Your GPU is working harder but running slower at the same time while you're powering through games.
Your GPU is working harder but running slower at the same time while you're powering through games.
@Luxeno7 When you want someone to pay attention, include their name in your message. ThrottleStop clearly shows the CPU thermal throttling temperature is at 92°C, which is significantly lower than Intel’s suggested 100°C. I still didn’t understand why Acer chose this setting, but now it makes sense—since the Nvidia GPU handles low heat, Acer probably kept the CPU cooler to protect it. It’s logical. Adding a properly sized heatsink and fan would be ideal, though a larger one would cost more. It seems cheaper to keep the throttling temps down. The 9300H model has a 45W TDP. In a well-designed laptop, you should run a 45W CPU at full power without overheating. Checking the screenshot you shared shows the CPU already running hot at just 27W. That points to a cooling issue. Have you recently serviced your laptop? Most people don’t think about maintenance until problems arise. If not, opening it up and clearing dust from the heatsinks would be a good first step. If that doesn’t help, replacing the thermal paste is likely necessary. You can find instructions on YouTube—just blowing out dust often fixes overheating. There’s usually a tab in GPU-Z that lists the Nvidia GPU temperature. It’s not crucial if you can’t find that info. The log file makes the situation clear. It records temperature changes over time. When was your last maintenance session? Most users wait until something goes wrong before acting. I’d recommend cleaning the heatsinks and checking the paste if you haven’t done it recently. If the cooling problem persists, replacement might be the best option. Watching short videos can guide you through the process. Just clearing dust often helps before trying more complex fixes.
Heat increases inside the laptop while charging. The throttling issue persists even when using battery power. It usually takes time for the GPU to reach 91°C. The battery log indicates throttling begins toward the end of the file. A plugged-in log shows the GPU already at 91°C at the start. Mobile GPUs switch to lower power modes during battery use, which could explain the slower heating.
I just observed that you completed the battery testing first. The GPU warmed up to 91°C. As soon as you connected your laptop, it hit the throttling temperature. There’s no quick fix with special settings—you’ll need to address the cooling system. That’s the main issue.
The issue with your Acer Nitro 5 laptop’s RTX 3050 is showing inconsistent performance. It’s using much less power than rated, with clock speeds stuck low and high utilization without real gains. Temperatures are normal, but the GPU feels sluggish and the CPU runs smoothly. Possible fixes include reinstalling the graphics driver or temporarily disabling the discrete GPU via Device Manager. However, the problem persists after reboots, with the GPU staying at 22 watts and core voltage stuck at 0.6 volts. You may need to adjust settings or try alternative solutions to resolve it permanently.