 100%.

 

Step 2: Adjust ThrottleStop Settings

1. Open ThrottleStop and go to the FIVR Control panel.
2. Disable BD PROCHOT (if enabled).
3. Increase Turbo Ratio Limits manually for each core.
4. Set Speed Shift EPP to 0 for maximum performance.
5. Apply changes and test Cinebench again.

 

Step 3: Override Power Limits in Intel XTU

1. Download and install Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU).
2. Increase PL1 and PL2 manually to 90W or higher.
3. Adjust Turbo Boost Power Time Window to 64 seconds.
4. Apply settings and monitor frequency behavior.

 

Step 4: Verify Cooling Efficiency

• Even though your temps are under control, ensure thermal paste application is even.
• Check if fan curves are optimized for performance mode.
• Run HWinfo and monitor CPU Package Power—if it's dropping under load, power delivery might be restricted.

 

Step 5: Test Disabling OmenHub

• Since OmenHub reduces PL1 dynamically, try uninstalling or disabling it temporarily.
• Restart the system and check if PL1 remains at 90W under load.

If none of these steps bring improvements, the CPU may be limited by firmware-level restrictions. Let me know what results you get, and I can refine the approach further!

Thanks,

Hawks_Eye