HP LAPTOP 15 THERMAL THROTTLE WHEN PLUGGED IN

[Lee1012]

Having serious thermal + power throttling issues with my laptop running an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H — even under normal usage.

Plugged in, it’s supposed to sustain higher power, but instead:

• Dynamic PL1 drops from 35W to 25W under light/moderate load
• HWiNFO shows BIOS PL1 set to 40W, but it’s clearly not sustainable
• CPU hits 90°C at just ~30watt within seconds. And constantly around that.

Fan behavior is also terrible. They don’t ramp up fast enough when temps spike. Even when they do, fan speed is surprisingly low and ineffective. 

Feels like the cooling + fan curve is the real bottleneck here, not the CPU. At this point I’m wondering if this is a bad unit, poor factory paste, or just flawed thermal design

model: fd1104tu

[Deep_World]

Hi @Lee1012,
 
Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

I completely understand how  it must feel when your laptop doesn’t deliver the performance you expect, especially when plugged in. Thank you for sharing such detailed observations that really helps narrow down what might be happening.

Could you please confirm  whether you’ve noticed this behaviour consistently across different workloads (for example, light browsing vs. gaming or heavy multitasking)?

Here are a few steps you can try in the meantime:

Update BIOS and drivers: Outdated firmware or thermal management drivers can cause throttling issues. Please check HP Support Assistant or the HP website https://support.hp.com/  for the latest updates.

Adjust Windows power plan: Ensure your laptop is set to “High Performance” mode in Windows settings, as “Balanced” or “Power Saver” can restrict CPU power limits.

Clean vents and fans: Dust buildup can severely impact cooling efficiency.  

Run HP diagnostics: HP laptops have built-in hardware diagnostics (press F2 at startup) to check for thermal or fan issues.

If the fans aren’t ramping up properly, that could  point to a  hardware-level cooling issue.

I hope this helps. 

[Lee1012]

I opened up the chassis and the heatsink. The heatsink contact wasn’t great, the thermal putty had partially shifted off the die. Reapplied it properly and cleaned out the fans while I was in there. Saw temps dropped ~7–10°C at the same wattage. Throttling still exists, but noticeably reduced.

Cinebench R23 Multicore performance increased, but still not as high as when first new. (Currently 8K, newly 10K) Single core increased by 15%. Dynamic PL1 drops from max 35W to min 20W when workloads. PL2 increased. (Observed max power impulse hit 51W before cleaning up to 66W after below 1s during workloads)
Still feels like the cooling design is the limiting factor overall in a H-series CPU which has 14C and 18T, but fixing the thermal application definitely helped.
How long should I change the thermal putty ?

[Deep_World · Accepted solution]

Hi @Lee1012,
 

Thanks for your response .

 I appreciate the detailed information you’ve shared about the steps you’ve already taken to improve cooling performance.

 To ensure the safety and longevity of your HP device, we strongly recommend that any reapplication of thermal putty or thermal interface material be performed by an HP authorized service professional. Attempting this procedure on your own may risk damage to the unit, as precise application and correct handling of internal components are critical.

If you are experiencing performance drops or suspect the thermal material may need replacement, the best course of action is to schedule service through an HP service center. Our technicians use approved materials and procedures to guarantee proper contact between the heatsink and CPU, while also maintaining warranty coverage.

For ongoing care, you can continue with safe maintenance practices such as:

Regular fan cleaning to prevent dust buildup.

Proper ventilation by keeping the device on hard, flat surfaces.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 

Regards

Deep World

 

[Lee1012]

Appreciate that. Thanks!

[Deep_World]

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! 

Best Regards,

Deep_World