Intel Core i5-6500TE Stuck at 2.79 GHz – Won't Boost Beyond

[Allwin]

Hello Intel Community,

I recently built a project PC and noticed that my Intel Core i5-6500TE is stuck at 2.79 GHz and does not boost up to its rated 3.3 GHz Turbo frequency. Here are my system specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-6500TE (Base Clock: 2.3 GHz, Max Turbo: 3.3 GHz)

• Motherboard: PowerX Intel H110 DDR4

• RAM: 1x 8GB G.Skill Aegis DDR4 + 1x 4GB G.Skill Aegis DDR4 (Total 12GB)

• iGPU: Intel HD 530

• Storage: 500GB WD SA510 SATA SSD

• Power Supply: 220W

Troubleshooting Done So Far:

• Checked Windows power settings (set to High Performance)

• No dedicated GPU installed, only using Intel HD 530

• Monitored CPU usage and temperatures, but no thermal throttling observed

Could this be caused by power limitations, a motherboard restriction, or Something else? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[pressed_for_time]

If you have not already done so, you are recommended to install the whole of the driver pack in particular the motherboard chipset driver and the Intel Management Engine (ME) components. Other than that, some of the H110 motherboards had a ECO mode or Energy Saving Mode as a BIOS default mode to save energy. Check if this is enabled and whether it can disabled if it is.

[Allwin]

I have downloaded and installed all the necessary drivers for the motherboard from the manufacturer's website, including the Intel Management Engine (ME) components. Additionally, I changed the CPU power setting in the BIOS from Balanced to Max Turbo Performance. However, my CPU speed is still locked at 2.79 GHz.

I also contacted the motherboard manufacturer regarding this issue, and they confirmed that there is no restriction on the CPU speed from their end. They advised me to contact Intel for further assistance.

[NormanS_Intel]

Hello Allwin,

Thank you for posting in the community!

To ensure you receive the most specialized assistance, we have a dedicated forum that addresses these specific concerns. Therefore, I will be moving this discussion to our Embedded Forum. This will allow our knowledgeable community and experts to provide you with timely and accurate solutions.

Best regards,

Norman S.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[CarlosAM_INTEL]

Hello,  @bsalha 

Thank you for contacting Intel Embedded Community.

The Intel® Core™ i5-6500TE Processor is a Skylake-S processor, as you may confirm on the following website:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/88186/intel-core-i56500te-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-30-ghz/specifications.html

We need to clarify that the Skylake processors have been discontinued and are no longer supported, as you may verify on the following website:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000022396/processors.html  

However, you may find the available documentation for the Skylake-S processors on the following website:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/platforms/details/skylake-s/docs.html

Best regards,
@CarlosAM_INTEL.

[Allwin · Accepted solution]

I confidently tackled the speed lock issue by resetting the system BIOS. Now, the processor is performing exceptionally well, running at speeds exceeding 3.1 GHz.