fps dropping every 1min or so

[Mahrez3]

hi, Whenever playing games, (any game), every 2min or so the fps drops to 14 and go back to normal 60fps stable (limited refresh rate), and my gpu goes to 100% usage and then to its normal usage of 65% or 70% , i tried everything, i have a intel i5 1235U and 8gb of ram, but i don't know how, i do not have this problem everyday, but majority of time it's there.

[Garp_senchau]

@Mahrez3, 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

Background Processes: Ensure there are no unnecessary programs running in the background that might be using resources needed for gaming. You can check this in the Task Manager under the "Processes" tab.

Power Settings: Check if your laptop is on a balanced power plan or battery saver mode, which could throttle performance. Adjust to "High Performance" in your power settings.

Thermal Throttling: Your system might be overheating, causing it to lower performance to protect itself. Ensure the vents are not blocked and consider using a cooling pad.

Driver Updates: Make sure your GPU drivers and chipset drivers are up to date. You can usually update these through HP Support Assistant or the manufacturer’s website.

Game Settings: Lowering graphic settings or resolution can reduce the load on the GPU.

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. 

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,

[Mahrez3]

hi garp, thanks for replying, so i did all of this and nothing changed, but what i figured is, my laptop only does this when it's plugged in, but when it's not, it drops every 2 mins, i did a bios update and nothing changed, but this problem doesn't happen every time it''s plugged in.

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @Mahrez3,

Thank you for your update, and I appreciate the detailed observations you’ve shared — that helps a lot in narrowing down the issue.

Since you mentioned that the problem mostly occurs when the laptop is not plugged in, I’d like to explain why keeping your laptop connected to power while gaming is important:

When a laptop is running on battery power, even if it’s capable hardware-wise, the system will automatically limit performance to preserve battery life and manage heat. This is true even when using a "High Performance" power plan — the CPU and GPU will still operate at reduced power levels compared to when the laptop is plugged in.

In your case, your Intel Core i5-1235U is a power-efficient processor designed for everyday tasks. During gaming, your GPU and CPU need consistent high power to maintain stable performance and FPS. When unplugged, the system prioritizes efficiency over performance, which can lead to the exact issue you're experiencing — sudden drops in FPS and GPU usage spikes.

In short:

Plugging in the charger allows your system to run at full performance
Running games on battery will likely cause lag, FPS drops, and inconsistent GPU usage

To ensure the best experience, we always recommend keeping your laptop connected to power during gaming or any other performance-heavy tasks.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good 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,

[Mahrez3]

hi garp, i think you missunderstood the situation here, my laptop does that when it's plugged in ! and when it's on battery, it runs extremly smoothly, and when it's 100% charged but plugged in it runs smoothly too, but 99% and below, this happens.

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @Mahrez3,

Thank you for your response

I understand the situation now, and I apologize for any confusion. Based on what you're describing, it seems unusual that the system behaves differently when plugged in, especially when the battery charge level drops below 100%. This could potentially be related to power management settings, battery calibration, or even a hardware issue.

Let me walk you through some troubleshooting steps to help resolve this:

Update Battery and Power Drivers

Step 1: Right-click the Start menu and select Device Manager.

Step 2: Expand the Batteries section and right-click on both Microsoft AC Adapter and Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery, then select Update Driver.

Step 3: Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.

Restart your laptop afterward and check if the issue persists.

Check Power Settings

Step 1: Open the Control Panel.

Step 2: Navigate to Power Options.

Step 3: Select Change plan settings next to your current power plan.

Step 4: Click Change advanced power settings.

Step 5: Scroll down to Battery and check the settings for Battery Conservation or Critical Battery Actions.

If these settings are too aggressive, they might be causing the system to throttle performance unnecessarily.

Perform a Battery Calibration

Sometimes, the battery's reporting can get misaligned. Here's how to recalibrate it:

Charge the laptop to 100% and leave it plugged in for about an hour.

Then, unplug it and let it run until the battery is fully drained and the laptop shuts down.

Reconnect the charger and charge the battery back to 100% without interruption.

Update BIOS and Firmware

Step 1: Go to the HP Support Website.

Step 2: Enter your laptop's model number and download the latest BIOS and firmware updates.

Step 3: Install the updates and restart your laptop.

Run HP Hardware Diagnostics

Step 1: Press ESC during boot-up to enter the Startup Menu.

Step 2: Press F2 to run HP PC Hardware Diagnostics.

This will check for any hardware issues, especially with the battery or power components.

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. 

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,

[Mahrez3]

none of these solutions worked, thank you garp 🙂

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @Mahrez3,

Thank you for your response

It seems like the issue might be with the adapter, especially since it only occurs when the adapter is connected and not when running on battery. I suggest running a hardware diagnostic by following these steps:

• Shut down the PC.
• Turn it on and immediately press Esc → F2 to enter diagnostics.
• Select Hardware Diagnostics and then run the Charger/Power Adapter Test.

This will help identify any potential issues.

Additionally, if you have access to a similar charger with the same specifications, try using it to see if the issue persists. Let me know what you find!

Reference: HP PC Hardware Diagnostics | HP® Support

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good 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,

[Mahrez3]

i run the power tests and nothing seemzd to be wrong, also, i do not have an hp charger sooo i'm sorry, a'y other solution ?

[Garp_senchau]

Hey @Mahrez3, 

Thanks for reaching out! Since the issue remains unresolved, I suggest contacting our phone/chat support team for personalized assistance. They can provide one-on-one help and may even be able to work their remote assistance magic to fix the problem.

Note: There might be a nominal charge for the service they provide.

Regards,