Is running processor @ max frequency all the time bad for MBP?

If the E8500 in my PC can run 4.13GHz 24/7 on 1.26v then you will have absolutely no issues with chip longevity, unless it runs excessively hot for some reason.

 

The CPUs are designed to be run at 100% for long period times, measured in years, not in days. Nothing to worry about, you'll notice louder fan noise, shorter battery life and so on. So you have to decide which is more important to you. I just wouldn't do anything and let it run whatever it wants to. the 100mhz wouldn't make that much of a difference.

 

Man, just let the OS handle the speed. Switching to full speed when needed is really fast, and you'll save some power during the 99% of the time where it isn't needed.

And no, Running at full speed won't change the CPUs lifespan in any significant way. Constant heavy load might though, due to the increased heat.

 

That was what I was going to try to figure out, will it put out more heat under load? The processor is running at the same voltage and clock frequency wether it is doing anything or not. Does crunching numbers require a higher amperage and thus put out more heat?
Otherwise if the heat is only tied to what the voltage of the computer is running at, regardless of the clock frequency or load then he has absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

The only thing that really shortens a CPU lifespan is too much heat, which is a result of increased voltage (usually as a requirement for a stable overclock). Some conservative people will say that anything above stock voltage is damaging to the cpu, but YMMV in real-world situations. Intel has documentation on all its processors operating limits, including voltage, temperature, maximum clock speeds, etc. I'm a pretty firm believer that as long as voltage doesn't exceed processor spec, and heat is controlled through sufficient cooling, no damage is really being done. My desktop has a Q6600 that has been through the wringer. And yet it has been running at 3.6Ghz (2.4 stock, 50% overclock) and raised voltage for about 2 years now almost 24/7 (i rarely turn off my comp). I have high end air cooling on it and it never goes above 40-50 C during normal use, including gaming. It is 100% stable and I don't think it will die any time soon.

I think that the majority of computer failures are a result of memory going bad, hard drives would be a second. I rarely ever hear about anyone's CPU frying, unless they run it without a heatsink or something else incredibly stupid.

 

Well then that means his computer is fine as he is running it at the lowest voltage, it just happens to be that the top clock speed is stable at the lowest voltage. Thanks
I wish my computer undervolted that well.