I'm using a new HP Victus 15 (2025) with a Core 7 240H, RTX 5060 8GB, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and the latest NVIDIA drivers. In Elden Ring at 1080p, the game stays locked around 32–33 FPS without obvious stuttering, even after lowering several settings from Maximum. The GPU reports 100% usage but remains at only 60–63°C, while MSI Afterburner and RTSS show power draw dropping as low as 28.3W, despite the laptop's NVIDIA control panel listing an 80W maximum graphics power limit. CPU temperatures reach roughly 83–92°C, though CPU usage is only around 11–19%. As a comparison, GTA V Enhanced runs at about 100 FPS on Ultra settings on this same laptop. Dynamic Boost is enabled, the system does not support Advanced Optimus or have a MUX switch, and I've already set NVIDIA's power mode to Prefer Maximum Performance and Windows to Best Performance. The laptop is plugged into its original 200W+ charger, VSync is disabled, and the display is set to 144Hz. Ray tracing is also off. Has anyone run into this kind of low GPU power behavior in Elden Ring, or have suggestions for finding the cause?
4 Answers
Since this model doesn’t have a MUX switch, there probably isn’t a dedicated-GPU mode to force. It’s still worth checking that the game is using the RTX 5060 rather than integrated graphics, and confirming the Windows display refresh rate. VSync or a frame limiter can also create a very specific locked FPS result, although those seem less likely if VSync is already disabled and the panel is running at 144Hz.
Check MSI Afterburner for a reduced power-limit setting, and make sure Elden Ring’s ray tracing option is disabled. Ray tracing can cause a major performance drop in this game. If the power-limit controls are unavailable or the limit is already fixed by the laptop firmware, then the low wattage may be coming from a game-specific profile, driver issue, or an unexpected frame cap.
The power-limit value isn’t shown and I can’t change it in Afterburner. Ray tracing is disabled too, so I’m still trying to figure out why the GPU is only drawing around 28W.
Gaming laptops can be heavily constrained by their firmware, cooling profile, and power-sharing behavior, even when the GPU is technically rated for a higher wattage. That said, a 28W draw is unusually low for an RTX 5060, so it’s worth checking the laptop’s performance mode in the manufacturer control software, reinstalling or clean-installing the NVIDIA driver, and testing another demanding game to see whether this is specific to Elden Ring. The fact that GTA V runs near 100 FPS suggests the hardware is capable of normal performance.
That’s what makes it so confusing. GTA V performs normally, so I’m hoping this is a game profile, driver, or power-management issue rather than a defective laptop. I chose a laptop because I move around often, but I’m definitely looking forward to having a desktop setup someday.
The settings and monitoring screenshots would be useful here, especially the in-game resolution, frame-rate limit, VSync, ray tracing, and GPU selection. A stable 32–33 FPS cap often points to a limiter or synchronization setting rather than the GPU simply being too weak. Also check NVIDIA’s per-game settings for Elden Ring and any overlays that might impose a half-refresh-rate cap.
I confirmed there’s no MUX switch, VSync is off, and the display is set to 144Hz. I also checked the CPU and GPU behavior, but nothing obvious points to a CPU bottleneck.