SpeedStep is a trademark for a series of dynamic frequency scaling technologies (codenamed Geyserville and including SpeedStep, SpeedStep II, and SpeedStep III) built into some Intel microprocessors that allow the clock speed of the processor to be dynamically changed (to different P-states) by software. This allows the processor to meet the instantaneous performance needs of the operation being performed, while minimizing power draw and heat dissipation. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep is sometimes abbreviated as EIST. Explanation Running a processor at high clock speeds allows for better perfor...

A voltage regulator module or VRM, sometimes called PPM (processor power module), is a buck converter that provides a microprocessor the appropriate supply voltage, converting or to a much lower voltage required by the CPU. Some are soldered to the motherboard while others are installed in an open slot. It allows processors with different supply voltage to be mounted on the same motherboard. Most modern CPUs require less than . CPU designers tend to design to smaller CPU core voltages; lower voltages help reduce CPU power dissipation, often referred to as thermal design power (TDP). S...