Gaming laptop using mostly e-cores and overheating while running games

[MS246]

Hi, I have been having a problem with my HP Victus 15-fa1093dx. It uses only efficiency cores while gaming, which leads to overheating (80c typically while gaming). I have tried changing the CPU affinity in Task Manager (it refuses to change) and Process Lasso, but neither seems to work. Is there any way to change the CPU affinity via regedit or something similar? The game is Fortnite, but the problem is present in other games, too. The e cores run at on average 3.4 GHz (turbo boost max) due to me not being able to find a solution and overclocking for the time being. The p cores are shown as being used, but they are for other applications. 
Forgot to mention that I don't get the max fps possible (144.)
I can provide videos/screenshots & past contacts with support.

[zoey7886]

@MS246, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your HP Victus 15! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

I understand how frustrating it must be to see your HP Victus 15 not utilizing its performance cores properly while gaming, leading to overheating and lower-than-expected FPS. You’ve already tried some great troubleshooting steps like adjusting CPU affinity and using Process Lasso, so let’s explore a few more options.

Check Windows Power Plan & Performance Mode

• Go to Control Panel > Power Options and set it to High Performance or Ultimate Performance (you may need to enable this via Command Prompt: powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61).
• If you have OMEN Gaming Hub, check if there are any performance tuning options available there.

BIOS & Firmware Updates

• Make sure your BIOS is up to date. You can check for updates via HP Support Assistant or from HP’s official site.
• Some BIOS versions may have options to adjust power limits or core usage, so it’s worth checking.

Check Game-Specific Settings

• Some games allow you to select which cores are prioritized. In Fortnite, try enabling High Performance Mode in settings.
• Check if any third-party overlays (like GeForce Experience, MSI Afterburner) are interfering with CPU scheduling.

Windows & Driver Optimization

• Ensure that your chipset and graphics drivers (Intel & NVIDIA) are fully updated. You can download them from the HP support page or directly from Intel/NVIDIA.
• Open Task Manager > Performance tab and check if any background processes are consuming P-cores unnecessarily.

Thermal Management

• Since your laptop is hitting 80°C, try elevating the rear of the laptop for better airflow.
• Use HP Command Center to adjust fan profiles.

If the issue persists, we’d be happy to take a closer look. Please send us your case ID via private message, as we value your privacy. Let us know if you need help finding that, and we’ll guide you through it.

Looking forward to your response!  

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[MS246]

I reinstalled the chipset drivers, but they didn't do anything.
I can't change the performance plan at all, probably because hp locked it down.
The CPU shows to be only 60% utilized overall, but by using hwmonitor I can see that the p cores often go up to 160% during gaming.
I often have discord open, but I tried changing the CPU affinity to only use p cores, and the priority to below normal, but it doesn't work.
Even with discord closed the problem still occurs.
I would reinstall Windows, but I don't want to have to reinstall all of my apps and settings (even though there is an option for that.)
I have a laptop cooler and I have been, but I can't turn it up too high, as my headphones noise cancellation isn't that great.

[zoey7886 · Accepted solution]

@MS246, Thanks for reaching out again! I completely understand how frustrating it must be to see your HP Victus 15 not fully utilizing its performance cores while gaming. You’ve already done some solid troubleshooting, so let’s dig a bit deeper and see what else we can try.

BIOS & Firmware Tweaks

Make sure your BIOS is fully up to date—you can check for updates via HP Support Assistant or the official HP support site.

Some BIOS versions have power limit settings that may help improve core usage. If you’re comfortable checking BIOS settings, look for anything related to power limits, CPU management, or performance modes.

CPU Scheduling & Background Apps

You mentioned that the CPU utilization is only 60% overall but spikes on P-cores. That suggests something might be restricting how workloads are distributed.

Try disabling background processes (like Windows Game Bar, GeForce Experience overlays, or third-party software) to see if there’s an improvement.

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[MS246]

Sorry for the late response,
I figured out that my laptop was slowing down due to the background apps, primarily Process Lasso and MSI Afterburner, along with multiple software apps for my peripherals.

Thanks for the help

[zoey7886]

@MS246, A huge thank you for marking this post as the 'Accepted Solution'! We're thrilled that we could help resolve your issue. 

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Regards,