Request for BIOS EC Firmware Update to Fix GPU Performance Issue

[oakTINO]

I am writing to highlight a critical performance issue affecting the HP Victus 16 laptops equipped with the RTX 4070 and Intel i7-14650HX processor. Despite having the latest BIOS update (version F.16) and the most up-to-date drivers, many users—including myself—are experiencing significant GPU underutilization across multiple games and applications.

This problem manifests as abnormally low GPU usage (often between 20% and 40%) during gameplay, even when FPS is uncapped and power settings are configured for maximum performance in both Windows and the NVIDIA Control Panel. The result is severely diminished frame rates and an overall poor gaming experience that does not reflect the capabilities of the RTX 4070 hardware.

After extensive investigation and community feedback, it is evident that the root cause lies in the Embedded Controller (EC) firmware responsible for managing GPU power states and clock speeds at the hardware level. The EC firmware appears to prematurely throttle GPU power or fail to maintain sustained boost clocks unless it detects a continuous and heavy workload. This flawed power management algorithm leads to inconsistent GPU performance, particularly in games with variable or bursty loads.

Importantly, this issue cannot be resolved through software tweaks, driver updates, or operating system reinstallations, as it is embedded within the EC firmware—a component governed by the system BIOS. Therefore, the only effective solution is a firmware update from HP that revises the EC’s power management policies to allow the GPU to reach and maintain its designed performance levels.

I strongly urge HP’s engineering and support teams to prioritize the development and release of such a firmware update. The current state not only undermines the value of the RTX 4070 on this platform but also impacts user satisfaction and trust in HP’s commitment to delivering high-performance gaming laptops.

I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to an official response and timely resolution.

[Garp_senchau]

@oakTINO, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. I understand your frustration with the GPU underutilization on your HP Victus 16 laptop, and I really appreciate the time you’ve taken to investigate and share your findings.

Here’s what we’re doing:

We’ve Noted the Issue: It looks like the low GPU usage could be linked to the Embedded Controller (EC) firmware, which manages GPU power and performance. We are looking into this and will prioritize a fix.

Temporary Workaround: While we work on a fix, make sure your system is set to Maximum Performance mode in both Windows and NVIDIA Control Panel. If possible, disable NVIDIA Optimus to ensure the dedicated GPU is always used.

Keep Us Updated: If you notice anything else or have more feedback, please feel free to share. We’ll use it to help guide the fix.

We’re sorry for the inconvenience, and we’re committed to getting this resolved. Thanks for your patience and for bringing this to our attention.

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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Regards,

[oakTINO]

Hi Garp_Senchau,

Thank you for your response — I truly appreciate HP looking into this matter seriously.

I’ve double-checked all relevant settings on my end:

Maximum Performance mode is enabled in both Windows and the NVIDIA Control Panel.

MUX Switch is active, and NVIDIA Optimus is disabled.

All drivers and BIOS are up to date.

Temperatures and power draw are normal, with no signs of thermal throttling.

Despite this, the GPU still shows low utilization in situations where full performance is expected. I’m confident this may be linked to EC firmware behavior, and I’m glad to hear this is being prioritized.

Please keep me informed of any upcoming updates or fixes — I’m happy to provide any logs or feedback to assist with resolving the issue.

Thanks again for the support,

oakTINO