battery and my GHz

[tickets]

Hi there,
i have this problem with my laptop. It's still brand new, I got it for a few weeks. It's a Lenovo Y40.
Every time when my computer is at 40% it runs 0.75 GHz and it stays there. My max is 2.6GHz.
Someone please help. Why does it run 0.75GHz when it is at 40% on my laptop????

 

[volcanoscout]

If you mean when you're battery is at 40%, it's probably downclocking as a battery-saving measure. Go into your Windows power settings and select "Performance". You can also go into your advanced power settings and set your CPU minimum at 100%.

 

[photonboy]

If you mean when you're battery is at 40%, it's probably downclocking as a battery-saving measure. Go into your Windows power settings and select "Performance". You can also go into your advanced power settings and set your CPU minimum at 100%.

Probably correct.

In the Power Options you should see options for when on Battery and for when Plugged into wall power. Change those as appropriate (including monitor sleep and hard drive off time as well).

 

[volcanoscout]

Tickets - in response to your PM:

In your search window (either classic start menu search window or the metro search), type in "Power options". In the window that pops up, look for an option called "High performance". If you don't see it, click the little down arrow on the line that says "Show additional plans". Select high performance, then click on "Change plan settings" . In the next window, click on "Change advanced power settings". When that window opens, scroll down and click on "Processor power management". For "Minimum processor state", input 100; for "System cooling policy", make sure "Active" is selected; for "Maximum processor state", if it isn't at 100 already then input it. Then click the "Apply" button.

You shouldn't need to restart it for the changes to take effect, but I usually do anyway. Then next time you're at or below 40% battery, check your processor speed.

 

[volcanoscout]

I've been doing some research on the Y40. The good news is that your experience is not unusual (sort of good news, in a misery-loves-company sort of way). The bad news is that I don't believe your CPU downclock on battery is fixable, or not very anyway. I read a number of reviews (the one pasted below is representative) that indicate that your CPU/GPU/cooler/mobo combination throttles (slows down due to temperatures) relatively easily, is inconsistent in its recovery while plugged in, and won't self-recover when on batteries. This occurs even when the universal power settings are selected for performance, as I advised you to do above. This doesn't occur the same way, or even at all, with all Y40s, but with enough of them that there are plenty of postings about it online.

That being said, there are some steps you can take to help mitigate all this:
1. Keep your laptop clean, paying particular attention to keeping your fans and cooling vanes (at the exhaust vent at the lid hinge) dust free.
2. Make sure it's got plenty of clearance around the intake and exhaust vents when it's running.
3. Keep it plugged in as much as possible.
4. When it throttles, you can try rebooting to see if it can regain some performance. Apparently this works, at least temporarily, while plugged in - it may not do any good when on battery, but it's worth trying.

I'm also given to understand that the thermal paste used on the heatsinks leaves a little to be desired, both in quality and application. Depending on how comfortable you are with disassembling laptops, you might also consider pulling the backplate, uninstalling the fans and heatsinks, giving them all a thorough cleaning (canned air, q-tips, lint free cloth or coffee filters, and isopropyl alcohol (91% or better is preferred) and applying new thermal paste to the heatsinks. Costs about $12 for thermal paste and alcohol, takes maybe an hour if you've never done it before, and there are tons of tutorials and videos available online.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-Y40-59423035-Notebook-Review.124638.0.html

 

[thisguy]

I'm having this same problem with the Y 40 windows 8.1 i7 4510.

I have played around with all the power options including all suggestions above and CPU still slows to .75 ghz when battery is below 40%. Its defiantly not a cooling problem. If anybody has found a solution let me know.

 

[Adrian Krzysztofek]

I have the same issue on Thinkpad W520.

Solution:
* turn off the laptop
* plug in your charger
* turn on the laptop

-----
I've noticed this issue appears when you boot your platop on battery only (charger unplugged). If you plug in the charger afterwards and restart your laptop - it won't help. You have to fully shut down it. Plug it in and then start it again. It must be some kind of firmware issue, where it blocks your max CPU frequency at 40%. Even turning off "power-saving mode" options for you CPU in biois (which essentially let you scale it down when not used) won't help. It'll just stay there at constant 40%.