# CPU throttling but low temps



## Cookie7 (Jun 13, 2021)

I have an i7-8550u and in the limit section, I'm constantly experiencing thermal throttling yet my temps are around 80C. Its a minor throttle (3.9ghz --> 3.5ghz) but I'm still wondering if there's a fix for this. I've applied a -35v undervolt but its still throttling with and without it. I'm also getting vrcurent limiting with my gpu for no reason.

Specs: 
    i7-8550u
    16gb ddr4 2400mhz 
    rx550 + intel uhd 620


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## The red spirit (Jun 13, 2021)

It's not thermal throttling then. It's most likely power limit throttling and since you are way above base frequency, you have nothing to worry about. It works perfectly fine.


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## unclewebb (Jun 13, 2021)

The red spirit said:


> It's not thermal throttling then.


Some Lenovo laptops are reducing the thermal throttling temperature down to 65°C or 70°C. Some of their quiet power profiles are quiet because they have set the thermal throttling temperature way lower than the 100°C Intel specification.  That means you can never be sure if a computer is thermal throttling or not unless you do some testing to find out why.

@Cookie7 - Turn on the Log File option in ThrottleStop and go play a game for at least 15 minutes. A log file will show the reason why your CPU is throttling. When finished testing, exit the game and then exit ThrottleStop so it can finalize your log file. It will be in your ThrottleStop / Logs folder. Attach a log to your next post or copy and paste the data to www.pastebin.com



Cookie7 said:


> getting vrcurent limiting with my gpu


If you are not using the Intel GPU, it is possible that the current limit is being set extremely low. A log file should show if this is a problem.


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## The red spirit (Jun 13, 2021)

unclewebb said:


> Some Lenovo laptops are reducing the thermal throttling temperature down to 65°C or 70°C. Some of their quiet power profiles are quiet because they have set the thermal throttling temperature way lower than the 100°C Intel specification.  That means you can never be sure if a computer is thermal throttling or not unless you do some testing to find out why.


It's still well above base speed and thermal throttling is running below base speed, therefore there isn't any problem with that laptop.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 13, 2021)

I think I should have clarified better, the problem isn't when playing video games, the temps actually do become high and my CPU throttles due to heat. But the problem is when I'm just normally using my computer for school work. CPU utilization is low and temps are also low but speed is still being throttled.
Anyways if you need it: temps - Pastebin.com here are logs from playing a game.


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## unclewebb (Jun 13, 2021)

The red spirit said:


> thermal throttling is running below base speed


During thermal throttling, the CPU does not get stuck at 800 MHz for seconds at a time. The CPU speed will rapidly cycle hundreds of times per second between full speed and minimum speed. ThrottleStop reports a very accurate average speed when throttling is in progress. The average speed during a thermal throttling episode can be well above the base speed. 



The red spirit said:


> there isn't any problem with that laptop.


Here a fully loaded 8550U running with the multiplier steady at 37. Thermal throttling is just about to start. No power limit throttling or anything like that.







@Cookie7 - The right column in your log file shows lots of TEMP warnings. Your CPU is in the 95°C to 100°C range so it is constantly thermal throttling. If you find a way to improve the cooling then you can run your CPU faster without all of this throttling. Have you ever cleaned your laptop and replaced the thermal paste? Post some more screenshots of the FIVR window and TPL window. Did you apply your undervolt to both the CPU core and cache? A -80 mV undervolt is a good place to start testing. 

Are you using ThrottleStop 9.3?

What C0% does ThrottleStop show when your computer is idle at the desktop with nothing open? No web browsers no nothing. It looks like you might have lots of stuff running in the background creating unnecessary heat.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 14, 2021)

Sorry for the late replies but I've applied a -35mv undervolt since -40 is unstable while playing games. And when the computer has nothing open its still thermal throttling for some reason. It starts around 5-10 minutes after boot even if I don't open anything. And I do not have a lot of stuff open only browser, razer synapse, and background stuff


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## elghinnarisa (Jun 14, 2021)

Even if you think its idle without a lot of stuff open, your computer obviously does not agree and is working on something. Check the task manager or process explorer to figure out what is loading it down even when it should just be running idle.


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## unclewebb (Jun 14, 2021)

Cookie7 said:


> when the computer has nothing open


When a computer is idle at the desktop, it needs to spend hardly any time in the C0 state processing the background tasks.






The cores will spend most of their time in the C7 state where they are not creating any heat. The cores are spending over 99% of their time in the low power C7 state when my computer is idle.









Cookie7 said:


> background stuff


That is problem #1. You have a LOT of stuff running in the background that you are not aware of. You have added software to your computer and are not aware of how big of a load it is putting on your CPU.

The next problem is that your cooling system is not adequate. Have you ever cleaned inside your laptop and replaced the thermal paste? This is called normal maintenance. Most people do not bother, wonder why their laptop no longer runs as well as it used to, buy a new laptop and the cycle repeats.

A single core load has your CPU constantly thermal throttling. 



Cookie7 said:


> my temps are around 80C


I call this denial. The log file shows constant temperatures in the 95°C to 100°C range. Either fix the cooling or learn to live with a laptop that is overheating and performing poorly.

Use the Task manager or the Resource Monitor to get a better handle on what is running on your computer. You installed it so it is your job to delete stuff that is useless.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 14, 2021)

1. The pastebin that I sent was only when a game was running.
2. I really don't have a lot of background apps running, CPU utilization hardly goes above 25% when my browser is open, memory usage is around 1-1.5gb, and disk is 1-3%. So I don't understand whets going on. My only problem is that thermal throttling is occurring when only my browser is open and throttlestop displays temps of 80-85. This is the only concern I have, overheating and loud fans come when I'm actively playing a game.

I got my fan replaced 2 months ago and I applied new thermal paste, I also clean the fans out every 2 weeks. I also do agree my computer is underperforming but I don't want to get a new one after just 1 year.


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## unclewebb (Jun 14, 2021)

Cookie7 said:


> thermal throttling is occurring when only my browser is open and throttlestop displays temps of 80-85


Can you show me a screenshot of that with Limit Reasons open? Make sure HWiNFO64 is not running in the background when using Limit Reasons.

I believe your laptop is set to thermal throttle at 95°C. Post a screenshot of ThrottleStop so I can see what this is set to.



Cookie7 said:


> I applied new thermal paste


What thermal paste did you use. Some popular pastes have very poor long term performance. They can start performing poorly within a week. Noctua NT-H2 has a good reputation in laptops.

Here is the CPU load I get with Google Chrome with 3 tabs open.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 14, 2021)

I used a corsair tm30. This is my CPU utilization with 5 tabs open.


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## elghinnarisa (Jun 14, 2021)

Cookie7 said:


> I used a corsair tm30. This is my CPU utilization with 5 tabs open.


That seems incredibly high but also strangely warm. I can't even get my 7700HQ, which is the closest I have, up to ~13 watts when throwing 50+ tabs including a video and RDP session on it at the same time. It just kinda sits there around 8-9w and under 40c.
While your 8550u with 5 tabs seemingly use more power and runs twice as hot? Seems, strange.


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## unclewebb (Jun 14, 2021)

10.5% in the C0 state with just a web browser open and a temperature of 77°C is not good. 

I have no experience with TM30. The Corsair website shows pictures of integrated heat spreaders that are used on desktop CPUs and pictures of AIO coolers that are used on desktop CPUs. Does TM30 work well when applied directly to the die like laptops use? I do not know. Did you spread it on the die?

Some laptops with 15W CPUs use barely adequate heatsinks and fans. Is your fan working properly? I do not know how your laptop performed when it was new so I have nothing to compare it to. All I know is that the cooling right now is not adequate. You cannot get full performance out of an 8550U unless you have a lot better cooling. The stuff running in the background is not helping this problem. It is making things worse.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 14, 2021)

I used the tm30 since my friend who was a i7-8650u used it on his computer and I did spread it on the die. And the 5 tabs included of Gmail, zoom and 3 searches. I know my cooling isn't adequate and I'm pretty sure my cooler is for an i5 CPU but I can't really upgrade it. When I'm playing a game the temps become really hot so my CPU thermal throttle to around 3.2ghz but I'm completely fine with that, I still get quite high fps. The problem is that I'm experiencing thermal throttling when browser and zoom are the only things open. The temps show around 80c and when I open the limits section then press clear, a yellow thermal throttle shows up under ring and CPU, sometimes vrcurrent under the CPU.



elghinnarisa said:


> That seems incredibly high but also strangely warm. I can't even get my 7700HQ, which is the closest I have, up to ~13 watts when throwing 50+ tabs including a video and RDP session on it at the same time. It just kinda sits there around 8-9w and under 40c.
> While your 8550u with 5 tabs seemingly use more power and runs twice as hot? Seems, strange.


Yeah I'm not sure why it uses so much power, I've undervolted CPU and CPU cache by -35mv, anymore is unstable when gaming.


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## unclewebb (Jun 14, 2021)

Cookie7 said:


> I'm experiencing thermal throttling when browser and zoom are the only things open. The temps show around 80c


I am still waiting to see a screenshot of ThrottleStop with Limit Reasons open when thermal throttling at 80°C is in progress. The only thermal throttling that the log file showed was at the proper temperature.  

Is Zoom keeping your Nvidia GPU constantly active? On laptops with poor cooling and a shared heatsink, if the Nvidia GPU is not going into a low power state, temperatures of the CPU and GPU will go up and up.

If you have Nvidia GPU monitoring checked in the ThrottleStop Options window, ThrottleStop will show a temperature value when the Nvidia GPU is active. When the Nvidia GPU is inactive, ThrottleStop will show *GPU -- °C *






That means ThrottleStop is not waking the GPU up to monitor its temperature. That is a good thing. 

The Nvidia Control Panel used to include a system tray app that shows when the Nvidia GPU is active and what program is keeping it active.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 14, 2021)

I have an amd gpu and It isn't kept active by Zoom.

 Also when I'm not experiencing thermal throttling my CPU speeds are fluctuating by from 3.9ghz - 3.7mhz, can you explain why? My sisters pc stays rock solid at 3.9ghz when not thermal throttling.


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## unclewebb (Jun 14, 2021)

Cookie7 said:


> CPU speeds are fluctuating by from 3.9ghz - 3.7mhz











						Core i7-8550U  - Intel - WikiChip
					

Core i7-8550U is a 64-bit quad-core performance x86 mobile microprocessor introduced by Intel in mid-2017. This processor, which is based on an enhanced version of the Kaby Lake microarchitecture, is manufactured on Intel's 2nd generation enhanced 14nm+ process. The i7-8550U operates at 1.8 GHz...




					en.wikichip.org
				




The 8550U can use the 40 multiplier when 1 or 2 cores are active and it uses the 37 multiplier when 3 or 4 cores are active. This is the normal operating range. This CPU is designed to constantly vary its speed based on how many cores are active. This happens hundreds of times per second. 



Cookie7 said:


> My sisters pc stays rock solid at 3.9ghz when not thermal throttling.


Can you show me a screenshot of that? The Intel documentation says that the 8550U cannot run at that speed when 4 cores are active. I have seen the 8550U run rock solid with the 37.00 multiplier like in the picture I posted above but I have never seen one run rock solid with the 39 multiplier.

Your screenshot does seem to show thermal throttling at 81°C. Open the Options window. Check PROCHOT Offset and set that to 0. Above that, check the Lock PROCHOT Offset box and press OK. If you open the Options window back up, you should see a Lock icon near this setting. This indicates that this setting is locked within the CPU so it can no longer be changed by other software. If you ever need to change this in the future, you will need to clear these two boxes and you will need to reboot your computer so the CPU can unlock this setting.


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## Cookie7 (Jun 14, 2021)

Oh... My sister doesn't have an 8550u I just brought it up since I thought something was wrong with my CPU for not reaching max speed. Anyways I did what you told me to do and If I have anymore problems I'll just ask, thank you for your time. 

So. I did what you told me to do and now after 1-2 minutes my pc is randomly powering off, this happened twice already and during the second time,  boot was displaying "fixing C: drive". And my computer shuts down only after I open throttlestop, any fixes? @unclewebb


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## Cookie7 (Jun 16, 2021)

Cookie7 said:


> Oh... My sister doesn't have an 8550u I just brought it up since I thought something was wrong with my CPU for not reaching max speed. Anyways I did what you told me to do and If I have anymore problems I'll just ask, thank you for your time.


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