What's the point of a base clock speed?

[LloydLynx]

In the early days of PCs as we know them now, CPU manufacturers started to allow a CPU to lower it's clock frequency to save power and reduce heat output. Then came boost clock speeds, so that a CPU could ramp up it's processing power temporarily for short loads while not roasting the cooling system. I've never seen a modern CPU lock itself to it's base frequency, it will just run at the most efficient frequency for the current load, so it seems to me that the base frequency is nothing more than a marketing spec. Is there even a point to having a base clock speed anymore?

[mbntr]

It depends on the power setting on the OS and/or BIOS.

Technically the CPU is supposed to clock down to save power and heat, and laptops do it almost always.

 

[GoldenLag]

12 minutes ago, TheJooomes said:

I've never seen a modern CPU lock itself to it's base frequency

Except they do when they fully utilize the power allowed during a prolonged workload. 

 

Or when doing whatever load they defined base clock. 

[dfsgsfa]

twp is calculated based on base clock

[VeganJoy]

1 minute ago, dfsgsfa said:

twp is calculated based on base clock

tdp on intel cpus is based on base clock, so they can claim that a 9900k has a 95w tdp or that a 10900k has a 125w tdp. and i guess it technically does if youre running your 10900k at 3.7ghz lmao. amd uses boost clocks for their tdp ratings i think, and those are usually more accurate for actual usage.

[airborne spoon]

i have a 3700x and before i OC it i was just chilling on the system and looking at the idle speed it was constantly flipping between 3.6 and 4.2. it was at idle nothing was running and the computer had been on for like 15 min. so it doesn't even lock to the base speed. but now its got a light OC to 4.4 constant and stable I need to get around to finishing the OC i want to get like 4.8 or 5 out of it.