How to know if your PC is slow because of Throttling

Two exists types from Throttling:

• Dynamic Frequency Scaling: This is a technology that adjusts the frequency of a component based on the workload it has. In this technology we can find the difference between the base frequency and the boost frequency of a CPU or a graphics card.
• Thermal Throttling: is a reduction in the frequency of operation of a component. Based on the heat it is generating in operation. And to prevent such heat from causing damage to the component in question.

All the electronic components of our PC give off heat when working. If such heat is not properly evacuated from inside the case, the components run the risk of damage. Many times, irreversibly. To prevent this from occurring, manufacturers have implemented certain temperatures in their processors that, when reached, cause them to decrease their operating frequencies.

Since, by decreasing these frequencies, less heat is generated, the component can continue to function more or less normally. But, in case these temperatures do not decrease, the affected component will probably order the system to shut down completely.

How can we know if a component is doing Throttling?

Unfortunately, the only way to know if our components are doing Throttling is to check their operating frequencies. Certain programs like Afterburner or HWiNFO They can help us a lot, since they can draw graphs.

In this case, you should know what the frequencies usual of your processor or graphics card.

If you look at the previous image, when the temperature of that graphics card reaches 95 ° C, the frequency of its GPU decreases sharply to half. And, when the situation of excess temperature is maintained for quite some time, it goes back down further.

These frequency drops of the processor and the graphics card can generate a considerable reduction in the performance of our equipment. Especially if you dedicate yourself to perform tasks that consume a lot of processor and / or a lot of graphics card. You will notice how, suddenly, the performance The entire system falls to the point that it can no longer be used normally.

A component that is prone to suffer from Throttling are the NVMe SSD when they lack heatsink. In the case of these, when their temperatures reach a certain level, their performance drops a lot. And, already forgetting the components, the laptops They are the most likely systems to suffer from Throttling in their processor or on their graphics card. Especially when they are not done a minimum maintenance to clean the dust that absorb and block the ventilation grilles of the unit.

Knowing all this, it is not surprising that we always emphasize so much about the need to have a well ventilated system. With boxes that correctly refrigerate the components inside. And that they are able to recycle the air inside them quite frequently.