Because of Turbo Technologies, the CPU can adjusts its frequency based on its own load. In the performance mode, this frequency fluctuates between the turbo-max and the P0 base frequency.

I have two same machines (with AMD 7713P), running a series of container tasks on each (task combinations may vary). Their CPU utilization are both around 70%, but there is a significant difference in CPU frequencies. One is 2.40GHz, and the other is only 2.27GHz.

Why would CPU frequencies be different even with the same load? Is it because certain operations generate greater power consumption overhead? If so, which operations would cause frequency drops, such as more context switching or more TLB-misses?