How to Reduce FPS Drops Caused by Thermal Throttling
Thermal Throttling and Its Direct Impact on FPS
Thermal throttling is basically the rise of the temperature of GPU and CPU at such an unsafe level that after this level, it is possible that our system will burn out. When our system reaches this level, it automatically reduces the clock speed to avoid any kind of a damage and instead of it, take precautionary measures. When this clock speed is suddenly dropped, our system is no longer able to maintain the high or a uniform frame rate. This inability of the system to maintain a constant or a uniform frame rate results in stuttering, FPS drops, inconsistent gameplay, reduced efficiency, and delayed response.
This issue is clearly and widely noticeable on high-level games like battleground games, championship games, tournament games, and world widely played other multiplayer games. It is because these games totally rely on the CPU and GPU performance. On the other hand, low FPS which is caused due to the hardware weakness is held responsible for most of the time, but actually throttling creates an unpredictable performance even on high-end powerful systems.
Most of the users that are beginner mistakenly or unintentionally blame hardware, software or even drivers for such an unpredictable drop in FPS. While the main reason behind this is the system’s temperature. If we want to solve this thermal throttling problem, then for this destination, we should take the first step to find out the actual reason behind this throttling. In most of the cases, there is not a good ventilation system in the room and some of the time it is due to the high temperatures. So we should find out the main cause and then sort out this problem.
Common Signs That FPS Drops Are Caused by Overheating
When FPS is dropped due to the thermal throttling, then the specific patterns are observed. Because of these patterns, we can judge that this drop in FPS is due to the thermal throttling or any other problem. If the problem is caused by the thermal throttling, then first of all, we will observe a smooth and a nice gameplay at first. But then after 10 to 20 minutes, a sudden FPS drop will be observed. This is happened because the heat of the system is rising and is not properly cooled down. Another common sign is the drop of the clock speed. When the temperature remains too high, fans give a loud noise and they try to cool down the system.
| Method | Temp | FPS |
|---|---|---|
| Fans | Low | Stable |
| Cooling | Moderate | Improved |
| Undervolt | Low | Smooth |
| Repaste | Low | Consistent |
But the performance is not balanced out and continuously drops. In laptop, due to thermal throttling, the keypads also become hot. And like the other problems, when we restart the system, it fixes it, but temporarily. Because the temperature is shifted to the zero, but after some time, the temperature is still accumulated. That’s why it gives this problem. Recognizing these signs help us to avoid the unnecessary upgrades on the hardware and instead of it we should improving our system’s cooling system, room ventilation, and the clearance of the dust buildup.
The Role of Thermal Paste in FPS Stability Over Time
After discussing all the possible reasons for this thermal throttling problem, at last we came to an unnoticeable part. Basically, I am talking about the thermal paste. This paste transfers the heat from the CPU or the GPU to the cooler. After some time, the paste dries out and loses its efficiency and cannot hold temperature, then it causes the transferring of the temperature and causing high rise in temperature. Old, poorly applied or cheap thermal paste can increase temperature by several degrees, helps the rising of the temperature more early than we have expected.
After some time, reapplying the thermal paste helps us to reduce the thermal throttling problem caused by this issue. Then the paste is capable to hold the heat for some time and usually it does not transfers heat to the cooler. This is considered to be the most efficient and low budget method to reduce the FPS drop caused by the thermal throttling. Many users see clear results after reapplying the thermal paste, especially when we are using older system and laptop, this technique helps a lot. The proper technique is to apply the thermal paste in such a way that it should have air gaps and should not be there uneven coverage and have a clear way for proper air ventilation.
Fan Curve Optimization for Consistent Gaming Performance
When we buy a system from local market, it is usually manufactured by the local experts that are not fully professional in this field and they are just taking this field as a way to earn money. Although it is right, but to some extent, a person who is working in this field must work from the bottom of his heart. The default cooling fans which we have in our system usually prefer the noise over the quality.
Practical Steps to Reduce FPS Drops Caused by Thermal Throttling
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Clean dust from CPU and GPU fans regularly
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Improve case airflow with proper fan placement
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Replace old or low-quality thermal paste
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Use custom fan curves instead of default profiles
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Undervolt CPU and GPU safely
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Reduce unnecessary background processes
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Use a cooling pad for laptops
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Limit turbo boost if cooling is weak
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Monitor temperatures and clock speeds during gameplay
I mean to say that they did not cool the system and did not consider this to be their first priority, but their first priority is to make a thunder sound to create a gaming systems impact. These fans allow the system’s temperature to rise to such extent that causes the thermal throttling. Custom fan curves increase the fan speed earlier, preventing the heat building up and the temperature rising. Proper tuning of the fan curves helps us to balance between the noise and performance.
Final Verdict
At last, I would say that in order to maintain the system’s temperature low, you should follow all the above mentioned tips and tricks and instructions.
