I've been dealing with a frustrating issue on my Lenovo Legion 5, specifically the Ryzen 5 4600H model with a GTX 1650 and 16 GB of RAM. My CPU has been stuck at a meager 0.40 GHz, making the laptop painfully slow to use. I've tried numerous troubleshooting steps like restarting multiple times, disconnecting the battery for several days, and tweaking power settings, but nothing has resolved the issue.
I even took it to a repair shop, where the technician mentioned some odd "ball bearing issue" with the CPU. After attempts to fix it, the problem persisted. On top of that, I've noticed my SSD is also functioning slowly, and the technician now suggests that replacing the SSD might resolve the CPU issue. This leaves me confused; can a failing SSD actually cause CPU throttling? I want to know if it's more likely a motherboard, BIOS, sensor, or power issue. Considering I'm planning to buy a new laptop next year, I'm hesitant to invest too much into this one. Should I go ahead with the SSD replacement or just stick with my HDD for the time being? I still need the laptop to function, so any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you checked if your charger is the issue? Sometimes the power management on these laptops can get glitchy. I'd recommend making sure there’s no firmware update available for your model. You can also try monitoring the CPU speeds with Task Manager while disconnecting and reconnecting the charger a few times. If you've noticed that the CPU speed changes when using a different charger, then the original charger might be the problem. Some Legion 5 models require a proprietary charger, so ensure you’re using the right one.
Booting into BIOS might help as a last resort. Right when you start up, keep tapping the delete key to get into it. Once there, unplug the power adapter and hold down the power button for about 30 seconds. If you see the power button flashing white, that should indicate a good cold boot. Plug the adapter back in and see if that clears up the throttling issue. I hope this does the trick for you!
I tried that too, but it didn’t fix the problem.
I've encountered this same issue with other Lenovo laptops, and it's typically a power management problem. If you already tried cleaning up or resetting your BIOS settings and nothing changed, then I’d still lean towards either a motherboard issue or yes, possibly the SSD affecting performance. Just be careful with how much you spend if you're planning on replacing the SSD, especially since you’re looking to upgrade your laptop in the near future.
Actually, I tried using my friend's charger and saw no change in speeds, but my charger does have some minor damage.