Acer Predator Helios 300 - high temperatures & FPS drops

RedandDread

Hi 
I have an Acer Predator Helios 300 laptop with a Nvidia GTX 1060 GPU.  The computer runs very hot when gaming, CPU 95 degrees & the GPU 97 degrees.  Even when idling the CPU is at 70+ degreees. I'm also experiencing extreme drops in the FPS rate on games like Dark Souls 3 & Nioh.  They start at 60 fps and then drop into single digits, hover around the 12-18 FPS rate and eventually make the game impossible to play.  I recently had a new motherboard installed.  The games I'm playing should be running smoothly on this computer but I'm thinking the high temperatures are the issue.  Any advice would be appreciated.

xapim

RedandDread said:

Just got the repaste job done.  Ran Dark souls 3 for a few hours and max temps were about 74 degrees, whereas they were up to almost a 100 degrees just yesterday prior to the repaste.  Not sure how long this will last.

RedandDread If you used premuim thermal paste like kryonaut for ex or similar it will last longer but its advisable for gaming laptops to be repasted once every year if they have highly daily usage (hard daily gaming) but i wouldnt worry in repasting again until you start to have thermal issues

ven98

Download HWiNFO to check the CPU frequency while gaming. It is just to find out how much the CPU is throttling.

You can undervolt the CPU with throttlestop to reduce the temperatures.

For more info of how to undervolt go to the pinned post:
https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/535036/faq-cpu-gpu-temps-fps-settings-amp-other-info#latest

If undervolting doesn't help, then you have to either repaste(voids warranty) with high quality thermal compound like thermal grizzly kryonaut or send it to Acer, so they can do the repasting.

RedandDread

ven98 said:

Download HWiNFO to check the CPU frequency while gaming. It is just to find out how much the CPU is throttling.

You can undervolt the CPU with throttlestop to reduce the temperatures.

For more info of how to undervolt go to the pinned post:
https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/535036/faq-cpu-gpu-temps-fps-settings-amp-other-info#latest

If undervolting doesn't help, then you have to either repaste(voids warranty) with high quality thermal compound like thermal grizzly kryonaut or send it to Acer, so they can do the repasting.

Okay, I shall try your advice and let you know.  I see several other people have the same issues.   Much appreciated

RedandDread

ven98 said:

Download HWiNFO to check the CPU frequency while gaming. It is just to find out how much the CPU is throttling.

You can undervolt the CPU with throttlestop to reduce the temperatures.

For more info of how to undervolt go to the pinned post:
https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/535036/faq-cpu-gpu-temps-fps-settings-amp-other-info#latest

If undervolting doesn't help, then you have to either repaste(voids warranty) with high quality thermal compound like thermal grizzly kryonaut or send it to Acer, so they can do the repasting.

Hi what data am I looking at to check the CPU frequency with the HWinfo app.

ven98

The frequency of the CPU. The all core frequency should be 3.9GHz, so if it is lower that means it is throttling. Depending what is the max that it reaches you can determine how much it throttles by.

RedandDread

ven98 said:

The frequency of the CPU. The all core frequency should be 3.9GHz, so if it is lower that means it is throttling. Depending what is the max that it reaches you can determine how much it throttles by.

Hi thank you for your help and I do not want to seem a pain in the ***** but I have no idea where I should be looking to find this information.  There's a gazillion pieces of info on this app.  Thanks.

ven98

You should open sensors.

Red-Sand

You have a thermal paste application issue.
The GPU should always run at a max of about 75 C... it being well above that shows either not enough thermal paste or its dried out.

It's quite impossible for the GPU to reach those temperatures with a proper paste application.. 

Contact Acer to do it for you or you can try applying it yourself.

https://youtu.be/Ph2ibK79zd8

RedandDread

ven98 said:

You should open sensors.

Thank you.

ven98

I re-read your first post and 70C idle temperature as well as 97C on the GPU(as the colleague @Red-Sand mentioned) is not normal, so I doubt undervolting will help. Most likely the technician didn't apply the thermal paste correctly, which means you either have to contact Acer and send the laptop back to the service centre again or repaste it yourself(voids warranty). 

RedandDread

Red-Sand said:

You have a thermal paste application issue.
The GPU should always run at a max of about 75 C... it being well above that shows either not enough thermal paste or its dried out.

It's quite impossible for the GPU to reach those temperatures with a proper paste application.. 

Contact Acer to do it for you or you can try applying it yourself.

https://youtu.be/Ph2ibK79zd8

Hi, I'm beginning to think this is the issue.  I am going to take it to the local ACER representatives and have them deal with this as the computer is still under warranty.  Thank you for your advice.

Red-Sand

RedandDread said:

Red-Sand said:

You have a thermal paste application issue.
The GPU should always run at a max of about 75 C... it being well above that shows either not enough thermal paste or its dried out.

It's quite impossible for the GPU to reach those temperatures with a proper paste application.. 

Contact Acer to do it for you or you can try applying it yourself.

https://youtu.be/Ph2ibK79zd8

Hi, I'm beginning to think this is the issue.  I am going to take it to the local ACER representatives and have them deal with this as the computer is still under warranty.  Thank you for your advice.

I guarantee you this is the issue.

All the best bro.

RedandDread

ven98 said:

I re-read your first post and 70C idle temperature as well as 97C on the GPU(as the colleague @Red-Sand mentioned) is not normal, so I doubt undervolting will help. Most likely the technician didn't apply the thermal paste correctly, which means you either have to contact Acer and send the laptop back to the service centre again or repaste it yourself(voids warranty). 

Thanks.  I'm going back to the ACER reps on Monday and ask them to sort it out.  Much appreciated.

RedandDread

Red-Sand said:

RedandDread said:

Red-Sand said:

You have a thermal paste application issue.
The GPU should always run at a max of about 75 C... it being well above that shows either not enough thermal paste or its dried out.

It's quite impossible for the GPU to reach those temperatures with a proper paste application.. 

Contact Acer to do it for you or you can try applying it yourself.

https://youtu.be/Ph2ibK79zd8

Hi, I'm beginning to think this is the issue.  I am going to take it to the local ACER representatives and have them deal with this as the computer is still under warranty.  Thank you for your advice.

I guarantee you this is the issue.

All the best bro.

Cheers!

KennethHCA

Hi, I hope I wasn't too late to answer this.
I bought my Predator 300 last week.
With the specs:
i7-8750h
GTX1060 6GB GDDR5
8GB RAM
-----------------------------------------------------
For the very first time I play games, the temperature reaches 98°C.
After I did some optimization and hardware upgrade, the temperature now is reduced a lot !
-----------------------------------------------------
What I've done: 
1. Install Intel XTU for undervolt, adjust Core Voltage Offset to -0.110V
2. Add another 8GB RAM with same read/write speed, it should be 2666Mhz, now 16GB RAM
3. Buy a cooler, I think it help a little.
4. Power Option set to High Performance, adjust the maximum processor state to 93%
5. I've installed Malwarebytes and ESET Smart Security Premium. Scan your laptop with both of the software.(Recommended do it at least one time, this helped a lot) 
6. Disabled unwanted startup programs using CCleaner
7. Turn Cold Boost and maximum fan speed on, in the Predator Sense.
8. Make sure your driver is always up-to-date, especially GeForce Game Ready Driver.
9. Open Nvdia Control Panel -> Left Panel (Adjust Image Settings with Preview) -> Select (Use the advanced 3D image settings)
10. Open Nvdia Control Panel -> Left Panel (Manage 3D Settings) -> Under Global Setting -> Select (High-performance NVDIA processor) under Preferred graphic processor.
11. Open Nvdia Control Panel -> Left Panel (Set PhysX Configuration) -> Select (GeForce GTX 1060) 

-----------------------------------------------------
These actions reduce the heat from 98°C to 75°C.(maximum) for me. (After playing Rise of the Tomb Raider for 1 hour)
So I came and share this, hope its helpful for you and sorry for my bad English

imsam

RedandDread said:

ven98 said:

I re-read your first post and 70C idle temperature as well as 97C on the GPU(as the colleague @Red-Sand mentioned) is not normal, so I doubt undervolting will help. Most likely the technician didn't apply the thermal paste correctly, which means you either have to contact Acer and send the laptop back to the service centre again or repaste it yourself(voids warranty). 

Thanks.  I'm going back to the ACER reps on Monday and ask them to sort it out.  Much appreciated.

HEY!! I was just wondering if that solved your problem?? I have the same exact problem and I wanted to know if applying thermal paste helped!! It would be really helpful!!!!

gottabeDC

Hey was your heating issue fixed by repasting? Mine didn't. I'm thinking of applying paste again using the rice grain drop instead of spreading. I'm not sure if it's gonna help significantly. 

RedandDread

gottabeDC said:

Hey was your heating issue fixed by repasting? Mine didn't. I'm thinking of applying paste again using the rice grain drop instead of spreading. I'm not sure if it's gonna help significantly.

They advised me to purchase a different type of thermal paste which I did but have not had the chance to take the PC back to them for them to re-paste.  I'm managing to play my games but the PC is running very hot.  

https://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Silver-High-Density-Polysynthetic-Compound/dp/B07NV27PDX/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=arctic+silver+5&qid=1557430246&s=electronics&sr=1-5

gottabeDC

4. Power Option set to High Performance, adjust the maximum processor state to 93%

I did what this guy recommended and reduced my processor state percentage to 99% and my max temp(XTU benchmark) dropped from 91 degrees to 67. However, the score dropped from 893 to 861. The max frequency dropped from 3.9 GHz to 2.19. But I'm not having any actual issues while gaming, the temperatures are normally between 69-71 degrees and at max it goes 80, doesn't jump above that.

This could be a temporary solution for you till you get repasted, then let's see what happens. I've called the acer guy who repasted my laptop to come and check if everything(related to thermal paste) is fine since nothing much changed.

Also don't forget to undervolt using XTU or ThrottleStop.(TS has a "Disable Turbo" option)

Abhinav777

Hi there anyone reduced the temps by applying new thermal paste. I used arctic mx4 but it didn't work. Just let me know if it works for you.

xapim

Abhinav777 repasted (Kryonaut) optimized windows/undervolted all in the first week i got it dropped 25+ it has passed 15 months now always on AC 24/7 non stop max temps on ultra all games gpu 65/70 cpu 70/75 and if you repasted and didnt worked that means you had done a bad repaste