Is my I7 6700HQ throttle?

[Catalin]

Hello. So, i bought a new laptop last week, a HP Pavilion Gaming 17-ab001nq (http://support.hp.com/nz-en/document/c05201314) , which has an i7 6700hq, gtx 960M. All good, i instaled windows 10 x64, and i tried a few games to see how it works out. I installed gta 5, and with high settings in 1080p,all good 60fps stable, but, when driving a car in the city, after few minutes of playing, it started to drop fps to 20-30 for like 2 seconds, then going up again to 60. I installed msi afterburner to monitor cpu&gpu temp and usage. My gpu max temp was 75 celsius degrees (which is ok), and my cpu max temp after 5 minutes was 87 celsius degrees on a core(checked with real temp app) , and the thing is when i get fps drops, in that exact time the temp on cpu goes down to 65-70, then it goes up again to 78-80-85 @60fps and so like this.
I need your oppinion, because as i searched out, i guess this means a throttle, right?
I also tried LOL and WOW, because i plan to play these 2 games only.I get fps drop aswell in these 2, but not as much as in gta 5. I am planning to buy a stand cooler, do you think it will work out for me? Or what should i do? Thanks a lot.

 

[Zucker2k]

Hello. So, i bought a new laptop last week, a HP Pavilion Gaming 17-ab001nq (http://support.hp.com/nz-en/document/c05201314) , which has an i7 6700hq, gtx 960M. All good, i instaled windows 10 x64, and i tried a few games to see how it works out. I installed gta 5, and with high settings in 1080p,all good 60fps stable, but, when driving a car in the city, after few minutes of playing, it started to drop fps to 20-30 for like 2 seconds, then going up again to 60. I installed msi afterburner to monitor cpu&gpu temp and usage. My gpu max temp was 75 celsius degrees (which is ok), and my cpu max temp after 5 minutes was 87 celsius degrees on a core(checked with real temp app) , and the thing is when i get fps drops, in that exact time the temp on cpu goes down to 65-70, then it goes up again to 78-80-85 @60fps and so like this.
I need your oppinion, because as i searched out, i guess this means a throttle, right?
I also tried LOL and WOW, because i plan to play these 2 games only.I get fps drop aswell in these 2, but not as much as in gta 5. I am planning to buy a stand cooler, do you think it will work out for me? Or what should i do? Thanks a lot.

Download Intel's Extreme Tuning Utility: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/66427/Intel-Extreme-Tuning-Utility-Intel-XTU-
And undervolt your cpu and see if that helps. I have a Lenovo Y700 with the same i7 6700HQ and a GTX 960M. My cpu is undervolted to: .990v and -90mv offset.

 

[Catalin]

I've never used that utility. Does it have any risks? Is it hard to undervolt by using the utility?

 

[Zucker2k]

I've never used that utility. Does it have any risks? Is it hard to undervolt by using the utility?

No; on the contrary. It's easy. I'll post a screenshot of my settings (in about 10 minutes). You can adjust incrementally until you find your machine's sweet spot.

 

[Zucker2k]

My ambient is 28-30c so YMMV

 

[Zucker2k]

From my observation, current limit is usually the first to be triggered and the only remedy to that on our platform is undervolting. Thermal limit throttling is set firmly at 100c.

 

[Bouowmx]

Temperatures appear fine. Are you checking the CPU and GPU frequencies when the frame rate drops?

Laptop coolers, the big ones that just blow at the bottom, I am not sure of their effectiveness. Only a small area at bottom of laptop is the intake.

 

[Catalin]

Temperatures appear fine. Are you checking the CPU and GPU frequencies when the frame rate drops?

Laptop coolers, the big ones that just blow at the bottom, I am not sure of their effectiveness. Only a small area at bottom of laptop is the intake.

87 celsius degrees on a cpu core after 3 minutes of gta 5 gameplay it doesn't seems to be ok in my oppinion, on a brand new laptop. I didn't checked frequencies, only temps-fps.
I have an option with a cooler with 3 modular vents (i can move the vents wherever i want, if you know what i mean) , 80mm each vent, 50 CFM in total. What do you think?
I will try when i get home to undervolt and see what happens first.

 

[LTC8K6]

My experience has been that if Intel says the thermal throttle temp is 100C, the throttle temp is 100C. It will not thermal throttle at 99C, let alone 87C

 

[ZGR]

The problem is the laptop shares the heat pipes with the GPU. This means that when your CPU is turboing to mid 3 GHz+ while your GPU is at maximum boost. This is unsustainable in most laptops. OEMs never tell you about this. My buddies $2k gaming laptop does this when he overclocks his CPU as well. So does my Macbook


Fortunately, you can disable Intel Turbo Boost in power settings (set maximum processor speed to 95%) and temperatures will lower drastically.

If temperatures are still an issue, check out Throttlestop at Notebookreview. This lets you fine tune your CPU frequency and tailor it to each game. You may need as little as 1.5 GHz in some titles while 2.8 GHz will be fine for GTA V.

If temperatures are still an issue, I would replace the thermal paste and re apply it properly. This shouldn't be needed fortunately. I ended up doing it on my Macbook letting me sustain a much better GPU overclock at lower temperatures for the CPU and GPU.

The root cause is simply Intel turbo boost sucks. It is far too aggressive and isn't intelligent enough to settle in on a frequency. In its default state it will turbo itself into oblivion until it throttles to 1.2 GHz, resulting in lag.

You will need to manage turbo boost in games with throttlestop for CPU heavy titles like GTA and Total War. In most games, turning off turbo boost will be enough. It isn't HP's fault so don't feel bad.

 

[coercitiv]

My experience has been that if Intel says the thermal throttle temp is 100C, the throttle temp is 100C. It will not thermal throttle at 99C, let alone 87C

In laptops throttling temps are also influenced by OEM settings.

My first recommendation for the OP would be to try playing the game with turbo disabled (set CPU bellow 100% in power management). If this helps, then we can discuss the alternatives OP has to maximize performance and minimize heat output.

A stand cooler will not help - don't waste money on them. The only thing you can do to improve cooling is to make sure the laptop has generous clearance space near the intake. Anything that helps raise the laptop like this will do the trick:

 

[ghostrev]

I also have a laptop with an i7 6700HQ, and the graphic card is a GTX 1070.
In my case the problem appeared after about 30-40 minutes of intense gaming, due tot the fact that the package was.

Using the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility I managed to undervolt the cpu with 130 mv and it does not ever go over 60 degrees Celsius while I am doing osme stress test or over 64 degrees Celsius when I am gaming.

In your case the problem might also be the graphics card, and it might be a good idea do under clock a bit the GPU.
But anyway - if I were you I would return the damn laptop and maybe to go with one that has a 1050 or 1050TI.

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, we don't have confirmation of throttling yet...

 

[Catalin]

Ok i am home right now, i will go step by step. But,firstly, how can be the graphic card problem since max temp is 75 degrees on gpu, which is very decent one.

 

[Catalin]

So, i installed intel xtu, i ran a cpu stress test, and after 5 minutes, my max temp was only 60 celsius degrees. So, what's wrong with gaming? I don't understand...

 

[Catalin]

I've set the cpu in power management at 95% and i started gta 5, which is unplayable, it's stucked on 28-30 fps, with 90% cpu usage.

 

[Catalin]

Ok, after i installed intel xtu and only ran cpu stress test, then modified cpu in power management to 95%, i can't play any games, wow, gta 5, all are stucked on 20-30 fps. I deleted intel xtu and modified the cpu back to 100%, and nothing works. What is happening?

 

[ghostrev]

I still think that the temperatures are an issue while gaming. So try to do the following things in the exact order:
- first of all try again to get your settings back on default
- open intel XTU just to monitor temps
- install and open GPU-Z to monitor GPU temps
- open a game and start playing
- tell us what are your temperatures for CPU and GPU as well.

Mult succes

 

[Bouowmx]

Much focus on temperatures but what are the frequencies?

Windows power plan: Restore plan defaults and run Balanced.

I had a Acer Aspire V Nitro (Intel Core i7-4710HQ and Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M (750 Ti)) and it could do continuous gaming for hours: I had no need to play with power plans.

 

[ZGR]

You shouldn't have lag on GTA V, even with turbo boost off. Something isn't right. What are your graphics settings?

 

[Catalin]

I still think that the temperatures are an issue while gaming. So try to do the following things in the exact order:
- first of all try again to get your settings back on default
- open intel XTU just to monitor temps
- install and open GPU-Z to monitor GPU temps
- open a game and start playing
- tell us what are your temperatures for CPU and GPU as well.

Mult succes

I tried a default reset on power plan and everything is back. So, after 3 minutes of gta 5 playing, i got drops to 20-30 fps, then goes back to 60 fps. In the first 3 minutes, my max cpu temp was 76 degrees, and in the moment that drop to 20-25 fps the temp goes down to 57 degrees, then goes back to 60 fps @75+ degrees.In all these moments, gpu usage was between 90-100%, with 70 degrees temp. After playing 10 more minutes, my max cpu temp was like 85 degrees, and when i got the fps drops to 20, temp went to ~68-70 for those few seconds, and then again back to normal. Now gpu temp was around 75 degrees, and same usage 95-100%. I have my details to medium and mostly on high @1080p.
So what's the problem after all? Could it be the gpu? Because in the first 3 minutes i still experience fps drops and it can't be a throttle at 76 degrees.

 

[Catalin]

You shouldn't have lag on GTA V, even with turbo boost off. Something isn't right. What are your graphics settings?

I know man, in 1080p i play mostly on high only some on medium, no AA. How can i turn turbo boost off? Or should i try something else related to gpu?

 

[ghostrev]

Yes - it is definitely throttling, and the first thing to do is to find how much will you be able to undervolt your CPU - unless you could somehow increase the fan speeds somehow.
So - with Intel XTU, you should decrerase the "Core Voltage Offset" as much as possible and test it with the strerss test.

I have started with a -50mv and been able to have a stable system at -130mv, which basically made my cpu 15 degrees less warm.

http://imgur.com/QusqZqe

Edit: and after -50mv you should decrerase the voltage in steps of 10mv (so -50, -60, -70, etc.). When you will find the lowest value where your computer is stable, then you can save the profile.

If this will not solve your issue, then we should also take care of the GPU, but I don't think that the GPU is throttling.

 

[Catalin]

Yes - it is definitely throttling, and the first thing to do is to find how much will you be able to undervolt your CPU - unless you could somehow increase the fan speeds somehow.
So - with Intel XTU, you should decrerase the "Core Voltage Offset" as much as possible and test it with the strerss test.

I have started with a -50mv and been able to have a stable system at -130mv, which basically made my cpu 15 degrees less warm.

http://imgur.com/QusqZqe

Daca esti roman lasa-mi si mie o adresa de mail ceva.

 

[ghostrev]

I think we should speak english here
Ai id-ul meu de skype in pagina de profil, la info.