RF-Guy-El-Loco
Member
Reducing CPU/Load Temps in Laptops, etc
After hours of tweaking with SDRTrunk, I've found a few things to reduce your laptop's CPU horsepower/usage, or otherwise lessen it to lower the workload and temps. Laptops internals will run pretty hot while running this progam, with so much going on. I would rather side with lower temps than higher.
1. Disable the Spectrum/Waterfall displays or minimize each. Logical sense as it takes a great deal of shared CPU to update the FFT video. I cut the refresh rate to 14 frames/sec. Also set the FFT to a low 2048. This didn't lessen the CPU temps much. But if you disable both, CPU core temps will drop 20-30 F. from running the live Spectrum/waterfall. Liveable at times. I just want to get laptop CPU temps below staying at 200 degrees F. for hours. Intel specs claim this is still "within safe operable chip temps," but l dunno. I also minimize SDRTrunk to the system tray bar every so often, then you can't see it, but you can still hear it getting calls. This will drop temps back to the 130-150 degrees range for a time. I also prop it up on a dual fan cooler tray underneath for airflow.
2. Set your laptop resolution back a bit, I tried 1280x720 (from 1366x768) and it dropped CPU temps by nearly 10 degrees F and a few percent less of CPU load. The numbers get slightly bigger, a bit easier on my eyes. I can't see a drawback here unless you're a finicky type. YMMV.
I'm swear that I'm gonna put this guy Denny in my will.
After hours of tweaking with SDRTrunk, I've found a few things to reduce your laptop's CPU horsepower/usage, or otherwise lessen it to lower the workload and temps. Laptops internals will run pretty hot while running this progam, with so much going on. I would rather side with lower temps than higher.
1. Disable the Spectrum/Waterfall displays or minimize each. Logical sense as it takes a great deal of shared CPU to update the FFT video. I cut the refresh rate to 14 frames/sec. Also set the FFT to a low 2048. This didn't lessen the CPU temps much. But if you disable both, CPU core temps will drop 20-30 F. from running the live Spectrum/waterfall. Liveable at times. I just want to get laptop CPU temps below staying at 200 degrees F. for hours. Intel specs claim this is still "within safe operable chip temps," but l dunno. I also minimize SDRTrunk to the system tray bar every so often, then you can't see it, but you can still hear it getting calls. This will drop temps back to the 130-150 degrees range for a time. I also prop it up on a dual fan cooler tray underneath for airflow.
2. Set your laptop resolution back a bit, I tried 1280x720 (from 1366x768) and it dropped CPU temps by nearly 10 degrees F and a few percent less of CPU load. The numbers get slightly bigger, a bit easier on my eyes. I can't see a drawback here unless you're a finicky type. YMMV.
I'm swear that I'm gonna put this guy Denny in my will.