Question:

I have an Omen 17 laptop with an RTX 4080 GPU and a Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU. I am experiencing power fluctuations and performance issues with my GPU when playing games. The GPU power draw varies from 90W to 175W, and the GPU clock speed ranges from 2300MHz to 2470MHz. This causes stuttering and low FPS in games such as God of War, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Lies of P. However, when I run FurMark, the GPU power draw is stable at 175W and the GPU clock speed is fixed at 1850MHz, with no performance problems. I have tried different power plans and settings in Windows and Nvidia Control Panel, but nothing seems to work. What could be the cause of this issue and how can I fix it? Note: the GPU temperature is normal at 75-80°C, so it is not a thermal throttling problem.

Answer:

How to fix power fluctuations and performance issues with RTX 4080 laptop GPU

If you have an Omen 17 laptop with an RTX 4080 GPU and a Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU, you may encounter power fluctuations and performance issues with your GPU when playing games. The GPU power draw may vary from 90W to 175W, and the GPU clock speed may range from 2300MHz to 2470MHz. This may cause stuttering and low FPS in games such as God of War, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Lies of P. However, when you run FurMark, the GPU power draw may be stable at 175W and the GPU clock speed may be fixed at 1850MHz, with no performance problems. You may have tried different power plans and settings in Windows and Nvidia Control Panel, but nothing may have worked. What could be the cause of this issue and how can you fix it? Note: the GPU temperature may be normal at 75-80°C, so it is not a thermal throttling problem.

The cause of the issue is likely related to the power management and optimization features of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU. According to [Nvidia], the RTX 4080 laptop GPU has a power range of 80-150W, and a clock speed range of 1245-1710MHz. However, the actual power and clock speed of the GPU may vary depending on the laptop model, the game or application, the settings, and the thermal conditions. The RTX 4080 laptop GPU uses various technologies to adjust its power and clock speed dynamically, such as:

• Dynamic Boost 2.0: This feature allows the GPU to use up to 25W more power than its rated TGP (Total Graphics Power) by borrowing power from the CPU and other components, depending on the workload and the power headroom. This can boost the performance of the GPU by up to 10%.
• Resizable BAR: This feature allows the CPU to access the entire VRAM of the GPU at once, instead of in chunks, which can improve the performance of some games by up to 12%.
• WhisperMode 2.0: This feature allows the user to set a desired acoustic level for the laptop, and then optimizes the game settings and the power management of the GPU and the CPU to achieve that level, while maintaining the best possible performance.

These features are designed to enhance the performance and efficiency of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU, but they may also cause some power fluctuations and performance issues in some scenarios. For example, Dynamic Boost 2.0 may increase the power and clock speed of the GPU when the game is demanding, but it may also decrease them when the game is less demanding, or when the CPU needs more power. This may result in inconsistent performance and stuttering in some games. Resizable BAR may improve the performance of some games, but it may also cause compatibility issues or performance degradation in others. WhisperMode 2.0 may reduce the noise and the heat of the laptop, but it may also lower the performance and the quality of some games.

The solution to the issue

The solution to the issue may depend on the specific laptop model, the game or application, the settings, and the preferences of the user. However, here are some general steps that may help to fix the power fluctuations and performance issues with the RTX 4080 laptop GPU:

• Update the BIOS, the drivers, and the firmware of the laptop: This may help to resolve any bugs or compatibility issues that may affect the power management and optimization features of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU. You can check the official website of the laptop manufacturer or use a utility software such as [HP Support Assistant] to find and install the latest updates for your laptop.
• Disable or enable Dynamic Boost 2.0, Resizable BAR, and WhisperMode 2.0: You may try to disable or enable these features individually or in combination, and see how they affect the power and performance of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU in different games or applications. You can use the [Nvidia Control Panel] or the [Nvidia GeForce Experience] software to access and adjust these features. You may also need to enable or disable some settings in the BIOS, such as Above 4G Decoding, Resizable BAR Support, or CSM Support, to enable or disable Resizable BAR.
• Adjust the power plan and the settings of Windows and Nvidia Control Panel: You may try to change the power plan and the settings of Windows and Nvidia Control Panel, and see how they affect the power and performance of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU in different games or applications. You can use the [Windows Settings] or the [Windows Power Options] to change the power plan and the advanced power settings of your laptop. You can use the [Nvidia Control Panel] or the [Nvidia GeForce Experience] software to change the global or the program-specific settings of your GPU, such as the power management mode, the preferred graphics processor, the texture filtering quality, the vertical sync, etc.
• Monitor the power, the clock speed, the temperature, and the performance of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU: You may use a monitoring software such as [HWiNFO], [MSI Afterburner], or [GPU-Z] to monitor the power, the clock speed, the temperature, and the performance of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU in real time, and see how they change with different features, settings, and games or applications. This may help you to identify the optimal configuration for your laptop and your GPU.

Conclusion

The RTX 4080 laptop GPU is a powerful and efficient graphics card that can run most games and applications smoothly and beautifully. However, it may also suffer from some power fluctuations and performance issues due to its dynamic power management and optimization features, such as Dynamic Boost 2.0, Resizable BAR, and WhisperMode 2.0. These features may cause inconsistent performance and stuttering in some games, especially when the power and the clock speed of the GPU vary widely. To fix these issues, you may need to update the BIOS, the drivers, and the firmware of your laptop, disable or enable these features, adjust the power plan and the settings of Windows and Nvidia Control Panel, and monitor the power, the clock speed, the temperature, and the performance of the RTX 4080 laptop GPU. By doing so, you may be able to enjoy the best possible gaming experience with your RTX 4080 laptop GPU.

—

I

hope this article helps you to answer your question. If you have any feedback or suggestions, please let me know. 😊