@TheTRUEAsian Ahh, yeah that all makes sense. Hm, the curve optimizer seems like a big unknown. Tracking the frequency (both CPU/GPU), TDP, core voltages, temperatures, and power draw over the length of the tests with enough data points and shown in a graph would probably give insight into what it’s doing.
Actually, I just did some research (I thought the curve optimizer was strictly an UXTU feature). It’s actually an AMD feature (I haven’t used AMD in a long time, getting up to speed now).
Searching for “AMD Curve Optimizer” on that that big search engine, the top 2 links gave insight:
The primary functionality of this feature is to tune the AVFS curve of the entire CPU or specific cores of the CPU such that the tuning overrides the fixed curves that they are fused with, resulting in an increased CPU performance.
AVFS is Adaptive Voltage and Frequency Scaling.
This video seems to explain it well, and at 1:56 in the What is Curve Optimizer chapter , the graph shows how moving the curve positively or negatively affects MHz on the x-axis and voltage on the y-axis. Also, at the end, HWiNFO is used to chart system values throughout the Cinebench runs (among some other useful info).
tldr: curve optimizer doesn’t only undervolt, it’s adjusting the AVFS curve which ties frequency and voltage together. Meaning, for example, with a negative offset, the CPU would run at a higher frequency at the same voltage. And conversely, with a positive offset, frequency would lower at the same voltage. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that total power consumption would decrease between e.g. 0 and -15 curve offsets. It in theory could, but the curve apparently optimizes just for performance and not for total power consumption. Power consumption is just a byproduct, so it could remain the same, go down, or go up with any movement of the curve. (If I’m understanding this all correctly, lol).
Offsetting AVFS curve optimizer
Screenshots from the above linked video to show how AVFS curve offsets affect MHz/voltage (credit to Unhinged Systems!):
Stock (0 offset)
Negative offset:
Positive offset:
Offsetting just voltage (only undervolting)
Whereas a fixed undervolt to the cores (decreasing just the voltage, negative offset) would optimize strictly for power consumption (and thermals). Min/max frequencies don’t change here, just the voltages.
Modified screenshot of stock showing this (the x-axis values decrease/shift to the right):
Though it seems that the jury’s still out on how to just undervolt, or if it’s even possible, on this series.
Edit: nice that there’s an easy way for us to squeeze out more performance out of the laptop! Brings me to wonder if better thermals perhaps through PTM7950 would allow larger curve optimizations, though you mentioned temps were never an issue,