The laptop's processor is behaving oddly and running slowly.
The laptop's processor is behaving oddly and running slowly.
hello, i'm having an issue with my laptop. when i run benchmarks or play games, the cpu works fine at first but then suddenly stops, dropping to around 1.20ghz and using only about 55% of its capacity. temperatures stay near 60c. in gaming it falls to 15fps or less, while cinebench r23 shows about 1750. normally it's around 3900. sometimes discord vc lags or takes forever to load. i've already changed the thermal paste, but it still doesn't boost properly—even when starting a game or benchmark. i tried adjusting thermal settings in bios and switching performance/balanced modes, but it still doesn't work consistently. i'm a lenovo thinkpad t15 cpu with i5-10210u, nvidia geforce mx 330, 16gb ram at 2666mhz. thanks for your help.
Several Lenovo laptops are altering their thermal throttling thresholds during operation. The standard Intel setting is 100°C, yet some models unexpectedly lower it to around 65°C. This leads to a frustrating computing experience. Install ThrottleStop to address these problems. https://www.techpowerup.com/download/tec...ottlestop/ Navigate to the Options menu and verify the PROCHOT Offset value on the right side. Set it to either 3 or 5 by checking the box and selecting Lock PROCHOT Offset. This will stabilize the temperature. Once resolved, enable the Log File feature to track CPU performance. Test a game for about 15 minutes, then close the application and exit ThrottleStop. The log file should reside in the ThrottleStop/Logs directory. Share your findings by attaching a log or posting the data online. Some low-power 10th Gen U series CPUs perform exceptionally well after adjustments, boasting a 15W TDP rating. Different manufacturers may impose varying restrictions on this limit.
Thanks for your effort! I followed your instructions but the issue persists. Could Intel's XTU be causing the problem? I performed a reboot before testing, and I’m not sure if it affects startup behavior. I also installed Lenovo’s thermal driver during a clean Windows 10 install, but I’m unsure if that impacts things. Also, I’m using Windows 10 Home. 2021-03-26.txt
Your laptop is experiencing a power throttling issue. It’s limiting the long-term turbo power to just 7 watts, which makes your CPU run extremely slow. This restriction prevents it from reaching its full capacity. Manufacturers often implement such measures for various reasons. Check the far right column in the log file for entries labeled PL1 and observe how power is being reduced to 7W—about half of what your CPU can handle. Open the FIVR window and verify the Disable and Lock Turbo Power Limits options. This could provide some relief. A screenshot of both the FIVR and TPL windows might be useful. Some problems are beyond repair, as the smart thermal driver lacks sufficient intelligence. Ensure it’s set to performance mode; quiet mode lowers power limits, hurting performance. If this persists, consider uninstalling the affected component.
I executed cinebench r23 without issues, achieving better scores than before. I attempted to play GTA V but experienced frequent FPS drops—sometimes smooth, other times around 20fps. It seems the thermal throttling is likely the cause, as the CPU reached near 100% usage at those moments. 2021-03-26.txt
The positive aspect is that your CPU is operating more efficiently than before. The negative side is that the heatsink and fan weren’t built to cope with a CPU that can run continuously at 40W or higher. The temperature reading in the upper left part of the log indicates constant thermal throttling. You might consider changing the thermal paste, but I doubt it will fully resolve the issue. Here’s an illustration of the kind of heatsink Lenovo uses in these budget laptops—very little metal, just a thin copper coating sprayed onto tin foil. The 3-point mounting won’t stand out in any design category. The 10210U model has a 15W TDP rating. The cooling system wasn’t intended to manage much more than that over time. https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...0-ghz.html If your Lenovo laptop has a comparable heatsink, you’ll need to lower the turbo power limits to match what your cooling can support. The log shows that even at 25W, your cooling performance is limited. Setting the long-term PL1 power cap to 51W seems unrealistic given your cooling capacity. As the CPU repeatedly hits its thermal throttling threshold, the GPU may also begin warming up. The performance drop you’re experiencing could stem from GPU throttling as well. In the ThrottleStop Options window, you can view Nvidia GPU data to track temperatures and speeds. Without improved cooling, your laptop won’t be able to reach its full rated speed indefinitely. This design wasn’t intended for such sustained workloads.
It’s the same setup I expected but didn’t see the issue. The fan design blocks a lot of airflow, and I’m not sure how to fix it without removing parts. I tried disabling turbo boost and set the TDP to 17.5W in Intel’s XTU, which worked. Now I can run GTA V smoothly at 60fps and Cinebench R23 scores are decent. One thing to consider is using liquid metal for thermal performance.
I hesitated using liquid metal on that weak cooler. I worried it could damage it completely. I considered securing loose change around it to add weight, but that’s not necessary. Just adjust the turbo power limits to match your heatsink and fan capabilities. Intel XTU can sometimes reset settings unpredictably after a sleep resume, so keep an eye on that.