Your computer's performance has declined compared to its previous speed.
Your computer's performance has declined compared to its previous speed.
laptop: Dell Inspiron 15 Gaming features an i5-7300HQ at 2.50GHz and a GTX 1050ti GPU. Previously, it handled games smoothly, but now it struggles significantly. At full settings, GTA V runs with high FPS, whereas currently it barely reaches 28 FPS. Far Cry 5 offers medium to high performance at 60 FPS, but even then it drops to low 20s to high 30s at minimum settings. Skyrim works at maximum with many mods for 60 FPS, yet becomes unplayable at the lowest when no mods are applied. The integrated graphics seem to be disabled despite being pinned, and temperatures remain under 60°C even at full CPU load. In the NVIDIA control panel, dedicated graphics are enabled but still deliver poor performance with only 2-3% usage.
Start by clearing everything unnecessary. Remove all unnecessary software; bloatware should be gone. It might have slowed your machine, which is common with Dell and Alma. Next, run a virus scan to check for anything suspicious. Also verify Norton installation if you have it—especially after installing Norton Crypto. To ensure good airflow, repaste the cooler and remove dust from it, as Dell may restrict temperatures to 60°C (though I’m not certain). Let me know if this helps.
I only imagine the battery failed unexpectedly, so I removed it and now my laptop remains connected all the time.
Some Dell Inspiron models experience throttling problems linked to their power adapters. Taking the battery out may help resolve these issues. Use ThrottleStop, adjust the Log File setting, and run a 15-minute test session. It helps identify and fix certain throttling techniques used by Dell on their 7th Gen laptops. After testing, close ThrottleStop and upload a log file to your next post. The standard log directory is ThrottleStop/Logs. Share screenshots of the main ThrottleStop window, FIVR, and TPL interfaces. Also verify the Nvidia GPU settings in Options so temperature and performance data are recorded. This clarifies whether the problem stems from CPU or GPU throttling.