XPS 13 9350 CPU Running Slow

[KC McLaughlin]

While rendering a video with Premiere Pro, my XPS 13 9350 with a Core i5-6500U started running really slowly. Based on the Task Manager, I was able to see that the CPU was refusing to go over 0.38GHz and 16% usage.

I've tried restarting multiple times, as well as disabling C-states and Intel Speedstep, but nothing I tried worked. The only thing that has changed in anything is booting into Safe Mode, where the CPU runs at a constant 2.40GHz.

 

[velo3100]

Does this happen while plugged in?

 

[KC McLaughlin]

Does this happen while plugged in?

Yes, it happens regardless of whether the computer is on battery or wall power, or even whether it was restarted on battery or wall power.

 

[velo3100]

Have you tried to install the cpu driver for your laptop?

 

[ashleyduncan82]

I believe it is the 'updates' (like Apple did) trying to slow down our devices. How can it be fine and then after updating itself then be running slow.

I never usually update they seem to have more cons then pros, my XPS always works when not updating, super snappy, like the day I bought it but then I update and now it is sluggish and has a funny noise coming from trackpad.

 

[velo3100]

Try doing a manual download rather than an automatic download. This will ensure that you are downloading the right one for your laptop as I know that windows and software vendors will try and download the wrong driver so that they can make you buy the latest one. This happened to me with a custom made laptop as it downloaded a windows update which wiped my gpu driver so watch out.