Question CPU behavior questions (gone wild)

[ap5p]

Hello,
I have Alienware 15 R3 with Win10:

Specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-7700HQ Kaby Lake, 2800 MHz (default), 3800 MHz (boost)
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6 gb, 1911 MHz (default?), operates on 1404 MHz, never seen it boost to 1670 though
• MB: IDA154, BIOS 1.6.0
• RAM: Hyundai Electronics 8 gb single stick DDR4 (17-17-17-39), default frequency seems to change ~2394.84 MHz
• Storage: Samsung SSD PM871b M.2 2280 128 gb NTFS, HDD HGST HTS721010A9E630 1 tb NTFS

Benchmarks:

• Novabench: 1996 (873 CPU - 61 percentile, 853 GPU - 64th percentile, 130 fps Direct3D11, 198 RAM, 86 disk)
• 3DMark Time Spy: 3826 (GPU 3837 - 24.84 and 22.13 fps; CPU 3766 - 12.65 fps) - better than 35% (ouch)
• 3DMark Sky Diver: 24 112 (GPU 37933 - 169.85 and 176.71 fps; Phys 9230 - 8 threads 148.71 fps, 24 - 92.31, 48 - 54.52, 96 - 31; Combined - 18350, 75.52 fps) - better than 77% (?)
• Unigine Heaven Basic: 3077, fps 9.2 - 122.2 - 223.6 (Direct3D11, 1920x1080 fullscreen, Quality - High, Tessellation -Disabled)
• Unigine Heaven Extreme: 1964, fps 8.8 - 78 - 171.7 (Direct3D11, 1600x900 8xAA windowed)

I get strange graphs in XTU and I am clueless. The CPU frequency drops under high utilization/load, temps on CPU/GPU don't go over 70 C (I did a lot of repasting). The graph shows a valley of performance drop and it shows - fps gets down in benchmarks when this occurs (well no news I guess). I suspect it's the mobo vr throttling but I don't even fully understand what that means AND as you see, the graphs don't trigger that flag. Why? I don't know! But I suspect it has something to do with this - I might not have a thermal sensor there for some reason? So I deduct the throttling occurs, doesn't trigger thermal flags on "mobo vr" and just gives the consequences straight away.

Repasting was made with Conductonaut first, then I pussied out after realizing it could get spilled while transferring (bad sink fit, no place for proper all-around insulation) and I repasted with Kryonaut which oddly gave even better results. Thermal pads are 50/50 stock and Arctic, I did a lot of fiddling with it so it fits, but as I said, I don't understand the problem fully so that might be the cause (?).

Never was into specs but was just forced into this because I bought an expensive machine foolishly assuming that it would work out of the box (thanks DELL, never again!) and I require Your help!

 

[gasaraki]

From the graph the time where it was low in clock speed was over a minute. What was it doing at that time? Can you download hwinfo instead? Turn on sensor only, then run your tests. Also go to the Windows power options and set it to high performance instead of balanced.

 

[ap5p]

What was it doing at that time?

It was running 3dmark tests there. I have hwinfo, the second screenshot is from there. I have constant IA: Max Turbo Limit and IA: Turbo Attenuation (MCT) flags triggered and have no clu what that even means. Power options are set to maximum, CPU is set to performance in BIOS.

CPU spikes in utilization - core frequency drops, it's like compensation of sort.

 

[Prostar Computer]

Nothing appears to be throttling. You're connected to AC power/not running on battery, right? System BIOS updated?

The last couple of times we saw this kind of behavior, once it turned out to be a problem with the main board, while a different time it was the operating system (had to reinstall Windows).

And you're not running your BIOS in Legacy mode, are you? (If running Win 10, you should have UEFI enabled.)

 

[ap5p]

Nothing appears to be throttling.

This is the problem, I don't see any reason for the core frequency to counteract CPU utilization so much, but I hardly even know what I'm talking about, I just assume it's bad.
Plugged in, Windows and BIOS are updated, can't even change it to run in Legacy, set to UEFI.
I am confused if I even need to worry, it's just the fact that if some mofsets were in danger of failure from overheating I wouldn't even know that because it seems like I don't have a sensor in there to trigger mobo vr throttling, right? Should I even worry?

 

[Prostar Computer]

Unless you're getting low scores (by comparison) in said benchmarks, or poor performance in other applications (e.g. games), I imagine you don't have anything to stress over. Every utility taxes the system differently.

Does the built-in benchmark in XTU push the CPU to 100%? Or any other CPU-dedicated test (Prime95, Cinebench, Linpack/LinX, etc.)?

 

[ap5p]

Yeah, XTU and 3DMark push CPU to 100% utilization, and the spikes are drastic - as soon as some intensive stuff starts to kick in - CPU utilization skyrockets from little to 100% really fast, is this even ok damn I don't even know that

 

[ap5p]

Also tried to experiment with various downloadable profiles in XTU here, but that doesn't change my score at all - 555 points which seems to be on a low end.