Crackling with Powerful Laptop (with Ultimate Performance Plan Active)(Solution: ThrottleStop)

Gig Performer on Windows
1

I have two Lenovo laptops with very similar specs.

Main (older):
CPU: 12th Gen Intel(R) Core™ i9-12900HX (integrated graphics)
16 cores (8 performance cores 8 efficiency cores)
Ram: 64.0 GB (63.7 GB usable)
Windows 11 Pro

Backup Laptop (newer): Similar specs but 13th Gen and i7. Everything I read suggests that they are very similar.

In both cases the laptops show that they are both using the Ultimate Performance Plan. I implemented the Optimization Guide best as I could.

As both laptops use newer intel chips, both CPUs have a relatively low “base frequency” but specs for both laptops show they can reach up to 5.0 CPU with “turbo” kicking in (actually the “problem” laptop shows turbo CPU up to 5.3, while the main (no problem) laptop maxes out at 5.0).

I am getting some crackling with my backup laptop (newer) with some rackspaces, but not with my main laptop.

Importantly: On my main laptop, in the Task Manager, I can see CPU gets up to 4.36.

On my backup (newer laptop, the Task Manager only gets to 3.36. I attached screenshots.

I think that is the problem. On my backup laptop, my CPU should be getting into the 4.36 range

So, it appears there is throttling going on.

Any ideas? I am open to setting a minimum CPU of (let’s say 4.) on my back laptop, especially if I could do it just for GP. (Luckily the backup is only used in a controlled environment in my rehearsal space on a cooling pad.)

Thanks.

Screenshot (1)
Screenshot (1)1920×1200 203 KB

Task Manager 03.01.25
Task Manager 03.01.251920×1200 188 KB

2

Look in each of the Processes tabs. Is there anything running on the problem laptop that is not running on the problem-free laptop?

I have a Lenovo P17 and had some problems with a Lenovo app. I uninstalled it and the problem went away. I only reinstall it when I want I want to check for software and firmware updates. Then, the problem returned and I tracked it down to the UAD Installation Manager. I uninstalled the “free” UAD compressor and the Installation Manager, and then spent the next hour tracking down all of the bits of the Manager in the registry. I’ll never go near UAD again, no matter how good their plugins are.

3

Thank you, I will explore those suggestions. (And probably work through the full optimization guide again. (I think after a Windows update, sometimes Windows reverts back)).

By the way, is the “Lenovo app” you are referring to “Lenovo Vantage”?

4

I think that’s the one. You can update Lenovo drivers and it has other “features”.

5

But, why won’t it utilize the CPU more than 3.26.

Frank any thoughts?

Anyone?

6

The view that you’re showing is the aggregate of all logical processors. Right click on the graph and change to “Show logical processors” and see what it looks like.

This isn’t going to do anything at all to address your issue, but you will at least be able to see the utilization % of the processor that’s carrying most of the audio load.

As for your issue, there are routines in most recent laptops that will throttle the CPU based on actual CPU temperature. To preserve CPU life they will override any effort you make to raise the speed once the CPU starts getting “too hot”.

7

Thx Vindes, I will look at that (maybe send a screen shot) and report back.

Appreciate the help. I think this computer should handle this without crackling.

Frustrating.

Jeff

(I don’t think it used to do this. I have no idea what could have caused this).

8

You have a story of two Lenovos and I have a story of two Dells that is very similar. I fought crackle and drops and made changes and would think I finally got it and didn’t. I can tell you lots of things that might help a little.

Once I unistalled all Microsoft, Dell, Alienware and HP printer tools, I haven’t had any problems going on several months now. Nothing installed on my laptop except GP, audio drivers and VSTs. Since I only allow these laptops to connect to internet for updates, I don’t have a problem with them not being up to date. Why do I need updates when I’m not having problems and not at risk?

Also, I think there are differences in the OS when you go above i7. Microsoft wants more money for more cores.

9

I’ll take any suggestions. I never print with this, so that’s no problem.

(Removing Lenovo Vantage didn’t work for me.)

10

It could be the case that your system ‘thinks’ it can do the job with that stepping.

Apart from the power profile, I use Throttlestop Download ThrottleStop (9.7.2) | TechPowerUp

The setting ‘speed shift - epp’ is for me the most important one: setting it to 0 (zero) means that you want performance instead of efficiency.

There are a lot of other settings (also cpu voltage related), but I wouldn’t go there unless you really know what you’re doing. I leave them alone.

11

Maybe also give this a shot → Possible helper plugin for modern Intel CPUs

12

Thanks, everyone, I will work on this.

I will post an image of all the processes.

I should say I don’t know what the issue is. Throttling? Not using performance core? Some other process interfering.

I think this is new. Could a Windows update have caused it? Is rolling back the last Windows update an option?

I would gladly pay a fee if someone who knows this area could access my laptop remotely to fix this.

Jeff

13

Yep.
Plus it could mess up your existing optimizations and undo them (reverting them to the original state).

14

Okay, I hope that is it. I will run through the optimization guide.

Here is a screenshot of all the processors. I think it shows a time when crackling was occurring (attached).

Screenshot (2)
Screenshot (2)1920×1200 154 KB

It looks like there are 4 cores that are straining.

Can you tell which cores (or “logical processors”) these are? Whether they are performance cores or efficiency cores? (if they are efficiency cores, could I “park them”)(Probably getting ahead of myself).

15

FWIW, here are the specs of the computer I am having issues with:
Processor 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-13850HX vPro® Processor (E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 5.30 GHz) selected upgrade
Operating System Windows 11 Pro 64 selected upgrade
Operating System Language Windows 11 Pro 64 English selected upgrade
Microsoft Productivity Software None
Memory 64 GB DDR5-4000MHz (SODIMM) - (2 x 32 GB) selected upgrade
RAID Setting No RAID
RAID Config No
First Solid State Drive 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 Performance TLC Opal selected upgrade
Second Solid State Drive None
SSD Total Capacity 1 TB selected upgrade

16

If you hover your mouse over them, they will show you which core it is.

328 (01)
328 (01)972×506 25 KB

17

And from what I read, the last ones are e-cores. So, the cores that are maxxing out are P cores, it seems?

There are 8 P-cores. From what I have read, with hyperthreading, this would show as the first 16 images (?). (You double the number of cores to get the p cores and logical processors, I think).

There are 12 E cores, so these are the last 12 images?

This seems to check out since there are a total of 28 images. (16 p cores (8 cores and 8 logical processors) plus 12 E cores.

If any of this information gives any clues, let me know your thoughts. :slight_smile:

18

You could try something like Process Lasso.
It’s a bit techie, but once you learn how to use it you can get a great deal of control over which cores are active for chosen applications.

You could also try load balancing some of your plugins with Blue Cat Patchwork, which has a good mutli-core feature.

19

Thank you, I will look into that. I appreciate the hand holding and info.

I think my next step is going through the optimization guide again based on the possibility that the a recent Windows update reversed prior optimization.

20

It looks like the two problem cores and hyperthreaded logical processors are the problem.

I wonder if I would benefit from eliminating hyperthreading. I certainly seem to have enough performance cores to cover everything.

Anyone benefit from eliminating hyperthreading?