CPU Down Throttling While Playing Games

[Noah Vieira]

Hey guys,

My Specs:
I have a HP Pavilion DV6-6176sa Entertainment Notebook;
Intel Core i3-2310M @ 2.1Ghz
AMD Radeon HD 7400M Series GPU
4GB 1333Mhz RAM
500GB 7200RPM Toshiba HDD
Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit (Upgraded from Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit)

Whenever I play games (they run at a consistent >100fps apart from when the CPU down throttles causing a lag spike to 0fps) my CPU down throttles from 2.1Ghz all the way down to 700-800Mhz!!! The multiplier also changes from x21 (max) to x8 (min)!!! This happens every 5-10 seconds and last about 2-5 seconds and it is very very irritating! I have already cleaned the heatsink clearing it of all dust which help a little. The problem still persisted with Windows 7 in almost the exact same mannor. Will replacing the thermal paste resolve this? Please help, Thanks.

 

[Steel_Nugget]

What do temps look like for the CPU?

 

[Snipergod87]

It could be that the CPU is changing speeds because it is not being given anything to do, so the bottle neck could be else where. In your BIOS there should be an option for Intel Speed Stepping technology or a C state settings which will enable or disable the processor throttling down.

Alternatively (and easier) go to the Windows power options and set the computer to high performance.

 

[Noah Vieira]

What do temps look like for the CPU?

Before cleaning out the heatsink and fan, idle temps were upward of 80 degrees C!!! But now they stay under 45 degrees.

 

[Noah Vieira]

It could be that the CPU is changing speeds because it is not being given anything to do, so the bottle neck could be else where. In your BIOS there should be an option for Intel Speed Stepping technology or a C state settings which will enable or disable the processor throttling down.

Alternatively (and easier) go to the Windows power options and set the computer to high performance.

I already have chosen high performance power setting and made the minimum and maximum CPU power 100%. Also because it's a laptop, certain functions are locked in the bios (overclocking etc.) so I can't disable EIST. :/

 

[Snipergod87]

When gaming what are your temperatures?

 

[Noah Vieira]

When gaming what are your temperatures?

When gaming the temperature always stays under 60 degrees.

 

[Steel_Nugget]

When gaming what are your temperatures?

When gaming the temperature always stays under 60 degrees.

Then it should be fine. Seems like you would need a better GPU. What games are you trying to play?

 

[Noah Vieira]

When gaming what are your temperatures?

When gaming the temperature always stays under 60 degrees.

Then it should be fine. Seems like you would need a better GPU. What games are you trying to play?

I am running mostly source games like TF2, Portal 1/2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive and some other random games like Unturned and Gotham City: Impostors. All of them run at over 100fps except when the down throttle occurs where they go to 0fps for a few seconds then back up to over 100fps.

 

[Steel_Nugget]

When gaming what are your temperatures?

When gaming the temperature always stays under 60 degrees.

Then it should be fine. Seems like you would need a better GPU. What games are you trying to play?

I am running mostly source games like TF2, Portal 1/2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive and some other random games like Unturned and Gotham City: Impostors. All of them run at over 100fps except when the down throttle occurs where they go to 0fps for a few seconds then back up to over 100fps.

Well your CPU doesn't seem like its overheating. Can you monitor your GPU usage? See if it spikes.

 

[velo3100]

It could be your anti virus software. Do you use avg?

 

[Noah Vieira]

I have Bitdefender Total Security 2015 and Malwarebytes (Both were pirated so no, I'm not wealthy) and they've detected no problems. My GPU seems fine. It the cpu that down throttles.

 

[Steel_Nugget]

I have Bitdefender Total Security 2015 and Malwarebytes (Both were pirated so no, I'm not wealthy) and they've detected no problems. My GPU seems fine. It the cpu that down throttles.

So you have zero GPU spikes?

 

[Noah Vieira]

I have Bitdefender Total Security 2015 and Malwarebytes (Both were pirated so no, I'm not wealthy) and they've detected no problems. My GPU seems fine. It the cpu that down throttles.

So you have zero GPU spikes?

No. I explained the problem. My CPU down throttles from 2.1Ghz to 700Mhz and the multiplier goes down from x21 (max) all the way down to x8 (min).

 

[Steel_Nugget]

I have Bitdefender Total Security 2015 and Malwarebytes (Both were pirated so no, I'm not wealthy) and they've detected no problems. My GPU seems fine. It the cpu that down throttles.

So you have zero GPU spikes?

No. I explained the problem. My CPU down throttles from 2.1Ghz to 700Mhz and the multiplier goes down from x21 (max) all the way down to x8 (min).

My CPU does that two when it is not being 100% used. It is not over heating so I would doubt that it is throttling. Your GPU is not very powerful so that is what I think is causing the problem. So take a look at MSI afterburner, and see if every time you get a lag spike the CPU usage drops or GPU usage drops.

 

[Noah Vieira]

I have Bitdefender Total Security 2015 and Malwarebytes (Both were pirated so no, I'm not wealthy) and they've detected no problems. My GPU seems fine. It the cpu that down throttles.

So you have zero GPU spikes?

No. I explained the problem. My CPU down throttles from 2.1Ghz to 700Mhz and the multiplier goes down from x21 (max) all the way down to x8 (min).

My CPU does that two when it is not being 100% used. It is not over heating so I would doubt that it is throttling. Your GPU is not very powerful so that is what I think is causing the problem. So take a look at MSI afterburner, and see if every time you get a lag spike the CPU usage drops or GPU usage drops.

As I said before it's not my GPU as the games run at over 100fps except for the lag spikes. Whenever there's a lag spike, my CPU clocks down to 700Mhz and 8x multiplier. I feel like I'm just repeating myself over and over.

 

[Steel_Nugget]

I have Bitdefender Total Security 2015 and Malwarebytes (Both were pirated so no, I'm not wealthy) and they've detected no problems. My GPU seems fine. It the cpu that down throttles.

So you have zero GPU spikes?

No. I explained the problem. My CPU down throttles from 2.1Ghz to 700Mhz and the multiplier goes down from x21 (max) all the way down to x8 (min).

My CPU does that two when it is not being 100% used. It is not over heating so I would doubt that it is throttling. Your GPU is not very powerful so that is what I think is causing the problem. So take a look at MSI afterburner, and see if every time you get a lag spike the CPU usage drops or GPU usage drops.

As I said before it's not my GPU as the games run at over 100fps except for the lag spikes. Whenever there's a lag spike, my CPU clocks down to 700Mhz and 8x multiplier. I feel like I'm just repeating myself over and over.

I feel like I'm repeating myself. My CPU does this to when its not needed. Also I find it hard to beleive you are getting 100 FPS with that GPU.

 

[velo3100]

How much ram is used up when you run these games?