HP Victus Weak EC Firmware or Bios Performance

[oakTINO]

Hello HP,

I am reporting a serious and consistent performance issue with my HP Victus 16 (RTX 4070 + i7-14650HX). It appears that the BIOS or EC firmware is significantly restricting power delivery to both the CPU and GPU, resulting in extreme underperformance across all games.

For example, in Valorant, with Omen Gaming Hub set to Full Performance and NVIDIA Control Panel set to Maximum Performance, the system only achieves around 280 FPS, with GPU usage stuck at 30% and CPU usage around 20%.
Meanwhile, my previous laptop (RTX 4070 + i7-12700H) — which has a weaker CPU — easily reached 99% GPU usage and up to 1000 FPS in the same scenario.

This issue is not limited to one game. In SCP: Secret Laboratory (Unity Engine), the system averages around 66 FPS with GPU usage at 20%, while my older system reaches 600–700 FPS under identical conditions with full GPU utilization.

Both CPU and GPU temperatures stay under 60°C, so thermal throttling is not the cause.

I am a PC and IT expert, and I have already tested every possible configuration:

• Reinstalled and cleanly updated Windows and NVIDIA drivers

• Adjusted power plans, registry, BIOS, and EC reset

• Verified Omen and NVIDIA settings for maximum performance

There is nothing left to adjust through Windows, drivers, or BIOS menus — this is clearly a firmware-level restriction.

I strongly request HP to review this issue and release an updated BIOS or EC firmware that restores proper power limits and full hardware performance.

Thank you.

[Meghana_10]

@oakTINO, Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding the HP Victus 16.

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution. We hope our assistance has been helpful! 

I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing performance issues with your HP Victus 16. Here are some steps to help diagnose and potentially resolve problems related to power delivery and performance:

1. Update BIOS and Firmware:

   • Ensure your laptop's BIOS and EC (Embedded Controller) firmware are updated to the latest version available. Updates can address bugs and improve system stability and performance. 

2. Update Drivers:

   • Make sure your GPU drivers are up to date. Use NVIDIA's official website to download and install the latest RTX 4070 drivers.
   • Check for any chipset or other hardware driver updates on HP’s support page for your specific model.

3. Check Power Settings:

   • Verify that your laptop is set to High Performance mode in Windows Power Options, ensuring the system uses maximum resources for performance.
   • Check the manufacturer’s power management tool (if available) to maximize performance settings.

4. Thermal Management:

   • Ensure that your laptop has adequate cooling and ventilation to prevent thermal throttling, which can limit performance.
   • Consider using a cooling pad to help maintain a stable temperature during gaming sessions.

5. Monitor System Performance:

   • Use performance monitoring tools like MSI Afterburner or HWMonitor to observe CPU and GPU utilization, clock speeds, and temperatures to see if they are being throttled during gameplay.

6. Perform a Quality Check:

   • Run benchmarks to compare against expected performance for similar setups. This can confirm if the problem is unique to your system or typical for your hardware configuration.

7. Reset BIOS Settings:

   • Access the BIOS setup utility and reset settings to default. Incorrect BIOS configurations can limit processor performance.

8. Consult HP Omen Gaming Hub:

   • If applicable, use HP Omen Gaming Hub utilities to optimize performance settings. This app might offer additional controls for performance tuning.

I hope this helps!

Take care and have an amazing day! 

If you would like to thank us for our efforts to help you, go to the public post and give us a virtual high-five by clicking on "Yes" for the question "Was this reply helpful?" below my message, followed by clicking on the "Accept as solution" on my public post.

Regards,

Meghana

[oakTINO]

Hello,

Thanks for the response, but this is now the third time I receive the same generic troubleshooting steps that have nothing to do with the real issue.

Let me clarify again:

1. My exact laptop model is:
Victus Gaming Laptop 16-r1001sf (A95J4EA)
This model does NOT have BIOS F25, nor any BIOS newer than F18 on the official HP support page.
The link you sent earlier was for a different Victus model, so I cannot install a BIOS that is not designed for my unit.

2. I am a PC expert.
I already performed every single OS-level optimization possible:
• Clean installation of Windows 11
• NVIDIA, Intel, chipset, and all drivers updated manually
• High-performance power plans and max settings enabled
• No thermal throttling — temperatures verified
• Full monitoring via MSI Afterburner + HWInfo
• Benchmarks confirm the system is underperforming compared to identical hardware

The issue is 100% firmware-related, not software.

3. This is the second time I report this problem, and still no BIOS or EC update has been provided for my model.
Other Victus 16 models received performance-fix BIOS versions like F25, but my model remains stuck on F18, causing major GPU/CPU underperformance.

At this point, I need this case escalated to engineering / BIOS development, because generic steps are not solving anything.

4. Refund notice (under warranty):
If HP is unable to provide an actual fix (BIOS/EC update) within 2 weeks, I will formally request a refund or replacement, since the laptop is under warranty and is not delivering the performance advertised for an RTX 4070 system.

Please escalate my ticket immediately to the appropriate team.

Thank you.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @oakTINO 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

  

Thanks for posting your query! We're here to help you get back up and running.

My sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to you. We'd hate for you to be stuck in a situation like this. Because you matter to us.

These requests are best addressed over the phone with our dedicated support team for your region. 

I'm sending you a private message to guide you on the next steps.

To access it, click the private message icon in the upper-right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your name.

If this resolves your issue, kindly mark this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" if it was helpful.

Take care and have a great day!

Regards,

Hawks_Eye