The laptop's CPU is overheating significantly.
The laptop's CPU is overheating significantly.
I've been using my HP ENVY Laptop 16-h0xxx (i7-12700h, rtx3060 ver) for nearly two and a half years. About a year ago I could no longer handle heavy tasks because the CPU kept overheating. Even when idle, it would reach 60 or 70°C. When running demanding applications like games, the temperature rose to 100°C, then the clock slowed to around 400mhz, making the laptop run very slowly.
I've tried several fixes without success:
- Cleaning the fans and reapplying thermal paste
- Updating drivers, Windows updates, and BIOS
- Resetting the machine to factory settings, wiping all data
Currently, I've been using throttlestop, disabling turbo, and setting my processor state to 15% both when plugged in and on battery. This has kept temperatures around 60°C while browsing or using office apps like Word and Excel. However, whenever I try to run something more intensive such as Steam, the temperature spikes and fans activate immediately.
Is there anything else I should try? Or is this likely a hardware problem?
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
Discussing cleaning fans and replacing thermal paste.
What is your thermal paste model?
Have you considered undervolting the GPU?
The temperatures reported are those Intel and your laptop manufacturer claim are acceptable.
Performing a factory reset clears everything, but I recommend a full reinstall. Since this isn't mentioned in your post, try reinstalling your OS offline. After creating a bootable USB, manually install all necessary drivers for your laptop using the Elevate command—right-click the installer and select Run as Administrator while offline.
Hi! Thanks for your reply.
I don't recall the precise thermal paste model, but it was an artic type.
I've heard that H series CPUs can't be undervolted, so I haven't experimented with that.
The processor occasionally exceeds 100, though its clock speed drops before reaching that level.
The maximum I've seen is around 112, and the chassis becomes hot enough to cause burns.
I haven't adjusted GPU voltage either, as I didn't think it was connected to the issue.
I'll repaste after a year and attempt undervolting the GPU; if that fails, I'll reinstall the OS.
I'll provide an update once I try these changes.
Thanks!
Quick note: When trying msi afterburner, the CPU hit 90+°C and then blue-screened.