When I was in my XPS 400 BIOS setup recently, I noticed that it was disabled. I was a little surprised, but since that is apparently the default, I left it disabled. It would be interesting to hear the real world reasons to have it enabled versus disabled.

The Intet SpeedStep is only available to Pentium 830D/840D.

For more information: http://www.intel.com/products/processor/pentium_D/index.htm

My XPS 400 with the Pentium D 830, is the most powerful, and the most quiet, Dell I have ever purchased. With my sensitive ears, quieter is certainly better. So, my questions are whether enabling the speedstep will really make the machine quieter; and if so, how much real performance loss goes with it. It just seems that unless their are real world reasons not to, that Dell would have shipped the machine with it enabled.

My computer is running 24x7.  Just wonder the CPU will lower the clock speed if the computer is idle.  There is no reason for it to draw all power when it is idle.

After getting home, I decided to enable speedstep before booting. Testing at PC Pitstop shows no loss of performance - actually, my total score is 8 points higher than I ever got before. The test results show the processor was running at 3.0ghz. My Computer properties still shows the processor as 2.99ghz.

My Gen 5 system came with a manual that gave information on turning it off, and on as needed.  Don't know if you got a hard copy manual with your XPS 400 or not.   If so, read it.  The XPS 400 came out after the Gen 5 system and was superseded by the XPS 600.  It does not make your system slower, it just reduces the clock speed of the cpu when you don't need it, like when you are visiting the internet, doing the e-mail thingy, or writing letters and such.  If you are playing games, watching dvd's and burning dvd movies and other cpu intensive programs the cpu will throttle up to the max, of what ever your cpu speed is.  

Message Edited by SR45 on 01-12-2006 07:26 PM

Message Edited by Spartan033 on 01-12-2006 06:19 PM

Message Edited by Spartan033 on 01-12-2006 06:20 PM

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@Spartan033 wrote:

Sorry, I can't answer your question... But I have a question myself. What is intel speedstep, and how do I get it? I also have a XPS 400

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Speed step was the technology for notebook computers to reduce or throttle back  the cpu clock speed to save battery life when it was not needed.   In more cpu intensive programs, such as gaming, speed step would not be needed, and it would power up to the the cpu limit.   This technology is now being introduced into desktops as well for heat related issues on the new processors.  You cannot go out, and just get it. It has to be offered on the newer systems.  I think your XPS system has it, not 100%.  My returned Gen 5 system had it, and you can go into the BIOS to turn it on or off.  Go into your BIOS and see if its there, but be careful.  If you mess with the BIOS, you can mess up the system. 

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@SR45 wrote:

My Gen 5 system came with a manual that gave information on turning it off, and on as needed. Don't know if you got a hard copy manual with your XPS 400 or not. If so, read it. The XPS 400 came out after the Gen 5 system and was superseded by the XPS 600. It does not make your system slower, it just reduces the clock speed of the cpu when you don't need it, like when you are visiting the internet, doing the e-mail thingy, or writing letters and such. If you are playing games, watching dvd's and burning dvd movies and other cpu intensive programs the cpu will throttle up to the max, of what ever your cpu speed is.

Message Edited by SR45 on 01-12-2006 07:26 PM

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Unfortunately, the XPS manual is not printed. The only reference to speedstep in the PDF of the manual is that it is set in Setup under performance, if applicable. I don't know if there really is a delay, and I haven't noticed one yet, but it seems like there would be some lag time involved in the processor recognizing the need to accelerate and the actual acceleration.