Issue with Tomb Raider CPU performance capped at 1600MHz
Issue with Tomb Raider CPU performance capped at 1600MHz
Hey everyone. I'm using an old Alienware 17 R3 with a 6820HK and a GTX 980M that has 8 GB RAM. I've been playing the game for a while, turned the video quality up to high, and I'm seeing around 40 to 50 frames per second. I was wondering why the CPU maxes out at 1600MHz while my other games run fine—my CPU does turbo boost to about 3.3 GHz. The only one that seems slow is Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Based on my search, you can indeed increase your CPU's clock speed up to around 3.6GHz. The issue at 1.6GHz is probably due to a GPU limitation. The CPU's role is to supply data and instructions to the GPU, but if the GPU can't keep up, it won't boost further. It’s best to reduce graphics settings and check performance when the GPU isn’t fully utilized. If the problem persists, there could be another factor at play.
I performed the benchmark tests and observed that the CPU frequently drops to near zero usage for brief intervals before returning to typical levels (see pic). This pattern occurs often while playing. It seems thermal management might be contributing to these fluctuations.
I select reduced graphics quality instead of the lowest, which causes increased CPU load and a higher clock speed (up to 3.2GHz).
Selecting MEDIUM graphics settings causes the CPU to drop to 2.2GHz initially, then further reduces to 1.9GHz as temperature increases. It seems throttling occurs due to heat, though the temperature here isn't extreme for the 6820HK. At MEDIUM settings it falls to 1.2GHz at 62°C, which is manageable and CPU utilization stays around 50%. During graphically demanding scenes (like foliage or water), usage drops to 0% within a second.
Your setup meets or exceeds the suggested specifications, which means the game should perform well. It's possible you overlooked adjusting certain graphics options or pushed settings too high.
In short, this game might be too demanding for your GPU. However, it runs smoothly at 40 to 50 frames per second. The issue seems more related to CPU performance rather than the graphics card. The suggested specs are a GTX 970, and I’ll check if the 980M works well with it based on how it performs.