[SOLVED] RTX 2060 Mobile

Mar 26, 2021
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So I have an Acer laptop(the specs are at the bottom),

And I noticed that in most games like CS:GO or Warzone, the GPU usage is around 30-60% and the temperature never goes higher than 75 degrees. The CPU usage is also about 30-70% but the temperature goes to about 80-95 degrees(IF the TurboBoost is on). If I turn off the TurboBoost my CPU gets no more than 65 degrees and the FPS drops a little bit(5-15 FPS).

My main question is why FPS stays around 50-100 FPS in games(on low settings) with normal GPU and CPU usage and temps? As if the laptop does not specifically use the full power of the computer and keeps such a FPS. Drivers are up to date and NVidia settings are all set to high perfomance settings.

I also noticed that if you put the power supply scheme on the balance, the computer works a little better than if it was at maximum performance.

Acer Nitro 5 AN515-55

RTX 2060
Intel Core i7 10750H
16 GB
1 TB HDD + 512 GB SSD
 
Solution
Always used balanced in laptops, IMO. High performance isn't worth jack if the extra heat load can't be kept down.

https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...max-processor-state-capped.3642668/?view=date
Looked around - as I'm not that familiar with laptops - and you may be having a similar issue to the user here.

Fix the cooling: clean out the laptop, clean off and repaste the cpu and gpu; sometimes the manufacturers do a crap job with the application.
A cooling pad - but really, it's the elevation off a flat surface that's helping, not so much the pad, so you could makeshift something to do that if you want.

Then there's the matter of the pagefile as discussed in that thread...
Mar 26, 2021
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It may not help but could you run userbenchmark and share the public link to the results.

UserBenchmarks: Game 70%, Desk 92%, Work 64%
CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H - 88.7%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 (Mobile) - 74.2%
SSD: Nvme WDC PC SN530 SDB 512GB - 167.4%
HDD: Seagate ST1000LM048-2E7172 1TB - 46.6%
RAM: Hynix HMA81GS6DJR8N-XN 2x8GB - 82.4%
MBD: Acer Nitro AN515-55
 
UserBenchmarks: Game 70%, Desk 92%, Work 64%
CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H - 88.7%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 (Mobile) - 74.2%
SSD: Nvme WDC PC SN530 SDB 512GB - 167.4%
HDD: Seagate ST1000LM048-2E7172 1TB - 46.6%
RAM: Hynix HMA81GS6DJR8N-XN 2x8GB - 82.4%
MBD: Acer Nitro AN515-55
Those numbers are kind of meaningless, if I were to be honest.

I would say run something like 3DMark or a game with a benchmarking mode. Something that provides an absolute number that we can use to verify against other professional testing if the hardware is actually working within expectations.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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Those numbers are kind of meaningless, if I were to be honest.

I would say run something like 3DMark or a game with a benchmarking mode. Something that provides an absolute number that we can use to verify against other professional testing if the hardware is actually working within expectations.
Is it ok if I provide you a video of warzone gameplay with MSI overlay later?
 

Phaaze88

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UserBenchmarks: Game 70%, Desk 92%, Work 64%
CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H - 88.7%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 (Mobile) - 74.2%
SSD: Nvme WDC PC SN530 SDB 512GB - 167.4%
HDD: Seagate ST1000LM048-2E7172 1TB - 46.6%
RAM: Hynix HMA81GS6DJR8N-XN 2x8GB - 82.4%
MBD: Acer Nitro AN515-55
The link, please? Those numbers by themselves are useless; no one can make heads or tails of the above.
 
UserBenchmarks: Game 70%, Desk 92%, Work 64%
CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H - 88.7%
GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060 (Mobile) - 74.2%
SSD: Nvme WDC PC SN530 SDB 512GB - 167.4%
HDD: Seagate ST1000LM048-2E7172 1TB - 46.6%
RAM: Hynix HMA81GS6DJR8N-XN 2x8GB - 82.4%
MBD: Acer Nitro AN515-55
I really need the public link to the results. Sometimes the supplementary information can be useful for spotting which part is underperforming.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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Phaaze88

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How was the bloatware load in this laptop? Heavy? Light? Did you clean any of it up?

Hmm, IDK... I feel like the HDD could be a problem if the game library were on it; these online only titles have to access the drive from time to time, and if the drive gets too hot, it slows down.
I may be jumping the gun there though.

If anything that can overheat, isn't overheating, then I can't help but think some software or driver is holding things back.
There's also the strict power limits on laptop cpus and gpus. There's really not much leeway with them due to the small package.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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How was the bloatware load in this laptop? Heavy? Light? Did you clean any of it up?


Hmm, IDK... I feel like the HDD could be a problem if the game library were on it; these online only titles have to access the drive from time to time, and if the drive gets too hot, it slows down.
I may be jumping the gun there though.

If anything that can overheat, isn't overheating, then I can't help but think some software or driver is holding things back.
There's also the strict power limits on laptop cpus and gpus. There's really not much leeway with them due to the small package.

Windows is on SSD, game on HDD. What about CPU? I think it loses power when gets too hot.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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How was the bloatware load in this laptop? Heavy? Light? Did you clean any of it up?


Hmm, IDK... I feel like the HDD could be a problem if the game library were on it; these online only titles have to access the drive from time to time, and if the drive gets too hot, it slows down.
I may be jumping the gun there though.

If anything that can overheat, isn't overheating, then I can't help but think some software or driver is holding things back.
There's also the strict power limits on laptop cpus and gpus. There's really not much leeway with them due to the small package.
So would you recommend reinstalling the game on SSD?
 

Phaaze88

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Windows is on SSD, game on HDD.
Prebuilts tend to come with some degree of bloat. This laptop didn't come with any commercial content preinstalled? Like an 'Acer Care Center', or 'Armory Crate' or something?

What about CPU? I think it loses power when gets too hot.
By default, the cpu shouldn't throttle until:
-it hits 100C. The System Integrators do have the freedom to set a lower throttle limit at their discretion. I believe either Core Temp, Throttlestop, or hwinfo would tell you if they actually did that or not.
-it hits the power limit.
-when individual cores aren't in use, they can throttle back and chill out briefly. Saves power and helps keep thermals from getting even worse.
Trying to raise power limits, set fixed cpu clock speeds, or enabling high performance modes leads to the cpu running even warmer. It's not unusual for laptop cpus to see 90C.

So would you recommend reinstalling the game on SSD?
Worth a shot.
Looking up the HDD model info, I can see that it's one of the slower 5400rpm drives. That's probably leading to 100% disk usage in those always online games because they have to access the game files every so often.
Acer should've given you a 7200rpm spinning drive, not a 5400rpm...
 
Mar 26, 2021
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Prebuilts tend to come with some degree of bloat. This laptop didn't come with any commercial content preinstalled? Like an 'Acer Care Center', or 'Armory Crate' or something?


By default, the cpu shouldn't throttle until:
-it hits 100C. The System Integrators do have the freedom to set a lower throttle limit at their discretion. I believe either Core Temp, Throttlestop, or hwinfo would tell you if they actually did that or not.
-it hits the power limit.
-when individual cores aren't in use, they can throttle back and chill out briefly. Saves power and helps keep thermals from getting even worse.
Trying to raise power limits, set fixed cpu clock speeds, or enabling high performance modes leads to the cpu running even warmer. It's not unusual for laptop cpus to see 90C.


Worth a shot.
Looking up the HDD model info, I can see that it's one of the slower 5400rpm drives. That's probably leading to 100% disk usage in those always online games because they have to access the game files every so often.
Acer should've given you a 7200rpm spinning drive, not a 5400rpm...

Ok, my laptop came with a disk with drivers(idk why) and also it has WINDRIVER ( F: ) folder do install drivers if there is no floppy drive. And yes, it has Acer Care Center, NitroSense and Quick Access Application.

Yeah, now I see the issue. Unfortunately this CPU is impossible to undervolt, only thing I can do is to set maximum power state to 99% to turn off the turbo boost and run it on stock ~2.49GHz. With TurboBoost it gets to >4.5GHz.

Also, is it ok if in msconfig in additional boot options, I chose all 12 cores? IDK if it can affect the perfomance somehow, I just did that everytime.

What about HDD. I guess I will reinstall the game on SSD, and in future will buy one more SSD and put it in. Thankfully it has one more slot for it. Also it has additional slot for RAM, but I think 16 GB is currently ok.
 
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Phaaze88

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Ok, my laptop came with a disk with drivers(idk why) and also it has WINDRIVER ( F: ) folder do install drivers if there is no floppy drive. And yes, it has Acer Care Center, NitroSense and Quick Access Application.
Ah, that's a given - been that way for years. The drivers in those disks are out of date before you ever get them. That's why we get our drivers direct from the OEM - in this case, Acer.

Leave Task Manager open and keep an eye on those apps to be sure they're not eating up precious cpu cycles while in game.
I'd expect some background activity, but some apps are a little too active, like NZXT's CAM software or Msi's Rivatuner.

Yeah, now I see the issue. Unfortunately this CPU is impossible to undervolt, only thing I can do is to set maximum power state to 99% to turn off the turbo boost and run it on stock ~2.49GHz. With TurboBoost it gets to >4.5GHz.
Yes, that was locked down on 10th gen mobile as a precaution to the Plundervolt vulnerability: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/plundervolt-new-attack-targets-intels-overclocking-mechanisms
I'm sure there's a backdoor to Acer's bios update, but it'll be at your own risk.

Also, is it ok if in msconfig in additional boot options, I chose all 12 cores? IDK if it can affect the perfomance somehow, I just did that everytime.
That's totally unnecessary. All that does is let you select how many cpu threads are enabled upon boot. Since they're all already enabled by default, just leave the 'number of processors' box unchecked.

What about HDD. I guess I will reinstall the game on SSD, and in future will buy one more SSD and put it in. Thankfully it has one more slot for it. Also it has additional slot for RAM, but I think 16 GB is currently ok.
Aye, test the game in the SSD before you go out and buy another storage drive.
16GBs is fine right now.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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Ah, that's a given - been that way for years. The drivers in those disks are out of date before you ever get them. That's why we get our drivers direct from the OEM - in this case, Acer.

Leave Task Manager open and keep an eye on those apps to be sure they're not eating up precious cpu cycles while in game.
I'd expect some background activity, but some apps are a little too active, like NZXT's CAM software or Msi's Rivatuner.


Yes, that was locked down on 10th gen mobile as a precaution to the Plundervolt vulnerability: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/plundervolt-new-attack-targets-intels-overclocking-mechanisms
I'm sure there's a backdoor to Acer's bios update, but it'll be at your own risk.


That's totally unnecessary. All that does is let you select how many cpu threads are enabled upon boot. Since they're all already enabled by default, just leave the 'number of processors' box unchecked.


Aye, test the game in the SSD before you go out and buy another storage drive.
16GBs is fine right now.
Thanks for the answers, but one more question. I currently have all of my drivers up-to-date. But in some forums I read that OEM drivers are better than latest ones. Recently, I received a new Intel VGA drivers but after installing it my shadowplay stopped working, so I returned to the OEM one. And now I am asking about NVidia drivers. Should I delete the latest ones and return to the OEM one? If so then which one to choose cause there a lot of them on my laptops website.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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I've heard that too - I can't confirm it myself though.
When you updated the Intel VGA driver, did you try updating the Nvidia driver though the OEM afterwards?

From the OEM's site, the latest gpu driver should have the highest number.
No I did not. Currently I have the latest NVidia VGA and OEM Intel VGA. And the OEM VGA Nvidia driver isn't that new. I will send you the website: https://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/8305?b=1
 

Phaaze88

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Oh, what the heck is that..? That is confusing as all hell...
It looks like there are 3 different pairs of Nvidia VGA drivers listed. Is one the Studio driver, and the other the Game Ready driver? I can't tell 'em apart?
Does the Nitrosense app know the difference?
The Intel one(ver 27.20.100.8280) is easy enough, but those? Pfft.
 
Mar 26, 2021
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Oh, what the heck is that..? That is confusing as all hell...
It looks like there are 3 different pairs of Nvidia VGA drivers listed. Is one the Studio driver, and the other the Game Ready driver? I can't tell 'em apart?
Does the Nitrosense app know the difference?
The Intel one(ver 27.20.100.8280) is easy enough, but those? Pfft.
Yep that is the problem. They uploaded too many drivers idk which one to install. I guess I'll just stay with generic one. But if you will figure out which one I need, I would be thankful.