I have an HP ProBook 445 G11 running Windows 11, and its processor occasionally becomes locked at 0.40 GHz even when CPU usage rises to around 60–70%. The entire laptop starts lagging and stuttering when this happens. Restarting temporarily restores normal performance, but the problem eventually returns. I have not noticed the issue while running Linux, so it seems specific to Windows 11. What could be causing this, and how can I troubleshoot or fix it?
2 Answers
Start by checking the charger and power settings. If the adapter is underpowered, incompatible, damaged, or not being recognized correctly, the laptop may reduce the CPU to its minimum speed to protect itself. Make sure you are using the original HP adapter with the correct wattage, and check whether the slowdown happens on battery, AC power, or both.
Windows may be applying a persistent throttling limit rather than simply showing an inaccurate clock reading. When it happens, check the active Windows power mode, minimum and maximum processor state, and whether the BIOS reports an adapter or battery warning. A monitoring utility such as ThrottleStop can help identify power-limit or thermal-limit flags, although BIOS and driver updates should be tried first.
The laptop is already set to its best-performance mode, and the reduced speed causes noticeable stuttering rather than just being a reporting issue. I’ll use a monitoring tool to see which limit is being triggered.
I’ll verify the adapter and wattage. The issue has happened both while plugged in and on battery, but I’ll pay closer attention to whether there’s a pattern.