The other option is that maybe I'm just being dumb? In order to enable XMP, I have to check the box 'enable overclocking feature' --so does that mean that PBO is always enabled when running an XMP profile?

I just don't actually see a setting for PBO --and I don't seem to be seeing the 4.8Ghz that PBO seems to achieve.

It's 4.6 Ghz boost, not 4.8 Ghz. 5800 OEM 

That being said, I had the same issue on my 3700X on my R10. Never was able to see any PBO settings in the BIOS, while other users had PBO options listed in their BIOS.

How high it can boost, and for how long it can boost, depends on thermals amongst other things.

If it runs higher than 3.4 Ghz it is boosting.

Is that because your MOBO is Zen 2 or because Dell has some kind of dual MOBO arrangement they're not telling people about? My machine originally shipped with a 3060Ti (I got it open box with an OE 3080 last week and I am probably going to get the authorized reseller to exchange the GPU for a liquid cooled OE 3090) --so did my mid-spec GPU machine ship with a different, less OC friendly, MOBO?

BTW from what I've seen the stock boost clock is 4.6 but with PBO on, it seems 4.8 is the norm. I'm hoping the MH0HN I have coming will help with boost clocks, but neither OC1 nor OC2 in AWCC does anything to the CPU. Likewise, I have zero OC controls in the BIOS even changing them out. I do have pretty good RAM control, and I've been able to get the voltage and timings stable above spec. Have basic GPU control in ACC but I cannot seem to be able to increase CPU speed at all even in the BIOS.

There's only 2 versions of the motherboard, you have the "second" version. I never figured out why it's not visible in the BIOS. If you use Ryzen Master you will be able to enable PBO that way.

I am pretty sure a liquid cooled 3090 is not going to fit in that case. 

The boost frequency is not the same across all models. The 5800 is limited to 4,600 Mhz maximum boost. It will not boost over that with PBO.

There are no multiplier settings or anything like that in the BIOS, so Ryzen master is your friend.

Thanks for that. 

Do settings saved in Ryzen master persist after reboot for you? I don’t much care if I set the OC in Windows or in the BIOS. I just want to set it up and leave it be. 

R10 gen1

Ryzen master settings do not persist after a reboot and they are not automatically applied at boot either.

Thanks again,

Do I have the situation correctly:

1) Every R10 Ryzen, should, in theory have at least minimal CPU controls in the BOIS.

2) Some do, some do not. Which ones do and do not are somewhat random.

3) Nobody really knows why and Dell hasn't been forthcoming on the issue.

Thanks!

Thanks for that. I wonder if it’s an optional feature, but I guess we cannot know. I asked Dell but they wouldn’t tell me without charging me since I bought the unit open box with a warranty through the authorised reseller.

One last question then:

Is there anything that can be done to enable those settings in the BIOS or not?

Thanks

1. Not necessarily, as in your case.

2. That is correct. I never figured out or received an answer as to why exactly some do and some do not.

3. Correct.

If the settings don't show up, you can try loading BIOS defaults, or perform a CMOS clear.

However, I had no luck with any of that and no matter what I tried they never showed up for my R10.

Clear CMOS R10: CMOS Clear 

The only thing I noticed on my R10 that was different when compared to some pictures of other R10's was that the EPS 8 pin motherboard header on my R10 was connected with an 8 PIN 6 wire connector, while the others were connected with an 8 PIN 8 wire connector. Never figured out why that is either, but to me that would indicate a lesser power configuration for the VRM section and that in turn resulting in no PBO settings in the BIOS.

However, this was never confirmed.

Do you have the 1000w PSU and factory AIO liquid cooler?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Dell just up and decided to gimp CPUs on units shipping without whatever they deemed electrical and thermal headroom. They wouldn’t want to risk being on the hook when the dreaded ID10T error blew up motherboards.

I almost think Dell gimped my unit on account of the air cooler it shipped with. The air cooler is a joke, so I couldn’t blame dell if they disabled overclocking on it. That said, I got lucky —I have factory VRM heat syncs. 

Got the 1,000 Watt PSU and liquid cooling in that unit. Also came with VRM heat sinks. Did come with a 3700X, which is rated for a TDP of 65 Watts. The higher performing Ryzen 3000 CPU's are rated at 105 Watt TDP.

So I am wondering if this is based on processor TDP rating rather than motherboard capabilities. Honestly have no idea why it is like that.

How ‘fully’ modular is this PSU? Enough you can replace that 8/6 power lead with an 8/8?

I’ll check mine when I get home. 

The other possibility is that it’s proc SKU-based. The board firmware could whitelist certain chips and blacklist others. Would take a bit of a survey or a couple spare procs on hand to find that out.