Question My laptop's GPU is stuck at 300mhz ?

[veilpc]

I've had this problem with my Alienware M15 R3 Laptop for as long as I can remember.
It doesn't seem to be just an Alienware problem as others online have posted the same issue, but I cannot find any solution for it.

I've had both where the laptop's Nvidia 2060 GPU is just stuck at 300mhz, and other days It will start normal at 1005mhz idle and like 1500mhz in games, but that will stay for like 5 seconds and then it will lock to 300mhz. it is not overheating, it is at max 60 C, when it does work at standard 1500mhz its been at 76 C. I have all the latest drivers and bios, but this problem was here with the old / standard drivers too. I fear it is just a broken config with the gpu or alienware or both. and this laptop is so old theres no warranty anymore.

Just wondering if anyone has any theories. It seems like it is locking itself to 300mhz when I start a game. Yes nvidia is set to high performance mode too. thanks for any help.

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

What OS are you working with? Where did you source said OS from? If you're on Windows 10 or 11, what version(not edition) of the OS are you on? Did you run DDU to remove all GPU drivers(intel, AMD and Nvidia) in Safe Mode to later manually install the latest GPU driver in an elevated command, i.e, Right click installer>Run as Administrator?

I fear it is just a broken config with the gpu or alienware or both. and this laptop is so old theres no warranty anymore.
Looking up this issue on the www, leads me to think that the BIOS for the motherboard might be at fault here. Either that or the OS is acting up. On my search I noticed it's with RTX 2000 series GPU's, not one particular GPU like yours(RTX2060) specifically, which enforces the idea that the BIOS is at fault.

 

[veilpc]

Hey thanks for your reply. I'm running Windows 11 home on the newest version [10.0.26100 build 26100].
However this issue also happened back on windows 10. the OS just came with the laptop so from dell/alienware.
I have completely factory reset the pc because why not and it hasn't changed anything. It happened back on the 2021 drivers, and it is still happening on the latest 2024/25 drivers.
I've chatted a bit with nvidia support, and am waiting back from them aswell.
I did notice that 300mhz is the default, whether intentional or not for when you are running on battery/unplugged. So there is some kind of quirk with nvidia or dell or both where even when it is plugged in and getting a full 240w of power directly to the gpu, it will still lock to 300mhz. very strange behavior.
Also, I was on the old BIOS for the motherboard but I did update to the new bios version but nothing has changed there either.