Re: [PATCH] cpufreq/amd-pstate: Add comment explaining nominal_perf usage for performance policy

From: Viresh Kumar

Date: Mon Jan 19 2026 - 00:48:52 EST


On 16-01-26, 15:45, Juan Martinez wrote:
> Add comment explaining why nominal_perf is used for MinPerf when the
> CPU frequency policy is set to CPUFREQ_POLICY_PERFORMANCE, rather than
> using highest_perf or lowest_nonlinear_perf.
>
> Signed-off-by: Juan Martinez <juan.martinez@xxxxxxx>
> ---
> drivers/cpufreq/amd-pstate.c | 13 +++++++++++++
> 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/amd-pstate.c b/drivers/cpufreq/amd-pstate.c
> index c45bc98721d2..88b26f36937b5 100644
> --- a/drivers/cpufreq/amd-pstate.c
> +++ b/drivers/cpufreq/amd-pstate.c
> @@ -636,6 +636,19 @@ static void amd_pstate_update_min_max_limit(struct cpufreq_policy *policy)
> WRITE_ONCE(cpudata->max_limit_freq, policy->max);
>
> if (cpudata->policy == CPUFREQ_POLICY_PERFORMANCE) {
> + /*
> + * For performance policy, set MinPerf to nominal_perf rather than
> + * highest_perf or lowest_nonlinear_perf.
> + *
> + * Per commit 0c411b39e4f4c, using highest_perf was observed
> + * to cause frequency throttling on power-limited platforms, leading to
> + * performance regressions. Using lowest_nonlinear_perf would limit
> + * performance too much for HPC workloads requiring high frequency
> + * operation and minimal wakeup latency from idle states.
> + *
> + * nominal_perf therefore provides a balance by avoiding throttling
> + * while still maintaining enough performance for HPC workloads.
> + */
> perf.min_limit_perf = min(perf.nominal_perf, perf.max_limit_perf);
> WRITE_ONCE(cpudata->min_limit_freq, min(cpudata->nominal_freq, cpudata->max_limit_freq));
> } else {

Applied. Thanks.

--
viresh