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Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: ProtosAngelus on September 05, 2019, 10:49:55 AM

Title: Asus GL702ZC thermal throttling?
Post by: ProtosAngelus on September 05, 2019, 10:49:55 AM
Hello Guys, I have a question, don't know if anyone experienced anything similar.
Specs: Asus Rog Strix GL702ZC
- RX 580
- Ryzen 5 1600
- 8 GB RAM
- Win 10x64
- SSD primary, HDD secondary
- Updated BIOS
- Memory diagnostic no errors
- dxdiag no faults

    So about 2 weeks ago I had my GL702ZC cleaned out and repasted because the idle temps were 65+ deg C (CPU and GPU). After the local service center returned the laptop the temps were cooler but anytime any GPU intensive app was started, the computer would shut down in an instant (Google earth, 8 seconds, video games, 2 seconds, GPU Novabench, 1 second...) if it were on any profile but battery saver since battery saver didn't boost the memory clock to 2000MHz (games still shutdown laptop on bat sav). So I gave it back and they repasted it again. Now every game/3d program can be launched perfectly without shutting down the laptop.
    However, new issue arose. The moment the GPU reaches 75-78 deg C, the GPU core clock starts throttling. https://i.ibb.co/NZkpJF1/HWlog.png You can see where the game is launched (temp spike)
    If I start a game from cold boot, when the temps are low. Eg, Dota 2 right as the Windows boots (SSD). It will run smoothly and perfectly on highest settings 60 FPS for a short time. As soon (about 10 seconds into the actual gameplay on the map) as the GPU reaches ~75 deg C, the FPS will be all over the place... The "minus" is half a second. (maybe something else is throttling?)
    60-20-20-60-60-20-20-60-20-20 FPS and so on and so forth. Jumping wildly ( https://i.ibb.co/hWMMPtg/Log.png this is another log of another test which I started logging as the GPU was throttling).
    Next week I'll be getting the laptop to a top class service center (that often fixed soldered GPU/CPU/mobos) for them to do a proper re-paste.
    Things that have caught my attention.
    - temp jumps by 5-15 degrees in an instant of plugging in the power cord if the laptop is under load (no jump if no load, I'm guessing the boost warms up the chips which should be normal)
                -eg. Running Furmark for 10 seconds on battery, lower FPS, ~ 60 C temperature. Plug in the cord. Temperature jumps to 75 in an instant, higher fps, fluctuations and stutters and lags.
(I never ran Furmark for longer than 20 seconds cause it's more stressful than watching the World Cup)
    - VRM GPU temp1 is constantly 26 deg C, under any sort of load
    - VRM GPU temp2 is 56 C idle and 65 under load, always caps at 65, not a .1 degree more
    - GL702ZC had thermal paste on all the VRMs, VRAMs, CPU and GPU out of the factory, but the service crew put thermal pads (too thick/thin?) on VRMs and VRAMs and paste on CPU and GPU.
    Any idea why the GPU started throttling so soon and why it's spitting the core clock all over the place? Could it be that the GPU VRMs are badly conducted by pads or an inefficient thermal paste on GPU?

    Laptop bought last year.
    Before this sh**storm, the laptop could play Witcher 3 on high/ultra at 60 FPS steadily. GPU would reach 80-85 degrees and CPU 80-86 degrees while idle temps were 60+
    Idle temps now are 48-53 GPU and 50-60 CPU (it will boost itself when opening programs and stuff so warms up from 55 to 60 in a second and then drops).
    Dota 2 (highest settings). GPU 75-78 degrees. Sometimes it won't go over 75.000000 deg C, sometimes not over 78.000000 deg C.
    CPU 70+ under load.

Any thoughts before I turn in the laptop to the service center? My warranty is expired so no-no on the RMA's or anything. It all started after the opening of the heatsink to re-paste. As I'm writing this I'm noticing that the keyboard above the GPU is quite hot (only thing I've been doing past 2 hours is studying physics so nothing was strained except me) and on the left of it, above the CPU, it's quite cool.
Right now GPU is 60 degrees and CPU is 58-66 (fluctuating depending on clock, 1500MHz->3400MHz) degrees Celsius
GPU VRM temperature1 is 26
GPU VRM temperature2 is 57

     

Title: Re: Asus GL702ZC thermal throttling?
Post by: ProtosAngelus on September 07, 2019, 02:22:08 PM
Update: https://i.ibb.co/ZJfK2Ck/Novabench-GPU-only.png
You can see the GPU temp spike. I start Novabench GPU only benchmark after a return from a 3h sleep mode (like a cold boot). What is causing such a massive 20 degree spike the moment the GPU boosts itself (apart from Amperes, bad paste?)

EDIT: There is also a coil whine when the FPS rises from 20 back to 120 in the benchmark. Every time the FPS drops to 20 from 120, the coil whine stops, and when it starts rising, occurs. It has been a thing since I bought the laptop, so don't know if it helps. (The FPS goes like this: 120-20-120-20-120-20-120-20 where a dash "-" is approx 1 second)