Alienware Aurora R4 - Paid for factory overclock to 4.1GHz, received PC at standard 3.2 GHz

Seems like Dell has a history of not delivering the 4.1GHz overclock that we pay for - www.alienwarearena.com/.../cpu-overclocking-problem

I am moving this thread to the Alienware Owners Club Forum.
  
Bev.

Hello mcasperson

Here is an article with the steps to overclock the Aurora R4.

Overclocking on the Alienware Aurora R4

This subject has been discussed and reported several times.  

The given answer is that the processor will go at 4.1 only when needed.

However, since I got my PC (march 2012), I've never been able to see it running at this speed.  The fastest i've seen is 3.8.

I have been pointed to lt.dell.com/.../lt.aspx repeatedly by technical support staff, but following the procedure doesn't increase the CPU speed as reported in the BIOS or by Windows.

Just to confirm, if the CPU is overclocked, it will report that speed in the BIOS, correct?

mcasperson

No, it will not be display through the BIOS, you can use the Intel® Turbo Boost Technology Monitor with prime95 to stress the CPU, but as Leodagan mentioned above the CPU will hit 4.1 only when is need it.

Read more about the Intel Turbo Boost Technology functionality.

Can the Intel CPU identification tool at www.intel.com/.../CS-014921.htm be used to get the CPUs overclocked state?

Thanks for the reply Karen.

So to clear this up for those who Google this in future with the same problem I have:

1. Even though you pay for a factory overclock, neither Windows nor the BIOS will show this overclock has been applied
2. Running through the process described at support.dell.com/.../document will not show any immediate difference
3. The only way to confirm that your PC is overclocked is to download the third party tools mentioned above (i.e. stress the PC with prime95 and monitor the CPU with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology Monitor)

I had the same thoughts about the the 4.1 until I had to load over 10,000 pictures at one time. I started CPU-Z and wathched it as I was loading the pictures and sure enough it went  to 4.1 when it was under load. I think Intel calls it CPU stepping. The 4.1 is there when needed.

mcasperson

Yes, you are right!