The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Is my CPU thermal throttling?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by FOurtuna117, Jun 23, 2015.

  1. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Intel extreme tuning utility (XTU) and HWINFO32 register on-off thermal throttling of 1-2 % for 30 seconds, while playing watch dogs on ultra high during intensive parts of the game. However, during XTU CPU stress test no thermal throttling occurs.

    So is my CPU throttling?
    IF YES
    Worth undervolting?
    If YES
    How should I make a backup of the laptop (warranty concerns)?

    Note: The laptop specifications are Intel i7 4720hq and 965 M. Game Debate and Notebook Check state that these specification are not recommended for Watch dogs on ultra high.
     
    FOurtuna117, Jun 23, 2015
    #1
  2. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Forgot to mention no thermal throttle is detected when fans are on max, compared to auto high.
     
    FOurtuna117, Jun 23, 2015
    #2
  3. RainMan_

    RainMan_ Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    180
    Messages:
    396
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Did you try checking your temps?
     
    RainMan_, Jun 23, 2015
    #3
  4. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Temp averaged 80-85c, but were 91-95c when HWINF032 registered thermal throttle. However, XTU temps never reached above 86c.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2015
    FOurtuna117, Jun 23, 2015
    #4
  5. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2015
    FOurtuna117, Jun 23, 2015
    #5
  6. Scerate

    Scerate Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    224
    Messages:
    687
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    106
    that the CPU temps are higher when gaming is normal, you don't have to forget when using XTU stress test you only stress testing the CPU, when playing CPU & GPU Intensive Games like Watch Dogs you are actually stressing both.

    If i were you i would look if you can easily replace the stock thermal compound, and yeah undervolting can actually improve temperature quite a bit. e.g my 4790k @ 4.2ghz using about 1.14v stock i undervolted it to 1.09v which cuts off almost 15w when stress testing with Prime95 which of course you notice quite a bit in temperature for me it's about 10°C.
     
    Scerate, Jun 24, 2015
    #6
  7. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Never considered the CPU as the x factor, since it only reaches 73c.
     
    FOurtuna117, Jun 24, 2015
    #7
  8. Scerate

    Scerate Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    224
    Messages:
    687
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    106
    It's a factor cause i bet that your Notebook is sharing the Heatsink/Heatpipe with CPU & GPU, at least most of the notebooks i saw are using this type of thermal transfer.
     
    Scerate, Jun 24, 2015
    #8
  9. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Does applying thermal paste void the warranty? If so I'll stick to undervolting and using a laptop cooler.
     
    FOurtuna117, Jun 24, 2015
    #9
  10. Scerate

    Scerate Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    224
    Messages:
    687
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    106
    i would contact your reseller if changing thermal paste is still covering waranty, but yeah for the begining you could try some minor undervolting and using a Cooler. I would start with -25mV Offset and then go further in -5mV steps, you cause no harm to the cpu if it's crashing, it will go back to defaults and XTU will notice you that it defaulted anyways, but like i said try some undervolting maybe your CPU reacts pretty positively to it.
     
    Scerate, Jun 24, 2015
    #10
  11. FOurtuna117

    FOurtuna117 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Finished a Watch Dog Stress test, whilst utilising a laptop cooler. After 1 hour of game play, thermal throttle has not occurred.
     
    FOurtuna117, Jun 30, 2015
    #11