Vou colocar de outra forma: você verificou com a máquina em estresse?
No modo ondemand você só vai ver a frequência no máximo, se a cpu precisar trabalhar a todo vapor. Ex:
cpufrequtils 008: cpufreq-info (C) Dominik Brodowski 2004-2009
Report errors and bugs to cpufreq@vger.kernel.org, please.
analyzing CPU 0:
driver: acpi-cpufreq
CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0 1 2 3
CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 0
maximum transition latency: 10.0 us.
hardware limits: 1.20 GHz - 2.40 GHz
available frequency steps: 2.40 GHz, 2.40 GHz, 2.27 GHz, 2.13 GHz, 2.00 GHz, 1.87 GHz, 1.73 GHz, 1.60 GHz, 1.47 GHz, 1.33 GHz, 1.20 GHz
available cpufreq governors: powersave, ondemand, performance
current policy: frequency should be within 1.20 GHz and 2.40 GHz.
The governor "ondemand" may decide which speed to use
within this range.
current CPU frequency is 1.20 GHz.
analyzing CPU 1:
driver: acpi-cpufreq
CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0 1 2 3
CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 1
maximum transition latency: 10.0 us.
hardware limits: 1.20 GHz - 2.40 GHz
available frequency steps: 2.40 GHz, 2.40 GHz, 2.27 GHz, 2.13 GHz, 2.00 GHz, 1.87 GHz, 1.73 GHz, 1.60 GHz, 1.47 GHz, 1.33 GHz, 1.20 GHz
available cpufreq governors: powersave, ondemand, performance
current policy: frequency should be within 1.20 GHz and 2.40 GHz.
The governor "ondemand" may decide which speed to use
within this range.
current CPU frequency is 1.20 GHz.
analyzing CPU 2:
driver: acpi-cpufreq
CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0 1 2 3
CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 2
maximum transition latency: 10.0 us.
hardware limits: 1.20 GHz - 2.40 GHz
available frequency steps: 2.40 GHz, 2.40 GHz, 2.27 GHz, 2.13 GHz, 2.00 GHz, 1.87 GHz, 1.73 GHz, 1.60 GHz, 1.47 GHz, 1.33 GHz, 1.20 GHz
available cpufreq governors: powersave, ondemand, performance
current policy: frequency should be within 1.20 GHz and 2.40 GHz.
The governor "ondemand" may decide which speed to use
within this range.
current CPU frequency is 2.40 GHz.
analyzing CPU 3:
driver: acpi-cpufreq
CPUs which run at the same hardware frequency: 0 1 2 3
CPUs which need to have their frequency coordinated by software: 3
maximum transition latency: 10.0 us.
hardware limits: 1.20 GHz - 2.40 GHz
available frequency steps: 2.40 GHz, 2.40 GHz, 2.27 GHz, 2.13 GHz, 2.00 GHz, 1.87 GHz, 1.73 GHz, 1.60 GHz, 1.47 GHz, 1.33 GHz, 1.20 GHz
available cpufreq governors: powersave, ondemand, performance
current policy: frequency should be within 1.20 GHz and 2.40 GHz.
The governor "ondemand" may decide which speed to use
within this range.
current CPU frequency is 1.20 GHz.
Só a CPU2 está a 2.40 GHz.