Adjusting the clock speed of 7700HQ during gameplay...
Adjusting the clock speed of 7700HQ during gameplay...
I've experienced problems with gaming since purchasing my laptop (details below). I'm uncertain if the issue is due to poor technology or a genuine hardware problem. CLEVO P95 HP6 Core i7-7700HQ Corsair 16GB DDR4 2400MHz GTX 1060 6GB (non-mobile) ADATA 960GB 2.5" SSD 150W power supply, brick. Every time I boot up and launch a game, CPU usage jumps to 100% while clock speeds drop from around 3.5GHz to about 2.8GHz. XTU also shows "Current Limit Throttling." I've adjusted the CPU voltage by -0.130V and increased turbo boost slightly, but it didn't resolve the issue. I don’t know what to do next. I have the latest Windows 10 version (April 2020), drivers, and games installed. I’ve found some discussions about similar problems online, but no helpful solutions appear. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
We might experience either thermal throttling or general throttling. Let's clarify what thermal throttling is before discussing the specifics.
I’m sure it’s not thermal throttling—just a few months ago I rebuilt both my CPU and GPU using Conductonaut. During those stress tests, my CPU temperatures stayed between 72-75°C, matching the peak your GPU reached when under load (I’ve tried Heaven, MSI Kombustor, AIDA 64, and even one of my in-game benchmarks like Forza Horizon 4). The only message I see in XTU is “Current Limit Throttling: Yes,” which I’ve been overlooking until now.
It’s possible you’re correct, though it’s frustrating. Do you think there’s anything left to do to resolve this? Any ideas would be appreciated right now! I’m currently playing CoD Modern Warfare and Forza Horizon 4... Based on what you know, my setup seems fine, don’t you think?
Intel XTU doesn't let you reach the PP0 Current Limit. Consider using ThrottleStop instead. https://www.techpowerup.com/download/tec...ottlestop/ Launch ThrottleStop and check for PP0 settings. If needed, adjust the value and run Cinebench R20 to monitor performance. https://www.maxon.net/en-us/products/cin...-overview/ View the ThrottleStop Limits page to spot throttling during tests. Capture many screenshots while the CPU is under load. Close Intel XTU before starting ThrottleStop. Both tools compete for CPU control registers, so use only one at a time.
I’m excited to give it a shot. The only concern is whether performance remained consistent even with an XTU or AIDA CPU-only setup. Everything seemed smooth in terms of click speed. However, when I pushed both the CPU and GPU at once, I noticed the throttling behavior might change things.
Your CPU's performance during a pure load test was measured at various speeds. With four cores running, the 7700HQ could maintain 3400 MHz as long as power or current restrictions weren't exceeded. The presence of the Nvidia GPU might cause the system to adjust one of its limits. ThrottleStop can clarify these changes and offers extra control over limits that XTU doesn’t provide. Current Limit throttling is atypical for a Clevo laptop.
The mobile 1060 has a TDP of around 80W. When powered on, it shouldn't draw more than about 40W for the CPU and other components, especially since the power brick provides 150W. Manufacturers typically include extra capacity—usually at least 20% above the laptop's maximum draw—to ensure proper charging even if the load is slow. Your screenshot shows only 35W for the CPU, which aligns well with expectations. It’s unlikely the setting can be changed without affecting the firmware, and even if possible, the design may not safely handle additional power.
After setting up Throttlestop, I'm puzzled about why clock speeds returned to normal under load. It seems like this device has its own behavior! In the Limit Reasons window, several codes appeared during my tests (refer to screenshots), but I don't understand their significance—whether they're helpful or problematic. One code changed from yellow to red a few times, though it never stayed red. During CPU-only testing, the CPU peaked at 3.4GHz, staying consistently within that range across all trials. In my games, usage remained around 85-100% CPU throughout. This makes me wonder if my hardware is becoming outdated...