Thats why Microsoft designed the Windows default power plan, to save some energy by lowering CPU power consumption.
But as a gamer or power user, its an annoying condition because of the throttle.
Why Does the CPU Not Run on Max Power by Default?
Microsoft developed Windows for all types of users & designed its power plans too.
In the modern era, people are conscious about energy use.
Keeping in mind that, Microsoft set the default power plan toBalanced.
This results in conservative power consumption during idle.
Another reason the CPU doesnt use max power can be due to power throttling or thermal throttling.
For this reason, the processor will reduce the frequency to stay below its power limits or critical temps.
So, how to tell if a CPU is using power saving?
you might also useResource Monitorto check the CPU frequency.
Checking CPU frequency withResource Monitoris also simple.
PressWin+R& in the box, typeresmon& hitOK.
In the Resource Monitor, in the CPU section, you will findMaximum Frequency.
If the percentage is not constant at 100%, then the chip is not at max power.
How to Activate Max CPU Power in Windows 10
For competitive gaming, every frame matters.
But mind that, using max processor power constantly will increase the temp & power consumption.
For this purpose, you want to use maximum processor power in win 10.
Here are the ways to use maximum CPU power in Windows 10:
1.
Configure Windows Power Plan
As already mentioned, Windows set theBalancedpower plan as default.
We have to reconfigure some controls, so that the CPU stays in P-state.
During P-state, the CPU stays active & scales its voltage to increase frequency.
To properly configure the Windows power plan, we will use an external software namedPowerSettingsExplorer.
The software can be downloaded from guru3d forum.
After downloading the software, open it.
Scroll down & findProcessor power managementunder thegroupcolumn.
We will change some values from thesettingcolumn.
You have to hit the parameters name & you will find theAC valueon the bottom left side.
There is a tick box under theactivesection.
That power plan is currently active & you oughta change the AC value of that power plan.
Otherwise, changing the AC value will do the job.
Disable Power Throttle
Reboot the PC to take effect on the prefs.
Also, check our comprehensive guide onpower limit throttlingin a separate article.
Turn Off the Battery Saver
This option is exclusively forlaptopusers.
Now, continue reading to confirm the validation of the steps.
If you are looking to save energy, check our separate guide toadjust the energy consumptionof your setup.
One of my friends younger siblings re-enabled the battery-saver option without my friends consent.
Later, my friend found out about that when he was lagging in games.
So it is a good idea, to ensure the CPU is working at max for a power user.
Usually, I useHWiNFO64to monitor the processors frequency & temps.
To know the reason, read along.
What Causes CPU Max Power Unstable?
Cleaning the thermal pasteon yearly basis & properly seating the heatsink is necessary to avoid such circumstances.
This is whyensuring proper airflowis also vital.
FAQs
What is TDP?
Every CPU & GPU has a TDP (Thermal Design Power) value.
This value indicates how much heat the component can dissipate.
It is used to choose a cooler so that the cooling system can dissipate the heat quickly enough.
Intels hyper-threading is a process, where the CPU divides its one physical core into two threads.
This extra thread is also known as the virtual core.
CPU goes into C-states when it is idling.
There are different C-states like C6, C2 to conserve energy.
For laptop users, it is required to set the best performance from the battery controls.
A side effect of max CPU power is overheating.
So ensuring a proper cooling system & airflow is also necessary for this process.
In this article, I guided how you’re free to use maximum processor capacity in Windows 10.
Dont forget to give feedback.
