Throttling issues with power limits...
Throttling issues with power limits...
I own an i7-8700 (non-k) and recently rebuilt my system after about a year. I was experiencing performance problems, so I reinstalled Windows and wiped everything clean. After that, my gaming was smooth for two weeks until now... I received a new mouse and reinstalled the Icue software for my keyboard to customize colors. Then I immediately regretted it—I had installed it before and it caused major slowdowns. This time I thought it would help, but it didn’t. I opened Task Manager because I was seeing only 10 FPS in the lobby, and my CPU hit a record high of 0.8 GHz. After several reboots, I downloaded Intel XTU even though it’s a non-k model, and discovered my CPU was still throttling at power limits. I found a workaround by setting Turbo Boost Power Max to 130 watts (though it’s a bit high), but it didn’t fully resolve the issue. I removed Icue and adjusted Turbo Boost again, but it still throttles. If anyone has a solution, please let me know! I also noticed a change in the picture—previously the boost power max was at 130 watts both at startup and during boot, but now it’s only set to ‘proposed’. Not sure what changed.
Press the TPL button and capture a screenshot. At the beginning it displays the current power limits. You can select the Lock feature to prevent changes. I recommend closing Intel XTU, as it lacks the capability to resolve this issue. It’s important to avoid multiple programs affecting the same power limit register. It’s nice to notice your CPU is no longer throttling based on power limits.
What do you recommend next? I left XTU earlier, thanks for your assistance.
The top display confirms both your PL1 and PL2 turbo limits are set to 131 Watts, with a turbo time limit of 28 seconds. To ensure these remain active, verify the Lock setting within the Turbo Power Limits section. Once secured, only a shutdown and reboot will release the restriction. I’m unsure which program is causing the issue—on a working system these limits should appear in the BIOS. Some applications may be misconfigured, potentially setting values to zero. It seems several programs could be interfering. Some users suspect MSI Dragon Center might be involved, but I’d wait for more concrete testing before pointing fingers. You can schedule ThrottleStop via Task Scheduler to lock the power limit register each boot. If you need further clarification, share more screenshots of ThrottleStop for guidance. The non-K CPUs must have core C states enabled (at least C3) to achieve peak turbo speed. Everyone suggests disabling C states, but that’s risky if the CPU is already locked down.
I also set up Dragon Center today, haha. Maybe that's why I'm laughing. If you have any questions, just let me know. Thanks for your assistance!