3720QM high temp and 50% throttling in P150EM

EDIT: Update: This issue has been resolved by a return to manufacturer where they did indeed have to replace the CPU. I ended up with an updated BIOS (no more FN+1 functionality tho) a new heatsink/fan for the CPU and a 3740QM as a bonus! Max temp of 90 at full load now and really quiet fan!



I have noticed the performance hit caused by this but had not the time to investigate till now. The screenshot shows 40-50% throttling at 100% usage at less than max turbo boost and at 97c. Serious usability problems and overall speed fail ensues... I am wondering what the level of occurrence is with other owners of this laptop and CPU or what other people who have had the issue experienced (entire story including contacting the seller if necessary). Yes I have read plenty of the threads about this but I wanted to get more information into one location for myself and others with this problem.




No overclocking. This is the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility. Overclocking is actually disabled for my system, which is fine since I do not care to OC I just want it to run how it should. The results above are generated using the utilities built in CPU stress test. I experience similar results when processing images or when live streaming. Some games will cause it as well but its harder to capture those. Have only had the system for a few months but cleaned the fans recently.

Malibal P150EM-SE
3720QM
7970m
32GB Corsair
Samsung 830 primary
500GB secondary in optical bay

Temps in the screenshot were at a desk in a room that is at aprox 21C. Running on a cooler makes very little difference (1 or 2 C).

Lets get some info together and see if there is a trend somewhere!

 

is that at stok clocks or overclocked.
what program is that screenshot of as i will have a go tonight.

also when was the last time you cleaned your vents and fans out.
also what are you running to get the above readings, game or software.

 

No overclocking. This is the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility. Overclocking is actually disabled for my system, which is fine since I do not care to OC I just want it to run how it should. The results above are generated using the utilities built in CPU stress test. I experience similar results when processing images or when live streaming. Some games will cause it as well but its harder to capture those. Have only had the system for a few months but cleaned the fans recently. Updated the OP as well. Thanks!

 

That's Intels XTU software.

@kd7lri That's awfully high. I don't like to point fingers so I'd do as MrDJ advised first but if that doesn't help I would recommend for you to repaste it. On the stock paste(not sure what it is, I didn't get the ICD7 upgrade as I don't trust them to apply it for me) I max out at 78C (some cores vary a degree or two as they tend to) with no throttling on the 3740qm. I do have the P170em but the difference shouldn't be quite that large.

As for capturing temps ingame I usually just open HWMonitor and leave it running in the background so it records the max temps. In games(Borderlands 2, BC2, etc) it doesn't usually go above 70-71C.

 

also try some other monitoring software just to compare temps. find lots in signature below.

im running nvidia inspector which maxes at 72-75 now but ive noticed core temps is showing 90ish since ive started playing medal of honour warfighter. thats even higher than B3

 

my temps were even higher. hope pictures not too big

 

It might just be how the CPU behaves under long and heavy load.. A while ago I've read a thread in this forum which had fixes for the cooling issues some Sager owners had (like taping the gap between the heatsink and the fan, and something with refitting the heatsinks) and the guy had pretty significant temp drops after he did them , so you might want to check that thread out.

 

If you have not already, a good re paste is certainly a good idea.

 

These are core i processors. Basically once they hit 100C the CPU will auto-throttle itself back to basically never go over 100C. So yea a good repaste would be in order here, as thats why it throttling. Same thing happens when you put too much on the overclock.

Just keep it under 98C on all cores and it'll never throttle

 

MOH is more demanding on cpu than B3 for me as im hitting the high 90s on all cores but only 72c for gpu. repaste was done about a month ago by mysn even tho the original mx2 job was fine.

 

It took me a CPU unlock, a TDP limit raise and prime95 to ride at those sort of temperatures and see that sort of throttle.

 

those temps are way too high, I would repaste with some decent thermal compound. My 3720qm barely touches 90c @ 3.8Ghz / 60w TDP with all 4 cores doing prime or intel XTU stress test for 5 minutes.

 

anyone else out there with a 3720 wanna run Intel Extreme Tuning Utility for us to compare. also hae core temps running in background.

 

here is mine, with the back of the laptop raised 1.5cm for better airflow.

 

thanks for posting. think me need to check me fans for dust does your fans rev up while running as mine didnt.

 

So would the throttling be the cause of Event ID 37 showing up in event viewer? Seems the OP is under 100deg, so technically he shouldn't be throttling right or is the throttling from going past 100deg temps.

 

It really throttles as you skirt those temps. But he is getting them with 40% thottling, you would at least expect it to bounce back up with that level of cut back to work being done. So something is not right.

 

ive never looked at event viewer before but i also see ID 37 errors. it says limited by system firmware

 

I just ran one and maxed out at 82C overall, but averaged around the high 70's with no overclock. The cpu utilization was always at 100% with 0% throttling. I had my laptop raised slightly in the back but no other modifications/adjustments.

 

i7-3740QM. Maxed out at about 78C on average.

 

I also have a 3720qm in a 150em reaching 99 degrees, after reading this thread I'm suspecting I'm also getting throttled. Will test and post update.

 

thanks for posting.
i dont know nothing about the bios but im guessing it could well be something to do with the bios that some companys unlock and some dont.

 

Some very slight throttle, but thats effectively a MUCH higher work level since it's overclocked and working near 100%.

 

Guys, if your CPU is getting hot, make sure the screws on the CPU heat sink are tightened enough. I and another user here have both had our laptops shutdown due to loosened heat sinks keeping heat from transferring properly. Also, check out a good thermal paste and consider doing the foil-tape mod: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...g-systems-neglected-clevo-solutions-here.html

I use Gelid GC Extreme thermal paste, and based on many reviews and tests it has stood to be one of the best out there.

And Meaker, how is that throttling? 3.77GHz is over the 3.7GHz Turbo for the 3740. If you are overclocking, don't expect perfect results.

To kd, my 3610QM runs at 3.1GHz when all 4 cores are in turbo. The max turbo is 3.3GHz but that is only when one core is being used. As more cores are used, the max turbo frequency will go down naturally, and you can't change that without overclocking. It appears you are seeing 3.2GHz at 100% load. I am not sure how that is 40% throttling, but 3.2GHz is a decent 4 core turbo considering 3.6GHz is the max single core turbo for the 3720QM. 40% throttling would be a lot worse, giving you some thing near 2GHz.

 

I would agree that those temps are high. I run a 3720qm in a NP9150, and doing the xtu stress test will barely hit 90C mark. I do have IC diamond, but I've never cleaned the fans. No throttling either.

 

I keep seeing screenshots like this. Useful yes but not complete. People let the test run till they see throttling and then stop well before the temperature actually levels off. The graph I posted had been running its test for about 15 minutes (it took about 5 to get there but I ran it longer to make sure). Please keep this in mind.

 

First the max turbo is 3.4 on all 4 (edit sorry I thought you were referencing my CPU till I re-read that). Second the fact that its at 3.2 is because its being limited by turbo boost not throttling. The terms aren't interchangeable even if what they do is the same thing. Throttling is the CPU protecting itself by slowing down temporarily while the 3.2ghz displayed is the target frequency of turbo boost and for the most part is the operating clock speed. When thermal throttling kicks in it does so much faster than turbo boost and thus does not always register in the time frame necessary to represent such a change.

In the graph I posted you can see the throttling lower when TB decides to slow down a bit and then spike when TB decides to go back up.

Someone correct me if I am wrong?

 

[

Only 1.5mins into the test already reaching 99C with 50% CPU throttle

 

where the graph is you need to click the little spanner on top right and tick all 4 cores and also throttling so it will show in your graph.

 

Throttle varies from 14% to 64%, fans are clean, sitting on top of laptop cooler, have foil cooling mod and also tried tightening CPU screws but it won't budge. WIll try repaste tomorrow.

 

The point is, this is an extreme loading example at higher frequencies, a stock CPU running a game should be fine.

 

That makes sense. My point is that there are people that do stuff other than just gaming on their systems. It is why I went for the 3720 to begin with. Video rendering, image editing and virtual machines to name a few. These easily tax the system almost as much as a synthetic test does.

 

Yes and you would expect throttle, but more in the sense of TDP throttle, going over 45W and it bringing the frequency down rather than throwing away cycles to stay cool (the throttle seen in the original post).

 

Unfortunately some of us cant reach that 45 watt TDP...

 

The cooling system should be able to handle at least 55W since that's what it's rated for. So something is up.

 

I ran another test but his time for 15 minutes and added the extra data points for the graph. The max temp was a few degrees higher but it never went above the mid 80's and the throttling was always 0%.

 

Yep, the processor is keeping its frequency at 3.2-3.3ghz, keeping to that 45W limit and not skipping cycles, that's how it should behave in a properly cooled environment.

 

Is that test not as taxing as the Prime torture test? Just 5 minutes into the torture test my 3610QM goes over 80C.

 

i win

does everyone that has low temps have their fan kick in to high revs as mine are running low-medium and not on high.

 

Yes, as soon as I hit the higher temps mine goes on high.

 

After repaste with noctua NT-H1 I don't seem to hit 99C anymore 10mins stress test stable at 89-92 degrees.

Previously hitting 99C with 50% throttling at 1min stress test mark, looks like either they didn't put in the diamond thermal paste as promised or it just sucked

 

My fans kick into high gear as soon as the temp increases rapidly.

Viper, that sounds like an improper paste job rather than bad paste. I've tested multiple pastes and how you apply it had a larger effect than which paste was used.

 

this is were my problem lies then.
my fans dont rev up at all and stay a constant low to medium. this is just the same with on previous lappy when i ran a virus scan or defrag.
i dont have the Fn overide to ramp the fans to max.
my thermal paste was also done by the experts while i watched so its not that.

 

Sorry to bring this thread up again, but I was just playing with XTU, ran a few 5 min and 10 min stress tests no throttle which is good and temps going up and down - 87-94. How ever I currently run a 3720QM and I dont have the ability to use manual tuning. My CPU also peaks at 3.39ghz and peaked at 3.49ghz for less than a second when it should be capable of hitting 3.6 on turbo right? Is this being limited by BIOS? Still running stock BIOS for the P150EM. Pardon my ignorance, I have been reading but I cannot find my answer.

Also MrDJ how did you go with your issue? busted fans? Hope all is sorted!

 

It's hitting the TDP limit which must be extended to see consistent 3.4ghz, which is maximum 4 core turbo unless you raise it to the unlocked 3.8ghz. If you want to use that 3.8ghz though you really have to open up the TDP to the 60W range at least. Be careful of the heat however.

 

the 3720QM has an active core to max frequency correlation as follows:
Base: 2.6
Max Turbo with 3 or 4 cores: 3.4
Max Turbo with 2 cores: 3.5
Max Turbo with 1 core: 3.6

Thus with all 4 being used the max frequency is going to be 3.4

 

How are you opening up the TDP limit? Mine is grayed out

 

You have to flash the P170EM bios + EC to the system (see P157EM thread in the owners lounge)

Things to remember:

Power limits assume you have the beefier power brick so you can kill the 180W PSU if you OC CPU + GPU.
You could brick your machine if you don't flash properly.
Bye bye warranty.

It does however let you unleash the 3720qm, set max 4 core turbo from 3.4ghz to 3.8ghz and raise TDP limits.

 

Meaker, kd7lri - Funnily enough I actually knew that Just didn't occur to me when I was running the tests, apologies for the noob moment! and Thanks

 

No problem, just be VERY careful, I did kill a 180W brick running at 3.9ghz with a GTX680M running above 1ghz core clocks, an extreme example but it shows the huge stress it puts 180W bricks under.