Question Laptop's CPU thermal throttles to 0.4 Ghz only when fan is at maximum speed ?

Feb 10, 2025
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Basically as per the title, laptop runs at high 70c to 80c when gaming, when on performance or normal mode everything's fine, then every time I switch to custom mode (maximum fan) it the laptop's CPU thermal throttles to 0.4ghz which is weird because it does not do that on other modes, and it used to work normal months ago. CPU is i5-12450HX
 
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Solution
here's the log
The log file shows that the turbo power limits are being reduced to ridiculously low values. That is what is causing the CPU to get locked to only 400 MHz.

Post a screenshot of the ThrottleStop TPL window. Try running another log file with the MMIO Lock box checked.
CPU thermal throttles to 0.4ghz
Try running ThrottleStop 9.7.2

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-throttlestop/

Press the Limits button and watch the Limit Reasons data.

A CPU getting stuck at 0.4 GHz sounds more like a BD PROCHOT throttling problem. This is not the same as a thermal throttling problem. Intel CPUs do not thermal throttle at only 70°C to 80°C and they do not get stuck at 0.4 GHz when thermal throttling unless the heatsink has fallen off.

What box is lighting up red under the CORE column of Limit Reasons? You have to know what the problem is before you can solve it.

The sad news is that most 12th Gen and newer laptops have decided to lock out BD PROCHOT adjustment. If this is the problem, it will be next to impossible to fix this.
 
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Try running ThrottleStop 9.7.2

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-throttlestop/

Press the Limits button and watch the Limit Reasons data.

A CPU getting stuck at 0.4 GHz sounds more like a BD PROCHOT throttling problem. This is not the same as a thermal throttling problem. Intel CPUs do not thermal throttle at only 70°C to 80°C and they do not get stuck at 0.4 GHz when thermal throttling unless the heatsink has fallen off.

What box is lighting up red under the CORE column of Limit Reasons? You have to know what the problem is before you can solve it.

The sad news is that most 12th Gen and newer laptops have decided to lock out BD PROCHOT adjustment. If this is the problem, it will be next to impossible to fix this.
actually i'm using throttlestop to undervolt the cpu to 45w, but i'll try what you said, thanks!
 
Try running ThrottleStop 9.7.2

https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-throttlestop/

Press the Limits button and watch the Limit Reasons data.

A CPU getting stuck at 0.4 GHz sounds more like a BD PROCHOT throttling problem. This is not the same as a thermal throttling problem. Intel CPUs do not thermal throttle at only 70°C to 80°C and they do not get stuck at 0.4 GHz when thermal throttling unless the heatsink has fallen off.

What box is lighting up red under the CORE column of Limit Reasons? You have to know what the problem is before you can solve it.

The sad news is that most 12th Gen and newer laptops have decided to lock out BD PROCHOT adjustment. If this is the problem, it will be next to impossible to fix this.
I don't know what happened, but my limit reasons had BD PROCHOT on core, gpu, and ring, when I click it, it disappeared, but the only one appearing red is the "EDP Other" on ring column
 
BD PROCHOT on core, gpu, and ring
BD PROCHOT can randomly start and stop at any time. This type of throttling will instantly kill CPU performance. When you see yellow BD PROCHOT boxes in Limit Reasons, that indicates a record of previous throttling This information is stored in the CPU. You can use ThrottleStop to clear this information. A red box indicates that throttling is in progress.

Many 12th Gen computers use constant EDP throttling of the ring. This reduces the ring speed so it is equal to the base frequency of the CPU. Base frequency is the speed when turbo boost is disabled. This trick reduces performance but it can help improve stability. The cache chips Intel sourced for 12th Gen were not that great.

Check the ThrottleStop Log File box before you start playing a game and play for at least 15 minutes. That way you will have a record of your CPU performance. When finished testing, exit ThrottleStop. The log file will be in the ThrottleStop / Logs folder. Copy and paste the log file data to

www.pastebin.com

If switching to Custom mode causes this problem then all you can do to fix it is avoid using Custom mode. Your laptop suffers from poor design.
 
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BD PROCHOT can randomly start and stop at any time. This type of throttling will instantly kill CPU performance. When you see yellow BD PROCHOT boxes in Limit Reasons, that indicates a record of previous throttling This information is stored in the CPU. You can use ThrottleStop to clear this information. A red box indicates that throttling is in progress.

Many 12th Gen computers use constant EDP throttling of the ring. This reduces the ring speed so it is equal to the base frequency of the CPU. Base frequency is the speed when turbo boost is disabled. This trick reduces performance but it can help improve stability. The cache chips Intel sourced for 12th Gen were not that great.

Check the ThrottleStop Log File box before you start playing a game and play for at least 15 minutes. That way you will have a record of your CPU performance. When finished testing, exit ThrottleStop. The log file will be in the ThrottleStop / Logs folder. Copy and paste the log file data to

www.pastebin.com

If switching to Custom mode causes this problem then all you can do to fix it is avoid using Custom mode. Your laptop suffers from poor design.
I started the game at relatively low temps with custom mode on, the end was so unplayable (4fps) I switched to auto mode, here's the log:
https://pastebin.com/pksx2GSz
 
The log file shows that the turbo power limits are being reduced to ridiculously low values. That is what is causing the CPU to get locked to only 400 MHz.

Post a screenshot of the ThrottleStop TPL window. Try running another log file with the MMIO Lock box checked.
woah, after I turned on the MMIO, the CPU never locked to 400MHz and it works normal because the wattage never went down and stayed at 35, thanks 😉.
Anyways here are the result of the log file with MMIO checked:
https://pastebin.com/G5xXADXM

and screenshot of TPL window and Limit Reasons
https://postimg.cc/gallery/PDPLq3f
 
CPU never locked to 400MHz and it works normal
That is good news. Checking the MMIO Lock box disables the secondary turbo power limits. Intel CPUs do not really need multiple sets of power limits all set to different values. Best to keep it simple. Disabling the MMIO power limits is a good thing.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-12m-cache-up-to-4-40-ghz/specifications.html

The Intel specified base power limit for a 12450HX is 55W. It is OK to set the turbo power limits lower than this value if reducing the maximum CPU temperature is your goal.

For better performance, I would set PL1 and PL2 to a minimum of 55W. The recommended turbo power (PL2) is 157W so you are not going to hurt anything by increasing both power limits to 55W.

The Intel 12450HX is designed to run reliably with maximum core temperatures up to 100°C.

I'm using ThrottleStop to undervolt the cpu to 45W
Reducing the turbo power limits is not the same as undervolting. You can also use ThrottleStop to undervolt your CPU as long as the manufacturer has not locked out that feature. Post a screenshot of the FIVR window if you need some help with undervolting.

I recommend updating to ThrottleStop 9.7.2

The new version finally lets you set different power limits for each profile. This can be useful if you like to use different power limits depending on the game you are playing.
 
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That is good news. Checking the MMIO Lock box disables the secondary turbo power limits. Intel CPUs do not really need multiple sets of power limits all set to different values. Best to keep it simple. Disabling the MMIO power limits is a good thing.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...-12m-cache-up-to-4-40-ghz/specifications.html

The Intel specified base power limit for a 12450HX is 55W. It is OK to set the turbo power limits lower than this value if reducing the maximum CPU temperature is your goal.

For better performance, I would set PL1 and PL2 to a minimum of 55W. The recommended turbo power (PL2) is 157W so you are not going to hurt anything by increasing both power limits to 55W.

The Intel 12450HX is designed to run reliably with maximum core temperatures up to 100°C.


Reducing the turbo power limits is not the same as undervolting. You can also use ThrottleStop to undervolt your CPU as long as the manufacturer has not locked out that feature. Post a screenshot of the FIVR window if you need some help with undervolting.

I recommend updating to ThrottleStop 9.7.2

The new version finally lets you set different power limits for each profile. This can be useful if you like to use different power limits depending on the game you are playing.
If i'm being honest all I did was follow a tutorial about undervolting on YouTube who had the same machine. I'll switch to 9.7.2 if it will be better.
Here's my FIVR settings
https://postimg.cc/p52c23sW