Throttling on the CPU in Windows 10 refers to the system limiting processor speed to manage heat or performance.
Throttling on the CPU in Windows 10 refers to the system limiting processor speed to manage heat or performance.
I had no experience comparing XTU with HWINFO and had never used HW before watching a video about overclocking by Buildzoid. It wasn’t my professional focus—it was just a hobby for me. I’ve always been fascinated by hardware, especially the Dell 8100 I bought around 2001 or 2002. My knowledge came mostly from Intel documentation and Maximus 10 code. I’m not a builder or software specialist; I work as a full automotive technician and electrical diagnostician in a plant. My hobby is more engaging than my job, and I enjoy learning. Your info has really helped me understand this better. Thanks, Unclewebb, and keep sharing!
I swapped the cooler yesterday and wanted to assess its performance. Prior to this change, tests hadn't been done in years. It previously reached up to 100°C without any problems. I used a water cooler. Recently, the pump began making noise, so I upgraded to "be quiet! Dark Rock 4," which handles up to 200W. My CPU's TDP is 95W, but Intel Utility shows it can rise to 156W—still within the cooler's capacity. The cooler appears robust for the chip. I rechecked Cinebench and didn’t notice any performance drops. Could it be that the thermal paste spread more evenly after being there for a day?
The Intel TDP rating applies without turbo boost enabled. It's common for Intel CPUs to exceed the rated TDP when allowed to run at higher speeds. The PL1 and PL2 turbo thresholds can be adjusted in the BIOS or via XTU to any desired settings. Standard power configurations may restrict the CPU from reaching its maximum capacity during intensive Cinebench tests. Many users opt for very high limits, such as 4095W, to avoid automatic throttling.
Also, while changing the cooler, I noticed the thermal paste wasn't spread evenly—more on the sides of the lid than in the center where it should touch the cooler. When I went to check, I saw others experiencing the same issue with a slightly curved lid on an Intel CPU. JayzTwoCents is discussing this problem too.