Memtest not reporting correct CPU speed on second Macbook Pro (Unibody)

Several weeks ago I bought a new 15-inch Macbook Pro with the 3.06GHz CPU option and 8GB of RAM. I tested the system thoroughly and ran Memtest for 48 hrs with the CPU speed being reported around 3059MHz, which I assume was all well and correct.
About a week ago I purchased another new 17-inch Macbook Pro, this time with the same 3.06GHz CPU option and 8GB of RAM, but obviously with just a larger screen.
When I run Memtest+ Ver. 2.11 on the 17-inch Macbook Pro, it's reporting the CPU speed at 1596MHz, which is only half of what I would expect and the time counter seems to be going much faster on the 17-inch Macbook Pro. For example in a 36 hour period of testing the machine, the counter reported that it was being tested for 70 hours and made 17 passes.
My assumption is that both the new unibody Macbook Pro 15-inch and the 17-inch have all the same hardware. Could the 17-inch Macbook Pro be factory defective?

It looks like for the 17 inch, the CPU is being scaled back. Can you check your Energy Saver preferences and see what you have in the 'Optimization' drop down box. I would guess this may be set to 'Better Energy Savings'.

Also, I assume your running the test while the 17 inch is plugged in.

wmprice1240 said:

It looks like for the 17 inch, the CPU is being scaled back. Can you check your Energy Saver preferences and see what you have in the 'Optimization' drop down box. I would guess this may be set to 'Better Energy Savings'.

Also, I assume your running the test while the 17 inch is plugged in.

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The test is running while the 17-inch Macbook Pro is plugged in. I've gone into the "Energy Saver" preferences under System Preferences - Hardware and I don't see a "Optimization" drop down box.
I do see two radio buttons at the top of the page and it states "Graphics:" with either "Better battery life" or "higher performance". Currently this is set to higher performance both for the "Power Adapter" setting and the "Battery" setting.
I've got all the software updates installed and below is a system profiler snapshot. Appreciate all the help I can get.

Hardware Overview:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,2
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 3.06 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP52.008E.B05
SMC Version (system): 1.42f4

Strange. The system obviously knows what speed the machine is (vis profiler) and is showing the correct value. The only thing I can think of it's a bug in memtest perhaps it doesn't recognize the hardware of the 17 inch.

How are you running memtest on the 17inch? I assume you installed a binary for OSX? I have only run this utility on my PC's and never in OSX and from what I remember I had to run the utility prior to the machine being booted (ie with no OS).

wmprice1240 said:

Strange. The system obviously knows what speed the machine is (vis profiler) and is showing the correct value. The only thing I can think of it's a bug in memtest perhaps it doesn't recognize the hardware of the 17 inch.

How are you running memtest on the 17inch? I assume you installed a binary for OSX? I have only run this utility on my PC's and never in OSX and from what I remember I had to run the utility prior to the machine being booted (ie with no OS).

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I'm trying to determine the exact same thing that you are stating. Either one of the cores is defective and not functioning or the hardware in the 17-inch Macbook Pro is somehow different and things are not being recognized for what they are.

On both the 15-inch Macbook Pro and the 17-inch Macbook Pro the test was run off the live cd. I simply download the ISO, burn it to a CD and boot off the CD. Intel Macs are supported starting with this latest version of Memtest.

Had I not run the same battery of tests on the 15-inch and gotten different and more normal looking numbers, I would have never been bothered with what I'm seeing. For some reason though, I feel like there is something not right as Memtest obviously measures the raw power of the CPU and Memory vs. reading the CPU identifier and giving me whatever is being given.

Does not System Preferences > Energy Savings > Options show the Processor Performance box with the three settings, Automatic, Highest and Reduced? When running tests to compare different models/times make sure the settings are the same.

harryb2448 said:

Does not System Preferences > Energy Savings > Options show the Processor Performance box with the three settings, Automatic, Highest and Reduced? When running tests to compare different models/times make sure the settings are the same.

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I don't see that option on my Macbook Pro. I have Mac OS X Ver 10.5.7. I've included a screenshot of energy saver for you to see.