Windows 10: Laptop constantly Power Limit Throttling after the March 2021 update

i have an Alienware r2 15 with an Intel Core i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz. I've been having issues with the laptop power limit throttling since i did the march 2021 update. Previously I've been able to get around this by just reverting to a version of windows 10 prior to march 2021 or just playing games that arnt cpu intensive. However, when i do play more cpu intensive videogames on windows 10, the cpu will periodically power limit itself to 0.8 ghz and then proceed to park cpu cores leaving only cpu0 on. Ive watched cpu monitors while in game and the package TDP will never exceed 25 W while TDP i

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Is the Windows Update responsible for CPU throttling?

Yes Windows 10 update absolutely is responsible!...And I haven't been able to fix it either specifically when encoding video through Handbrake. Windows introduced a concept called "Power Throttling" at both a system level and on an app by app basis. Basically, so as to help improve battery life, this lets Windows automatically determine which apps are running in the foreground and which should be placed in the background. Performance limits are imposed on apps in the background to limit their drain on the battery when not in immediate use. However, this is ruining my nightly video encodes, as it is taking more than 3 times as long, since it is limiting Handbrake to functioning at approximately 1/3 capacity. As long as I am using Handbrake actively, encodes occur at full pace, but as soon as I leave the computer alone for a few minutes, Handbrake is throttled. It resumes full capacity if I change the Windows power plan to another and back, but only while I am actively using Handbrake.

I have tried all avenues to deactivate this for either the system at large or for the Handbrake program specifically. I include what steps I have taken in case it helps someone else, but I have not been able to stop Windows interfering with the throttling feature.

- System Level

• Click on battery icon in system tray and drag new slider to "Best performance". This is supposed to turn all "Power Throttling" off.
  
• One can also, supposedly, deactivate "Power Throttling" through Group Policy
  
  • Click [Win] and then type "Edit group policy"
    
  • Navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Power Management -> Power Throttling Settings
    
  • Open Turn off Power Throttling and select Enabled to turn it off for all apps.
    

- App Level

• Go to Settings [Win]+ -> System -> Battery -> Battery Usage by App
  
  [*]Locate "Handbrake" in the list and deselect "Let Windows decide..."
  
  

 

Overclocking / Undervolting guide for Vega 56 or 64?

Here's a quick laundry list:

List of software to use for overclocking and testing
Examples:
Wattman (and how to find and use it, like an overview, including profiles)
Unigine Valley or Heaven (use this for quick testing while changing settings in Wattman and checking for stability / artifacts) ...just suggesting this
How to monitor cores / mem speeds and temps during testing (I've seen screen overlays, and others using GPUz)

Step-by step overclocking in Wattman
Fan speeds
Power limit
Temp limit
Voltages
Core speeds
Memory speeds

 

Introducing Power Throttling in Windows 10

Source: Introducing Power Throttling - Windows Experience Blog


See also:

• Change Power Mode Level in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
• Manage Battery Usage by App in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Apps Features Tutorials