Unified Linux CPU Boost Support Still Being Worked On

Kernel developers are still working on CPU Boost mode support for the Linux kernel's cpufreq to unify hardware and software-based solutions for CPU overclocking.

Samsung's Lukasz Majewski posted the ninth version of the CPUfreq Boost patches on Monday morning to unify hardware-based solutions like Intel's Turbo Frequency and AMD's Turbo Core with software-based solutions like the Samsung Exynos SoC Boost mode. With the patch series, it's the first time that software-managed overclocking has been added to Samsung Exynos ARM SoCs for running at higher than normal frequencies when the temperature is normal.

In unifying and cleaning-up this cpufreq code, there's now a unified /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/boost attribute for toggling CPU "boost" support on the different implementations. The Linux kernel's framework is also extended as part of the patches for disabling software boosting when hitting a thermal trip point.

For details on the CPUfreq core CPU Boost mode support see the new patch series and in particular patch 1 describes the changes to the cpufreq core for this boost frequency support.