CPU clock speed drops under load

Hey all,
My i7 6700k clock speed drops significantly when under cpu-intensive tasks (3D mark Physics Test, games, Cinebench...etc), dropping almost down to 1400MHz in some scenarios. Temperatures under load are around 92C, with Throttlestop recording max temp of 95C. The most frustrating issue is that this doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it causes my laptop to freeze/severe framerate drops while running the benchmark with a couple of Chrome tabs open as well. My CPU core and cache had been undervolted by -140mV, with all 4 cores overclocked to 4.2GHz via Throttlestop.
Things I've done/ensured:

• Power options set to high performence on Windows and Nvidia Control Panel
• AC power connected (330W)

I also have 2x 980m GPUs with no overclock. I'm not sure if this is a power or thermal issue. When the clock speed drops however my temps do drop rapidly down to 70C, but the clock speed does not recover after the temps decreases.
Is there a solution to fix this? I'll happily provide screenshots if needed.

 

It's a crippled bios, ec that even premas magic hasn't been able to fully sort out on my. P771dm-g. Your stuck with it mate if you have the same system.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

reduce the OC so that the CPU doesn't thermal throttle?

 

1) It's not CPU based thermal throttle, that drops the speed just enough to keep it under 100C and it usually stays there high 90's. That said, reducing the OC so as to not trip that power limit is the best solution right now if Prema bios is not available
2) Prema bios does sort this issue. I get a slight CPU current limit based throttle (ICCMax, shows up as "EDP Other" in Throttlestop's limits box) at full memory controller stress at 4.5 onwards (e.g. IBT, AIDA64 cache+memory) but 4.6 in game plus 980Ms overvolted and overclocked past 1350mhz has not tripped any limit ever.
3) You will find you will need more than a single 330W as everything even at stock clocks under full load will probably draw too much and overcurrent the adapter (it cuts out, you get black screen shutdown) - you will need a 2nd 330W plus joiner or one of the new monster 780W powerbricks
4) Sort the power limits and you then still have to deal with thermals, 92C on the CPU in a game is excessive.

 

That's why you never wanna buy a Clevo without it being from a Prema Partner so you get the Prema BIOS.

Benefits of Prema BIOS:

• Fixes the biggest issue with these Clevo laptops where they would throttle the CPU as low as 2.5 GHz the moment both the CPU & GPU are under load due to current issues with the Clevo Stock BIOS/EC Firmware.
• The ability to disable other drives connected to your system without physically removing them from your laptop, this comes in handy when installing Windows as you never want to have more than one drive connected at the time you are installing Windows otherwise the Windows setup will place the boot files on the 2nd drive it sees which hurts performance and makes it a headache when creating system images or restoring since the boot files are not on the main drive.
• The ability to overclock, increase Turbo Power Limits and System IA/Core Current Limits
• The ability to enable Intel Speed Shift Technology (it is disabled in the stock BIOS)
• The ability to run RAM with speeds higher than the standard 2133 MHz. I am not talking about overclocking here, I am talking about actual RAM sticks that are rated to run at 2800 MHz for example like the G.Skill 64GB 2800 MHz kit I have. With the stock BIOS, they will not run above 2400 MHz. In the case of the P870DM3, the stock BIOS now supports up to 2666 MHz. I believe but not more, so the Prema BIOS is a must again
• Fixes the instability with the G.Skill 3000 MHz. RAM using XMP Profile 1 with timings of 16-18-18-18 where in the stock BIOS you would have constant crashes or not be able to boot altogether so you’re forced to use XMP Profile 2 which is slower with 18-18-18-18 timings.
• The ability to enable CSM for those who want to install other OSes like Windows 7
• The ability to undervolt the CPU as the stock voltage is way too high which causes the CPU to overheat much quicker and thus throttle under load.
• The ability to enable or disable CPU AES instructions or Virtualization
• The ability to disable hibernation from the BIOS
• Sets the default keyboard lights from blue to white which suits more tastes

Benefits of Prema VBIOS:

• Power throttle disabled
• Over-voltage slider enabled and adjusted (up to a maximum of 1.2v)
• Activated and adjusted thermal slider (to keep it cooler if desired)
• Core overclock slider limit raised
• Power consumption meter activated
• Fixed 3D voltage base-line in order to stabilize OCs and voltage-match both cards in SLI systems (based on average ASIC)
• Thermal protection @ 92c (once*91c are breached the system throttles volts and clocks in order to protect it)
• Protection against Furmark and Kombustor GPU burnout (AVOID those software even with stock vBIOS)!

 

I would repaste and look at adjusting the current and power limits in XTU first.

 

Everyone needs to stick to buying from @Prema Partner shops to avoid those throttle issues!

I also experienced this throttle issue, where the CPU clocks drop even if it is barely reaching 80C. The GPU is not used more than 50% either, there is something really awry going on with the default BIOS...

 

That's not normal for the stock BIOS even so I would investigate other areas too.

 

Looking for more advice on debugging the problem

 

Hummm just made a quick test in my new toy: P751DM2-G (the 15") with GTX 1080.
Pulling 100% out of CPU and pulling 100% out of the GPU:



No problem getting the 6700K above 4Ghz, max CPU temp around 70ºC - 80ºC when fan profile stabilizes.
GPU at around 76ºC....
I haven´t even delidded or used Liquid Metal yet
Just trying out the GTX 1080 and our BIOS.

Should be able to tune it to around 4.3Ghz with the 1080 hogging power and temperature room.

 

Hey, your Voltage is 1.15 for those temps?

The Clevo stock voltage is 1.40 - 1.45 at 4.2 GHz...

 

Yeap, then change the stock voltage, it´s like a 5 minute tune work. As i said if you want to go above 4Ghz while pulling hard on a GPU like a GTX 1080 you can, you probably can get up to 4.3Ghz, but you need to tune the CPU.

My point was just that it is doable, sorry if i made you feel like that is possible in a stock CLEVO system with stock BIOS values.

 

It's certainly worth tweaking if you can with the desktop CPUs, they are not usually tuned by intel to go for max efficiency (which is more important in a notebook).

 

Hey guys,

Maybe you guys can help me.

I have a clevo N170SD and when the gpu (gtx 960m) is under load (for example playing games) the cpu throttles.

What type of thottle?! Current limit throttling

I have modified the BIOS using American megatrends tools and got rid of power throttling i used to have, and then started having current throttle issues.

I also unlocked processor current limit and raised it. Tried 256A and the max (1023,88A), and still theres current limit throttling.

There isnt enough energy for the CPU and GPU together?! I tried everything and i cant get rid of current limit throttling when gpu is under load.

Thank you

 

Embedded Controller is limiting you. The EC will throttle the CPU (it can't usually throttle the GPU, or maybe it can, but the CPU always get hit first) if the overall system power draw is too high.
There is no way around this without a Premamod bios/EC available for your system. If your reseller is a Prema partner, you can ask them for a bios upgrade. if not, then there's nothing you can do about it.

 

Thats what people online told me from the start.

But since that I unlocked my BIOS, ended my power limit throttle issue, and unlocked processor current limit.

Are you completely sure i cant do anything without Prema BIOS// EC??!!

The cpu only current limit throttles when gpu is working hard. There must be voltage or current options in my bios i can tweak to solve this.

Im learning as im moving forward and i got pretty far without turning my laptop into a brick.

I honestly think there s a solution that does not involve Prema's BIOS.

Thank you

 

More BIOS options won't remove the intentional throttle. The responsible code is spread deep on different levels of the firmware and requires a lot of re-write work...sorry but I have never looked into this model at all and have only fixed it on my Mods for the P-Series models.

Edit: Thinking about it the SD-Series is quiet old and back then their throttle code was still very basic (It has gotten insane over the years). So if you are lucky just firing up Throttlestop, setting the Multi on the main page and hitting the enable button may be enough to override it.

 

Set multiplier x36
Turn on

Didnt work,

So only option is to downclock to x29 where the throttle disappears?!

 

Is that the standard non-turbo muti for your CPU?

 

Then again the CPU running at 2.9Ghz should not be holding back a 960M in any games, you wont be seeing uplift in performance.

 

PlanetSide 2 though...

 

I have p series with problem