I have a Dell Latitude 3490 with an i7-8550U, 16 GB of RAM, Intel UHD 620 graphics, and a Radeon 530 dedicated GPU. While playing games, the Radeon's utilization repeatedly drops, returns to normal, and then drops again, causing constant stuttering. I have already tried several fixes and replaced the thermal paste in March, so I'm not sure thermal throttling is the cause. The GPU reaches roughly 60–80°C during GTA V. The laptop also has no battery installed, and I'm wondering whether running only from the charger could be causing power or performance issues. Any ideas what could be responsible?
1 Answer
The temperatures you reported do not immediately suggest overheating, but it would still be worth monitoring both GPU and CPU temperatures, clock speeds, and power limits while the stutter happens. Since the laptop has no battery, the charger and laptop power-management system may be limiting performance or repeatedly switching power states. Check that you are using the correct, sufficiently powerful Dell adapter, set the system to maximum performance when plugged in, and reinstall or update the Intel and Radeon graphics drivers. Also make sure the game is actually using the Radeon 530 rather than switching between the integrated and dedicated GPUs.
The Radeon stays around 60–80°C during GTA V, so I don’t think the GPU is overheating. I’ll check the CPU temperatures, clocks, and charger rating next since the missing battery could be affecting the power behavior.