Boost Changer
Control CPU Turbo Boost and Energy Performance on Linux
Overview
Boost Changer is a lightweight Electron-based desktop application that provides an intuitive GUI for managing CPU turbo boost settings and energy performance preferences on Linux systems. It supports both Intel and AMD processors, allowing you to optimize your system for performance or battery life with a single click.
Key Features
- Turbo Boost Control: Toggle CPU turbo boost on/off instantly
- Energy Performance Modes: Choose between Power Save, Balance, Performance, and Ultra modes
- System Dashboard: View detailed system information (OS, CPU, memory, disk, battery)
- Real-time Monitoring: Live CPU frequency monitoring
- Intel & AMD Support: Works with both Intel P-State and AMD CPUFreq drivers
- Lightweight: Minimal resource footprint with modern UI
- Auto-Updates: Built-in update mechanism for non-Arch Linux distributions
Supported Processors
- Intel: Modern processors with Intel P-State driver (Sandy Bridge and newer)
- AMD: Processors with CPUFreq driver support
Why Root Privileges?
Boost Changer requires root privileges only when modifying CPU settings. The app uses pkexec to securely elevate privileges for specific operations:
What It Modifies
Intel Processors
/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/no_turbo- Turbo boost on/off/sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/max_perf_pct- Performance percentage (30%, 50%, 70%, 100%)
AMD Processors
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/boost- Turbo boost on/off/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu*/cpufreq/scaling_governor- Governor settings (conservative, powersave, performance, schedutil)
A system authentication dialog will appear when you change settings. The app itself runs as a regular user and only elevates privileges for specific file writes.
Important Notes
- Physical Hardware Only: This app will not work in virtual machines (VM detection is built-in)
- Not a Replacement: Boost Changer is not meant to replace power management tools like TLP or powertop. It provides quick GUI access to sysfs settings and can run alongside these tools.
Installation
Quick Install
| Distribution | Installation Method |
|---|---|
| Arch Linux | AUR Package yay -S boostchanger-git |
| Snap Store | |
| Universal | AppImage (works on all distros) |
AppImage Installation
wget https://github.com/nbebaw/boostchanger/releases/latest/download/boostchanger-5.1.0.AppImage
# Make it executable
chmod +x boostchanger-5.1.0.AppImage
# Run the application
./boostchanger-5.1.0.AppImage
Distribution-Specific Packages
Download from Releases:
- Debian/Ubuntu:
.debpackage - Fedora/RHEL: Use AppImage
- openSUSE: Use AppImage
- Arch Linux: AUR package (recommended)
Development
Want to contribute? Here's how to set up the development environment:
git clone https://github.com/nbebaw/boostchanger.git
cd boostchanger
# Install dependencies
npm install
# Run in development mode
npm start
# Build for Linux
npm run build
# Check for outdated dependencies
npm run check
# Update all dependencies
npm run updateAll
Project Structure
boostchanger/
+-- src/
| +-- main.js # Electron main process
| +-- preload.js # Preload script
| +-- constants.js # Configuration constants
| +-- dashboard.js # System info dashboard
| +-- cpu_settings.js # CPU settings page
| +-- error.js # Error handling
| +-- updater.js # Auto-update mechanism
| +-- mainMenu.js # Application menu
| +-- lib/
| +-- boostchanger.js # Core CPU control library
+-- public/
| +-- index.html # Dashboard HTML
| +-- cpu_settings.html # Settings HTML
| +-- CSS/
| +-- style.css # Styles
+-- build/ # Build resources
Technology Stack
- Electron: v40.4.1
- Node.js: CommonJS modules
- UI: Vanilla JavaScript, CSS Grid/Flexbox
- System Info: systeminformation package
- Updates: electron-updater
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
AppImage SUID Sandbox Error
The SUID sandbox helper binary was found, but is not configured correctly...
Solution: Run with --no-sandbox flag or see Issue #1 for permanent fix.
App Shows "VM Detected" Error
This app requires physical hardware access to CPU control files. It will not work in virtual machines (VirtualBox, VMware, QEMU, etc.).
Old Intel CPU Not Supported
If you have an Intel CPU older than Sandy Bridge (2011), it may not support Intel P-State driver. Check if the following file exists:
If not present, your CPU may be too old or using the legacy ACPI driver.
Roadmap
| Feature | Priority | Status |
|---|---|---|
| GPU Frequency Control | High | Planned |
| NVIDIA PowerMizer Settings | Medium | Planned |
| Extended System Monitoring | Medium | Planned |
| Wayland Support Improvements | Medium | In Progress |
| Cross-Platform Support (Windows/macOS) | Low | Under Consideration |
Screenshots
Dashboard
CPU Settings
Contributing
Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.
Guidelines
- Fork the repository
- Create your feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature) - Test your changes on real hardware (not VM)
- Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/AmazingFeature) - Open a Pull Request
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Support
- Issues: GitHub Issues
- Discussions: GitHub Discussions
Acknowledgments
- Built with Electron
- System information provided by systeminformation
- Icons and UI inspired by modern Linux desktop environments
Made with for the Linux community