What Is the Meaning of Available Bins of Intel® Turbo Boost Technology for the Intel® Xeon® Processors?

This page covers the meaning of Available Bins of Intel® Turbo Boost Technology for the Intel® Xeon® Processors.

Understanding Turbo Boost Bins

Turbo Boost Bins signify the number of 100 MHz increments by which a processor can elevate its frequency beyond the base frequency, contingent upon the number of active cores. For instance, a Bin value of 3 allows the processor to augment its frequency by up to 300 MHz above the base frequency under specific conditions. Bin values differ across various processor models and generations.

For earlier generations, such as the Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 v2 Family, Intel has publicly documented the available Turbo Boost bins at Specification Update for the Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 v2 Family.

As example, the Intel® Xeon® E5-2667 v2's Available Bins are 3/3/3/3/4/5/6/7. The number between each slash represents the number of bins for each of the processor's cores in descending order. Each bin is 100MHz. Add the number of bins to the Processor Base Frequency to determine the Maximum Intel Turbo Boost Frequency.

For example: The Maximum Intel Turbo Frequencies are calculated for the Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2667 v2 (with 3.3 GHz base frequency and 8 cores) as follows:

• (3 bins x 100MHz) + 3.3 GHz = 3.6 GHz with 8, 7, 6, or 5 cores
• (4 bins x 100MHz) + 3.3 GHz = 3.7 GHz with 4 cores
• (5 bins x 100MHz) + 3.3 GHz = 3.8 GHz with 3 cores
• (6 bins x 100MHz) + 3.3 GHz = 3.9 GHz with 2 cores
• (7 bins x 100MHz) + 3.3 GHz = 4.0 GHz on 1 core

For newer generations of Intel® Xeon® processors, including 4th and 5th Gen Intel® Xeon®, Intel® Turbo Boost Technology allows the processors to dynamically increase their clock frequencies beyond the base operating frequency under certain conditions. Here are some key points regarding available bins and how Intel® Turbo Boost Technology functions in these processors:

1.    Frequency Bins:

• Each bin typically represents a 100 MHz increment in frequency.
• The available bins indicate how many steps above the base frequency (P1 P-state) the processor can boost its clock speed.

2.    4th Gen Intel® Xeon®:

• They support Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, which provides increased performance by allowing the processor cores to run faster than their rated frequency if operating below power, temperature, and current limits.
• The number of bins available for frequency boost can vary depending on the specific SKU and the workload being executed.

3.    5th Gen Intel® Xeon®:

• These processors also support Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, with similar mechanisms for dynamic frequency scaling based on operating conditions.
• Like Sapphire Rapids, the number of bins available for boosting frequency depends on the specific SKU and workload requirements.

4.    Intel® Xeon® 6 (SP/AP):

•  Intel® Xeon® 6 Processors represent the next wave of Intel® Xeon® processors with P-cores and E-cores, respectively.
• These processors will continue to support Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, enabling dynamic frequency scaling based on the given operating conditions.
• The number of available bins for frequency boosts will be determined by the specific architecture and design of these processors.

5.    Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0:

• For processors like the Xeon W-3400 and W-2400, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best-performing cores and boosts their frequency to provide higher performance for single-threaded workloads.

Different processors within the same family might have varying cores capable of reaching higher turbo frequencies, as determined by their individual characteristics.

Please refer to the specific generation of the Specification Update accessible at the Resource & Documentation Center.

A mutual NDA agreement is required with Intel to access these details. For further information, please visit: How to Apply for an Intel® Resource and Documentation Center (RDC) and/or Intel® Developer Zone (Intel® DevZone) Account