AN515-54-728C underperformance issues

bloomexe
bloomexe Member Posts: 3 New User
edited November 2023 in 2020 Archives


I recently purchased an Acer Nitro 5 laptop with i7-9750h and RTX 2060 for VR gaming and 3d game design for my brother because I have a Dell G7 7590 with i7-8750h and RTX 2060. 

unfortunately after thorough testing... I have realized that Acer has set CPU Power limits DEEEEP within it’s firmware.

i know this is the case because when i ran cinebench (and other benchmark/stress test software) my dell’s 8750h would pull up to 80w at first and then come down to around 60 until it’d start heating up and stepping off.

with the acer 9750h it never ever ever goes above 56w for the whole package nor above 45w for the cores.

 i’ve tried overriding these limits with throttlestop, intel xtu, checking bios, i’ve even installed predatorsense and patched the $4,500 acer triton laptop profile to my laptop’s model so the software would have the CPU power limit customization unlocked but no luck. The software would only opened if i used a model profile that did not have cpu power limit editing on the predatorsense menu.


 i believe the key is this bios update listed as “EC Control Update” for some of the higher end (8750h and up) helios and triton models. I can link said bios update link if interested. 

any help would be very appreciated as I have to figure out if i can remove these strict power limits before my return policy window closes due to the laptop not playing demanding VR games smoothly. thanks so much!

Answers

  • bloomexe
    bloomexe Member Posts: 3 New User
    bump  :s just really want to figure this out so i can return it if needed
  • aphanic
    aphanic Member Posts: 959 Seasoned Specialist WiFi Icon
    I was hesitant to reply when I first saw this because what we're talking about is low-level enough that fixes may very well fall out of ACUA (the community agreement of here, the rules so to speak).

    For example, I doubt you're going to be able to do anything meaningful with XTU, ThrottleStop or PredatorSense, aside from undervolting and hoping for better performance but if the hardware limits are imposed by firmware the settings are locked away and you're unable to access it through the firmware configuration utility (BIOS) without modifying it. That's the part that goes against ACUA because it implies circumventing security features.

    Another thing that came through my mind when I saw this was current throttling, it's a different kind of throttling that involves what the power regulators are able to handle. If you're hitting that regularly (I think XTU is able to tell you), there's very little to be done. You could up the current limits (sometimes reads as IccMax) or set them to the maximum, but that could damage the VRMs if they aren't designed to handle that much current.

    All of this goes to show that two similarly specced computers can behave differently depending on their inner design and the settings each manufacturer has pre-selected. Some even undervolt processors directly while others lock your ability to do it, and that's a pretty harmless thing to be honest, imagine the other like overclocking.

    That's why I find it... not amusing, because it's nothing to laugh at but the right word doesn't come to mind, when I see people asking if the version of the graphics card in X laptop is the 25w version or the 15w version. It could very well be the normal version instead of the underpowered one but if there's a cap on the temperature it can reach, say... 70º at which point it'll start to throttle back, it's rather pointless to have the higher version.

    Solving your issue may not be possible after all, at least over here, or I may just be wrong and someone with more information may pop into the thread and we'll both learn something ;)
  • batmalin
    batmalin Member Posts: 4,231 Guru
    edited August 2020
    You can`t change any of the power setting unless you unlock your BIOS, which will require some tools and knowledge, so if you are not happy with this situation then return it with the remark that Acer prevents you to use it as you will. Maybe some day they will realize that it might be a good idea to offer you to trade your wattanty for unlocked BIOS and leave the users to decide.
    Please click "Yes" if I have answered your question.
    Userbench: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/31177158

  • bloomexe
    bloomexe Member Posts: 3 New User
    where uh... where would one look for bios unlocking?
  • batmalin
    batmalin Member Posts: 4,231 Guru
    Forums for bios mods...
    Please click "Yes" if I have answered your question.
    Userbench: https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/31177158

  • Qban
    Qban Member Posts: 1 New User
    hi 2 day ago i buy a nitro 5 
    AN515-54-728C

    Core i7-9750H GeForce RTX 2060 works fine intill you loanch a game fan ramp up to 5400 rpm tamp 90c" 

    and betty loud is this is ok or need to send for repare ?

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