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gonzcv

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December 3rd, 2025 05:33

16 Area-51 AA16250, CPU low wattage in games but fine during rendering

Hello,

I just got this laptop and everything works fine overall. Even during 3D rendering, both CPU and GPU performance are excellent. My issue is with gaming: FPS is noticeably worse despite good temperatures. In Alienware Command Center, I noticed that CPU wattage is capped at around 45W in Performance mode.

If I switch to High Performance, wattage increases to about 60W but the fans ramp up extremely loud, making it unbearable. I also tried the OC profiles, but performance actually got worse.

What can I do to get the most FPS out of this system?

It’s definitely not thermal throttling, temps stay good around 70-74 degrees and I can multitask without any lag. It feels like Command Center is limiting CPU power specifically while gaming, which doesn’t make sense since other workloads perform great.

Any advice would be appreciated!

DELL-Jesse L

Moderator

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17.8K Posts

December 3rd, 2025 10:42

Low FPS on Alienware Laptop

Experiencing low frames per second (FPS) on your Alienware laptop can be attributed to several factors. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and improve performance:

  1. Check Graphics Settings:

    • Ensure that the game or application is set to use the discrete GPU for better performance.
    • For NVIDIA graphics, open the NVIDIA Control Panel:
      • Go to 3D Settings > Manage 3D Settings.
      • Under the Program Settings tab, select the application and set the Preferred Graphics Processor to High-performance NVIDIA Processor.
  2. Switchable Graphics Configuration:

    • If your laptop has both integrated and discrete graphics, ensure that the discrete GPU is being utilized when plugged in.
    • For AMD graphics, right-click on the desktop, select AMD Radeon Settings, then navigate to System > Switchable Graphics to manage application settings.
  3. Update Drivers:

    • Ensure that your graphics drivers are up to date. Visit the Dell support website to download the latest drivers for your GPU.
  4. Resolution and Scaling Settings:

    • Check the resolution settings in the NVIDIA Control Panel under Display > Change Resolution. Ensure the settings are optimized for performance.
  5. Power Settings:

    • Make sure your laptop is set to a high-performance power plan when gaming. This can be adjusted in the Windows power settings.
  6. Background Applications:

    • Close unnecessary background applications that may be consuming resources and affecting performance.

By following these steps, you should be able to improve the FPS on your Alienware laptop. If issues persist, consider reaching out to Dell support for further assistance.


To receive assistance from Dell chat support, they need to verify the warranty status and ownership. Then you must troubleshoot with them.  Click the "Get Help Now" icon on the right to start a live chat session. If already out of warranty, click here for the Dell out of warranty offering.

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