Boost clock (dynamic clocks)
Also searched as: boost clock · gpu boost · dynamic clocks · base vs boost clock · clock speed gaming
What it means
Modern GPUs and CPUs do not run at one fixed speed — they constantly raise and lower their clock speed (boost) based on how much temperature and power headroom they have right now.
More detail
The 'base clock' on a spec sheet is the guaranteed floor; the 'boost clock' is roughly the best case. In practice the chip sits somewhere in between, second by second — climbing when it is cool and has power budget to spare, easing off when it gets hot or hits its power limit. This is why a card runs faster in a cold room than a hot one, and why good airflow quietly buys real performance. It is also why most 'lock your clocks to maximum' tweaks miss the point: the chip is already boosting as high as it safely can, and forcing a fixed high clock usually just adds heat or instability for nothing. The honest levers are the ones that give the chip more room to boost on its own — better cooling, a sensible fan curve, or an undervolt that runs cooler at the same clock.
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