Only a small amount of power is being used when the CPU is under stress.
Only a small amount of power is being used when the CPU is under stress.
You're experiencing performance drops on your Dell G3 3590 with an i7-9750h and 1660 Ti Max-Q. It runs at high speeds initially but then crashes to around 1.6GHz, using only about 10 watts after a while. The power supply seems adequate, but you're unsure if the issue lies in thermal management or voltage settings. You've already adjusted the voltage and cache, but things were worse before that. No changes have been made to the GPU. Any advice or solutions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Repasting could reduce the temperature by a few degrees. There seems to be a bigger issue—possibly the heatsink isn't making proper contact with the CPU or the fan isn't functioning correctly. Inspect everything carefully, remove any plastic wraps or stickers from the bottom, replace the thermal paste, and ensure all clips are firmly in place or screws are tight enough to apply pressure on the CPU. Finally, confirm the fan starts when you power on the computer.
Some Dell laptops experience power restriction issues where the limit is much lower than the 45W TDP rating. When the CPU overheats, standard thermal throttling only reduces performance enough to prevent temperatures from exceeding 100°C. This is typical behavior for Intel CPUs. Dell engineers developed a method that automatically lowers the CPU’s power cap to as little as 10W or even 5W when average temperatures become excessive. Sometimes it drops down to just 3W. The outcome? The CPU throttles consistently, often slowing to around 800 MHz. Power limits are constantly being adjusted to levels far below the rated TDP. It seems your laptop has this "feature." Dell’s promotional videos don’t reflect real-world performance when you actually use them. Enable the ThrottleStop Log File option to see detailed activity. Run a test session for at least 15 minutes and share any logs. Check the far right column of the log for PL1 or PL2 power limit warnings. The number beside PL1 indicates actual power draw. If it’s below the full 45W rating, your device is likely struggling. Seeing warnings at 10W or less signals a serious issue. There’s usually no easy fix—often users must replace their laptop. It’s common for these throttling problems to persist for over a decade. Many continue purchasing despite the flaws, but it’s wise to consider alternatives.
Ensure the Log File option is selected on the main interface of ThrottleStop located in the lower left corner. After completing your tests, close ThrottleStop and your log file should appear in the ThrottleStop / Logs directory. Upload this file to your upcoming post.