4 ms·

You have no issues with thermal throttling or inane power limits on Linux? Which kernel version are you running?

p_l 5y ago
These issues were caused by buggy intel software back in T460-T480 era - lenovo considered the problem big enough to consider not using Intel thermal management code in future designs
tim-- 5y ago
Not that I have noticed. Currently running 5.17.3-arch1-1. I don't usually push this machine too hard - maybe the most that I do is recompiling ffmpeg a few times a day, so it might just be a result of my usage patterns? I'll get back to you with more solid figures later tonight. EDIT: Just had a play around with sysbench running a few prime number tests while compiling a kernel or two. The k10temp-pci-00c3 (CPU temperature under lm_sensors) seems to stick around at a crispy +64.1°C for a good few minutes, before rising to +65.6°C. It seems to drop back down to +64.2°C. The fan is pretty noisy. The CPU drops down to +50.0°C within 60 seconds of the sysbench benchmark stopping, and the fan noise is completely gone after 90 seconds. Temp is +36.9°C. Idle temp looks like it's around +34.4°C. Not sure how I can measure the db level of the fans? I do have a recorder, so I might be able to do it that way. Not sure what a good way to actually benchmark the machine would be - it hasn't really come up as a necessity. Maybe I can use the Phoronix Test Suite? EDIT 2: Doing some searching, maybe I got the machine just in time? 5.17 looks like it added some code specifically around P-states for Linux. https://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_5.17#New_P-State_driver_for_modern_AMD_cpus https://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_5.17#New_P-State_driver_for_... ... Someone else with my exact same kernel version reports AMD issues being fixed in Arch that they previously had. https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/u7kwza/recent_arch_update_5173arch11_solves_my_endless/ https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/u7kwza/recent_ar...
- schroeding 5y ago
  Regarding the edit, that would make sense. I have the same laptop and first tried to run Ubuntu LTS, had some problems with the thermals, even though it was definitely usable. Tried Arch (with the 5.17 kernel, from Ubuntu LTS's 5.4 kernel) and the thermals were more or less identical to Windows, including the fan behavior. It's a really nice little machine! :D
- Avamander 5y ago
  > maybe the most that I do is recompiling ffmpeg a few times a day, so it might just be a result of my usage patterns? Maybe. If you compile in short bursts it's probably not going to affect you as much. With 4K screens and compiling a tiny bit of Rust, it starts being noticeable rather quick. I did notice that newer kernel versions do behave a bit better, but still require a bit of help to keep consistent performance plugged in.
dotancohen 5y ago
From June last year until February this year, I was running the stock Kubuntu 20.04 kernel on a ThinkPad T14 with no thermal throttling or power limits. I would often have a few Docker containers running, a JetBrains editor (Java, shudder), Firefox with some addons and well over 100 open tabs, Chrome with the devtools open, MS Teams, Thunderbird, and some smaller apps such as Keepass, Telegram, Anki, a dozen terminals, and Emacs running. Never had a problem with memory (I think only 8 GiB, actually) or CPU (I don't even remember which Intel CPU it had). It was also connected to a docking station with two external monitors and an external keyboard. It was the smoothest Laptop I've ever used with Linux, which I've been doing since 2008. Everything worked out of the box, including external displays, wifi, printing. I'm sure that a major portion of that experience was using a Kubuntu LTS release.
- Avamander 5y ago
  > RAM (I think only 8 GiB, actually) or CPU (I don't even remember which Intel CPU it had Sounds like you had one of the cheaper T14's, it's likely you didn't run into any power limits due to that. 1080p screen as well, I presume? Kubuntu 20.04 and its kernel version certainly throttle power on the higher-end T14's I've seen. If that's lifted then they throttle thermally, unless you manually force both cooling and power limits higher. Windows handles it all tad better, but the battery life is nothing to be amazed of.
  - dotancohen 5y ago
    I do believe that is was a 1080 screen. I almost never used it without an auxiliary monitor (mostly two aux monitors), I would have been just as happy with a desktop. Alas, the company only provided laptops.

p_l 5y ago

These issues were caused by buggy intel software back in T460-T480 era - lenovo considered the problem big enough to consider not using Intel thermal management code in future designs

tim-- 5y ago

Not that I have noticed. Currently running 5.17.3-arch1-1. I don't usually push this machine too hard - maybe the most that I do is recompiling ffmpeg a few times a day, so it might just be a result of my usage patterns? I'll get back to you with more solid figures later tonight. EDIT: Just had a play around with sysbench running a few prime number tests while compiling a kernel or two. The k10temp-pci-00c3 (CPU temperature under lm_sensors) seems to stick around at a crispy +64.1°C for a good few minutes, before rising to +65.6°C. It seems to drop back down to +64.2°C. The fan is pretty noisy. The CPU drops down to +50.0°C within 60 seconds of the sysbench benchmark stopping, and the fan noise is completely gone after 90 seconds. Temp is +36.9°C. Idle temp looks like it's around +34.4°C. Not sure how I can measure the db level of the fans? I do have a recorder, so I might be able to do it that way. Not sure what a good way to actually benchmark the machine would be - it hasn't really come up as a necessity. Maybe I can use the Phoronix Test Suite? EDIT 2: Doing some searching, maybe I got the machine just in time? 5.17 looks like it added some code specifically around P-states for Linux. https://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_5.17#New_P-State_driver_for_modern_AMD_cpus https://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_5.17#New_P-State_driver_for_... ... Someone else with my exact same kernel version reports AMD issues being fixed in Arch that they previously had. https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/u7kwza/recent_arch_update_5173arch11_solves_my_endless/ https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/u7kwza/recent_ar...

schroeding 5y ago
Regarding the edit, that would make sense. I have the same laptop and first tried to run Ubuntu LTS, had some problems with the thermals, even though it was definitely usable. Tried Arch (with the 5.17 kernel, from Ubuntu LTS's 5.4 kernel) and the thermals were more or less identical to Windows, including the fan behavior. It's a really nice little machine! :D
Avamander 5y ago
> maybe the most that I do is recompiling ffmpeg a few times a day, so it might just be a result of my usage patterns? Maybe. If you compile in short bursts it's probably not going to affect you as much. With 4K screens and compiling a tiny bit of Rust, it starts being noticeable rather quick. I did notice that newer kernel versions do behave a bit better, but still require a bit of help to keep consistent performance plugged in.

dotancohen 5y ago

From June last year until February this year, I was running the stock Kubuntu 20.04 kernel on a ThinkPad T14 with no thermal throttling or power limits. I would often have a few Docker containers running, a JetBrains editor (Java, shudder), Firefox with some addons and well over 100 open tabs, Chrome with the devtools open, MS Teams, Thunderbird, and some smaller apps such as Keepass, Telegram, Anki, a dozen terminals, and Emacs running. Never had a problem with memory (I think only 8 GiB, actually) or CPU (I don't even remember which Intel CPU it had). It was also connected to a docking station with two external monitors and an external keyboard. It was the smoothest Laptop I've ever used with Linux, which I've been doing since 2008. Everything worked out of the box, including external displays, wifi, printing. I'm sure that a major portion of that experience was using a Kubuntu LTS release.

Avamander 5y ago
> RAM (I think only 8 GiB, actually) or CPU (I don't even remember which Intel CPU it had Sounds like you had one of the cheaper T14's, it's likely you didn't run into any power limits due to that. 1080p screen as well, I presume? Kubuntu 20.04 and its kernel version certainly throttle power on the higher-end T14's I've seen. If that's lifted then they throttle thermally, unless you manually force both cooling and power limits higher. Windows handles it all tad better, but the battery life is nothing to be amazed of.
- dotancohen 5y ago
  I do believe that is was a 1080 screen. I almost never used it without an auxiliary monitor (mostly two aux monitors), I would have been just as happy with a desktop. Alas, the company only provided laptops.