Stopping a Windows Laptop from Overheating

[Linux_Geek]

I purchased a Windows laptop a while back, http://www.microcenter.com/product/444610/Aspire_R3-471T-53LA_Touch_14_Laptop_Computer_-_Silver and it has been overheating. Whenever I play games on it (Planetside 2, TF2, Minecraft) it begins to overheat, getting to 90+ degrees Celsius, topping off around 100. I was recommended to purchase a laptop cooling pad, which I did, and that helped with idle temperatures, but the gaming temperatures remain as high as ever. For reference, the cooling pad is this one http://www.amazon.com/HAVIT%C2%AE-HV-F2056-15-6-Laptop-Cooler/dp/B00NNMB3KS but it is not lowering my temps. When I throttle Minecraft to 30 FPS, the temperatures stay "manageable" (70-85°C). I was wondering if there was a way in Windoze to throttle the entire system, because most games do not have an in-game FPS target. I would want something like underclocking, except for the GPU and/or CPU.
Checked the bios and it is crap, only lets me change "secure boot", nothing about CPU/GPU and I don't feel like flashing Coreboot.

 

[digitaldoc]

There is no way to underclock the cpu and gpu.

Nice new laptop, and it uses the latest Broadwell CPU. The integrated gpu is simply not up to what you are trying to do. You can try to update the Intel graphics driver, but I do not think it will make much of a difference.

You have two real choices:

1- Build a desktop with a real dedicated GPU that can handle the games you want.

2- Reduce the resolution of the games, and the quality settings to the minimum.

You should not really even need a laptop cooler with such a new machine.

 

[azathoth]

False, recent intel processors can indeed be software over/underclocked and even undervoltage with Intel's own "Intel Extreme Tuning Utility". There is a good chance your processor is supported by this program, being newer than mine which I myself currently undervolt with.

Another thing. Clean out the dust from your heatsink. You need to take off the back plate, and using compressed air PROPERLY de-dust your device. (Do NOT let the fan spin, this generates current back into the motherboard)

 

[digitaldoc]

Yes, you can certainly underclock the cpu/gpu, but I was thinking it would not be advisable in this gaming situation with a system that is already struggling without enough power.

 

[Linux_Geek]

I built a decent gaming desktop, but sometimes I am in a place where the ping to my home server is so bad that it is impossible to stream w/ Steam in home streaming over OpenVPN. The processor is a U-series, unlike my Desktop's K, so the XTU doesn't work.

There are a few options like power saving mode in the Intel HD graphics control panel, [strike]but they don't seem to help[/strike] they fixed my problem. I found a CPU solution as well: RealTemp comes with something called "i7TurboGT.exe", which has a checkbox for "Disable Turbo Boost", and under Advanced Power Settings for Power Saver plan, there is a "Maximum Processor State" parameter, which I set to 75%. This combination shaves 20°C off of Planetside's max temperatures, going from 101 to 75 max.

 

[jaguarskx]

There could be an issue with the thermal paste. There may not be enough to it to effectively transfer the heat from the CPU to the heatsink. Or there is too much thermal paste which means it actually acts like a heat insulator.

The laptop should still be under warranty since the Intel Core i5-5200u CPU was released this year and you can send it to Acer to have it fixed. Or you can try to replace the thermal paste yourself, but that means you need to take the laptop apart yourself and it could void your warranty.

Since you have built a gaming desktop I assume you are familiar with how to clean up old thermal paste and apply new thermal paste.