CPU not running at full speed even at high performance power mode

Helmut · 19 May 2017

dclevy1 said:

I know this is an old thread but I need help because I have the same issue my laptop is supposed to be running a 2.6 gigahertz and it's only running at 1.29 I even did the real bench test and it said the same what do I do?

Don't worry about it. It is doing what it's supposed to do, it is not an 'issue'.
The CPUs used in Laptops vary the clock speed depending on what job they are doing. Running at high clock speeds all the time increases the power consumption and the need for good heat dissipation.

My Laptop is a good example. Nominally a 2.5 GHz processor and it varies from 0.8 GHz to 3.1 GHz depending on the task involved.
A good time to observe this is during a Windows 10 update, just look at the CPU in the Task Manager.
On mine this will cover that whole range of clock speeds at various times.
You can do a similar thing with any application you have in mind.

Mine is a Toshiba and it is certainly not stuck at 0.8 GHz. I don't use the extra section put in by Toshiba for Power Options(Toshiba Eco Utility is off).
There are enough Power Plan options without adding Toshibas.

Steve C · 28 Nov 2020

Bree said:

Welcome to TenForums @dclevy1

I get that occasionally. My 2.10 Ghz laptop gets stuck at 0.80 GHz. Is yours a Toshiba? Over the years I've seen this reported most often for that brand. I've never got to the bottom of why it does this, something in the power management seems to have lost track of what power state it's in.

The first time it starts going slow unplugging the power cord can reset things and it runs normally again - even after plugging the power back in. However, if it goes slow a second or third time this trick no longer works.

A Restart always puts everything back to normal, but a shutdown may not. That's because Shutdown can use fast start up which can preserve the settings that make it slow. A Restart does a full start up from cold.

My Dell laptop has been a bit slow. I too noticed it was stuck at 0.8 GHz. I unplugged and re-plugged in the charger as you suggest and its now back to top speed when required.