Thermal throttling on a laptop while playing games makes them impossible to run.
Thermal throttling on a laptop while playing games makes them impossible to run.
I've used an Asus Zephyrus G14 from 2020 with a Ryzen 7 4800HS and GTX 1660 Ti for almost two years. For the past few months I haven't played intense games, but after installing AC: Origins my FPS fell from over 90 to around 15. After some research I discovered thermal throttling was the issue. I've tried several fixes: reinstalled drivers, kept Windows updated, cleaned fans, repasted CPU and GPU, and even changed the VRM paste. The old paste had dried crusts, so I left it as is. I also reinstalled Windows and drivers, lowered the CPU TDP to 10W using a Ryzen Controller which helped get me about 40fps. Still not ideal, and the controller doesn't work well with Riot Vanguard, so I can't play Valorant with friends. Here are screenshots of CPU and GPU temperatures and FPS drops when throttling started. The GPU continues to throttle even at 10W TDP. How can I get more help? Is my laptop completely fine or could the VRMs need attention?
You can add pictures to this forum for better understanding. I’m not used to this laptop model—does the cooling work together for CPU and GPU? Have you attempted to reduce the GPU’s power setting? It seems like the device is simply overheating. Perhaps the AC settings are more challenging than in earlier titles, causing it to run hotter.
It seems the system is just getting warm. The HP Pavilion 15 handles different games with varying temperatures. Also, the VRM isn’t being applied and performance drops. This is due to thermal throttling from the VRM, which limits power output. Don’t worry if it’s below 98°C—it’s normal for a laptop.
I shared this on Reddit’s G14 community using Imgur. Sorry about that. The cooling system works for both devices, but the laptop should handle Assasins Creed fine. I plan to check the GPU TDP settings after returning home and let you know. I did see some FPS dips in Valorant before, thinking it was just the laptop’s state, though. Maybe trying a different VRM paste could help. The main challenge is finding a K5 Pro paste locally—it’s hard to source and shipping might delay it. Do you have any alternatives in mind?
I don’t apply thermal paste for VRM since there’s a large space between the VRM and the cooler. Doing so might also lead to messiness when using paste. That’s why I prefer using a thermal pad instead.
Check the CPU voltage using hwinfo. Observe if it decreases after playing games for a while, and note any impact on frame rate.
Played AC for a short time and captured images from HWInfo. The CPU voltage remains steady near 0.925v, while the GPU voltage peaks at 0.95v before dropping to about 0.688v, often staying close to 0.7v. These readings weren't shown in the screenshot because I exited the game earlier. Do these values give you any clues?
Consider adjusting the power plan via the NVIDIA control panel. Launch the panel, navigate to 3D settings, select Program settings, pick your game from the available options, locate power management modes, set it to prioritize maximum performance, and confirm the change.