Graphics card performance limitations due to laptop battery failure

[Vitalik_Klekot]

Hi, please tell me how to remove the performance limitation of the video card due to a faulty laptop battery.
I almost always use my laptop from the network, so the battery quickly failed. However, because of this, the system now always limits my video card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070) from a possible 1447 MHz, performance has dropped to 164 MHz.
I have set the maximum performance mode everywhere in the OS, the "Advanced" tab in the BIOS is blocked, so I can't influence it there.
Please tell me if it is possible to fix this without replacing the battery.
Or maybe I misunderstood everything and the problem is not in the battery, I will be grateful for the tips.

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

@Vitalik_Klekot, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

You're correct in observing that many HP OMEN laptops (including your OMEN by HP 17-an188nr) may reduce GPU performance when a battery is faulty or missing even if the laptop is plugged in. This is a built-in safeguard in many systems, as the battery often works alongside the power adapter to supply sufficient power during high-performance loads like gaming or rendering.

Here's what's likely happening:

When the battery is malfunctioning or completely dead, the system can't rely on it for additional power during spikes in demand. As a result, the system downclocks the GPU (as you've seen, from 1447 MHz down to 164 MHz) to prevent power-related instability or damage.

What You’ve Tried – and Why It’s Good:

• Setting max performance in OS: Good first step.
• BIOS "Advanced" tab being locked
• Plugging into AC power: Necessary, but alone won’t override hardware-enforced power limits if the battery is degraded or not detected.

Can this be fixed without replacing the battery?

Unfortunately, not reliably.

• Undervolting/underclocking the CPU and GPU to reduce peak power draw (with third-party tools like ThrottleStop or MSI Afterburner).
• Forcing a high-performance profile in NVIDIA Control Panel or Windows.

However, these may not work consistently and could void your warranty or cause instability. Since the firmware is likely enforcing a GPU throttle based on battery health, these workarounds usually offer limited or no success.

Recommendation:

Replace the battery, even if you use the laptop on AC power only.

A healthy battery ensures that your laptop has enough power headroom for the GPU to operate at its full clock speed. Once replaced, you should see the GPU return to normal performance levels.

If you're not sure about battery health, try running a diagnostic:

To check battery condition:

• Turn off your laptop.
• Press the Power button, then immediately press Esc repeatedly until the Startup Menu appears.
• Press F2 for System Diagnostics.
• Choose Battery Test and follow the instructions.
• If the test shows "Battery Failure" or "Weak," that's confirmation.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support