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X201 running hot, eating LOTS of power

X200/X201/X220 (including equivalent tablet models) and X300/X301 Series
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wujstefan
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X201 running hot, eating LOTS of power

#1 Post by wujstefan » Fri Feb 16, 2018 4:04 pm

Hello,

I've recently got a cheap (very cheap in fact), great looking X201 for my friends' mother.

The thing is, as far as I recall these systems ran pretty hot due to standard 35W TDP CPUs, and with turbo boost. This particular one has a i5-520.

Hitting 100C under synthetic load is still very high IMO. Using orthos, stressing both cores up to turbo boost results in 100C after 2-3 mins.
With light load the system keeps 60C w/ fan at 1 via tpfancontrol and eats around 17W. Light load = typing this message; CPU multiplier on battery is reduced to 15x (~2GHz), LCD brightness 9/15.

Isn't it running way too hot, eating way too much battery? I can't see the CPU being loaded using allcpumeter, and after orthos the system gets back from 100C to constant 60c in 5secs, so I don't expect the cooling system to be faulty.
Too many thinkpads not enough time!
(stable under reduction)

shawross
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Re: X201 running hot, eating LOTS of power

#2 Post by shawross » Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:42 pm

They can run hot but yours seems very hot for some reason. I would make sure the bios is set to adaptive for the CPU.

I have this on mine and it still has enough power when I need it. Maybe a clean and a thermal repaste might be in order.
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TPFanatic
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Re: X201 running hot, eating LOTS of power

#3 Post by TPFanatic » Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:33 pm

shawross wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:42 pm
Maybe a clean and a thermal repaste might be in order.
Seconded. Spreading, then scraping off excess paste with a credit card seems to help with applying the optimal amount.

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