Only for i9505.
Hey guys!
I've been experimenting a lot with my S4 and I figured out why many games lag...
The reason is that my gpu clock drops from max clock I set, to 320mhz once the temperature reaches 68C!
Some may say, this doesn't happen because the gpu doesn't thermal throttle on the S4 like on the HTC One...
Well...I used performance governor which is supposed to keep the gpu clock to the max at all times, and guess what?
When the temperature reached 68C my gpu clock went down to 320mhz even with performance governor!
How is that possible...?
Performance governor can't throttle down!
Thermal throttling is to blame. (or something else, that doesn't care about governors? )
It's not a coincidence this happened at exactly 68C like before.
(If anyone wants to argue with me about this I'd appreciate if he/she doesn't spam my thread for the love of god and pm me.)
Anyway, enough with the prologue..
This was a royal pain in the ass for me because I almost regret selling my silky smooth S3.
After tons of random searching and messing with the system of my phone I found the solution!
Here it is!
Sell your S4!
Nah, I'm just joking!
It's a great phone.
Here's the real solution:
I set
/sys/devices/platform/kgsl-3d0.0/kgsl/kgsl-3d0/min_pwrlevel
to 0 out of curiosity, which controls the lowest power level, or clock, that the gpu will use.
By default it's set at 4.
Since max was already 0 which means it's the highest value I set min to 0 too, and guess what?
The gpu clock remained at my set max, 504mhz, all the time, even after 68C!
Tried three games I know this problem happened and all three worked at 504mhz!
(for pure information, it was Modern Combat 4, Gangstar, and Asphalt 8)
How can you try it?
I've attached two scripts, one that sets the value to 0 and uses max gpu frequency all the time and one that sets the value to 4 so that the gpu can use the lower clock states again!
For Script Manager Users, free
Use script manager as root to run these widgets and I'd recommend you put two widgets on the home screen!
One for the first script enabling this tweak, and one for the second that disables it.
For Tasker Users, need to pay
If you have tasker you could use it too and set it to run the content of the first script as root at every heavy game and enable the tweak automatically, after that use tasker again to run the content of the second script when you go to your home screen (or anything else you want to set) and disable the tweak automatically!
Beware!I will not responsible if you damage your hardware!
Recommended prerequisites:
- Custom kernel preferably ktoonsez's or ausdim's, but any kernel with undervolt and thermal throttling control support will do.
Increased heat may be produced after doing this, so I recommend you to undervolt at least a little to reduce the overall heat, plus increase the thermal throttling limits too to prevent the cpu throttling down.
I use 85 as start limit and 82 as stop limit but you don't have to use my values.
I just find them safe enough and high enough so that they don't interfere with my games.
Try it and report back, many games are way smoother now, at least for me.
I'll be waiting for your results!
Have a nice day guys!
P.S. If you need to tune even more your device, take a look at my personal settings found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=45103847&postcount=1106
The gaming profiles are set at 1242mhz min now, not 1458mhz like before, because the gpu clocks work properly now the cpu doesn't need that much boost to avoid lag.
And the gpu clock I use now is 504mhz instead of the stock 450mhz in the link.
That's it!
You said that the gpu clock remained at my set max, 504mhz, all the time, even after 68C, but you didn't say how hot it got.
Did it get hotter than that? I'm a bit wary of frying the board to squeeze out a few extra frames on my device, but that's just me.
Haw much does it take you to reach 68° ? I have the 9500 version and i didnt face that problem yet.. it s going warm but doesnt lag
Envoyé depuis mon GT-I9500 en utilisant Tapatalk 4
donalgodon said:
You said that the gpu clock remained at my set max, 504mhz, all the time, even after 68C, but you didn't say how hot it got.
Did it get hotter than that? I'm a bit wary of frying the board to squeeze out a few extra frames on my device, but that's just me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You won't don't worry.
Both the cpu and gpu have a tolerance up to 100C, plus the system automatically shuts down before reaching critical high temperature.
For me it didn't get much hotter, only a few degrees.
You can monitor the frequencies and temperature with the Qualcomm Trepn Profiler which is an advanced free monitoring app for Qualcomm devices:
https://developer.qualcomm.com/mobile-development/performance-tools/trepn-profiler
or
you can use this app by senior member @rlorange which is much simpler and gets the job done just right:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=44953638&postcount=3547
3ayachi said:
Haw much does it take you to reach 68° ? I have the 9500 version and i didnt face that problem yet.. it s going warm but doesnt lag
Envoyé depuis mon GT-I9500 en utilisant Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry but this is not for the i9500, this is the first thing I wrote.
I don't even know if this happens on your device mate.
Anyway, it doesn't take much, play a heavy game for a few minutes an you'll reach 68C.
Updated link with my settings, now it's correct.
Sorry about that.
Is it possible to change this value without a reboot ? Like in a small app for example ?
Hey buddy...juz chk yu are having any thermald file under /system/etc...??
thanks mate!! It's working perfectly
So this won't work with a rooted s4 on stock rom and kernel?
If not I'm returning my phone. I played vice city today and the lag was terrible. I've only had this phone for two days and I'm dissatisfied with verizon and samsung for gimping it and then locking it down.
imo, companies advertising the power of their chips is false advertising when they set temperature throttle so low
crazysoccerman said:
So this won't work with a rooted s4 on stock rom and kernel?
If not I'm returning my phone. I played vice city today and the lag was terrible. I've only had this phone for two days and I'm dissatisfied with verizon and samsung for gimping it and then locking it down.
imo, companies advertising the power of their chips is false advertising when they set temperature throttle so low
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No mate, I'm sorry.
But good news is Samsung WILL fix your phone no matter knox 0x0 or 0x1.
(confirmed)
So flash your device and try again!
I must agree, companies are full of crap when advertising their products, it's so furstrating!
This throttling issue happens with any device, including iDevices.
Bootloader is locked. Most likely forever.
Don't have MDK so I cant loki.
Even with safestrap (which doesn't work for my MJ7) you can't flash custom kernels.
This phone is going back :good:
I'm going back to my trusty gnex for now. It would probably play GTA better at s4 resolution because I overclocked it and disabled thermal throttling.
Maybe I'll get a g2 with loki support...
Either way, I would like to give a Linus Torvalds Salute™ to samsung and verizon.
Too bad. :/
Wait for some exynos device or anyone with custom cpu/gpu because qualcomm imho isn't good enough.
I got this to work on my s4. Are there similar settings I can modify to prevent cpu throttling?
Edit: cpu throttling settings exist. But it wasn't throttling... it was changing governer and minimum frequency.
I set the governer to performance with root explorer and it's working perfectly.
Thanks op for the location of the gpu settings. There was no way I would have found it without your post.
I've tested it (works fine) but I have the feeling that somehow the phone is too warm
crazysoccerman said:
I got this to work on my s4. Are there similar settings I can modify to prevent cpu throttling?
Edit: cpu throttling settings exist. But it wasn't throttling... it was changing governer and minimum frequency.
I set the governer to performance with root explorer and it's working perfectly.
Thanks op for the location of the gpu settings. There was no way I would have found it without your post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
btmz said:
I've tested it (works fine) but I have the feeling that somehow the phone is too warm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad it worked guys!
Well, the temperature will definitely increase because of the increased gpu clock speed, but as long as cpu throttling temp is <=85 you should be fine.
That's what I've been searching for all day, I knew this device can handle those games, but the random stuttering was painful.
It lowers the GPU to 128 MHz, I measured that when I played Apshalt 8 and got my TricksterMod set in background. When the game dropped massive FPS I switched to Trickster and saw that the GPU is running 128 MHz, shocking. Ktoon's kernel has a touch boost which works nicely but Asphalt 8 is a racing game that uses the sensors to steer and so I did not touch my screen so often and I need that.
You sir deserve a medal.
GlossGhost said:
That's what I've been searching for all day, I knew this device can handle those games, but the random stuttering was painful.
It lowers the GPU to 128 MHz, I measured that when I played Apshalt 8 and got my TricksterMod set in background. When the game dropped massive FPS I switched to Trickster and saw that the GPU is running 128 MHz, shocking. Ktoon's kernel has a touch boost which works nicely but Asphalt 8 is a racing game that uses the sensors to steer and so I did not touch my screen so often and I need that.
You sir deserve a medal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks man!
I knew something was off the minute I started playing modern combat 3 and saw the same performance as my S3.
I researched quite a bit and found this in the end.
I even got in an argument with a guy at ausdim's kernel thread about this because he was saying I was talking nonsense and he wanted proof in order to believe me.
Well, here it is.
nfsmw_gr said:
Thanks man!
I knew something was off the minute I started playing modern combat 3 and saw the same performance as my S3.
I researched quite a bit and found this in the end.
I even got in an argument with a guy at ausdim's kernel thread about this because he was saying I was talking nonsense and he wanted proof in order to believe me.
Well, here it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, yeah no one can say to me that the games run buttery smooth without any modification.
A game does not run smooth on 128 MHz.
And all those amateur reboot your device and etc... They are complete nonsense.
I want ask a thing before flashing... Is this only an unlock and gpu scales the frequencies as it needs or I have always gpu freq at max on depending on what I'm doing? I hope this only unlock the max frequency otherwise became e battery drainer hack! Tell me guy!
From universe with my gs4 snapdragon powered!
will try it, nice work!
Hey there,
so i have been trying to get my girlfriends A700 on a modern version of Android, but so far stuff like Omni ROM or Pacman ROM had REALLY bad performance. I'm talking about 7-12 fps in the launcher and most other apps, which to me is unbearable. Today i was experimenting with kernel settings, and for this activated the CPU usage overlay.
It showed that 90% of the time only CPU0 is used and all other cores are deactivated and idle. I'm not sure if this is intended behaviour, but in combination with the choppy performance it's kind of suspicious to me.
So basically i have 2 questions:
1) Are all the Android 4.2 and up custom ROMs just really slow, or is there something wrong on my gfs device?
2) Should the device be running on one core all the time?
Mine is quite laggy too (currently on PAC rom).
Did a couple of updates via Google Play Store today and had a look at the CPU overlay. All 4 cores showed up to 1,25 GHz.
No idea how to check the fps though.
im thinking of buying this or note 4 i have an s5 right now. does rooting debloat and fixing the thermal settings fix the lag and overheating?or is there anything else that will. im a heavy user play switch in between games alot and depend on a decent battery life and dont like lag.
Basically same question here, except i already bought it.
By the way, i got it rooted.
I just got my Flex 2 and after debloating and tuning the thermal configuration I'm really enjoying it! Performs great.
dbvolcom said:
im thinking of buying this or note 4 i have an s5 right now. does rooting debloat and fixing the thermal settings fix the lag and overheating?or is there anything else that will. im a heavy user play switch in between games alot and depend on a decent battery life and dont like lag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Debloat and thermal settings has turned my phone into a powerhouse. On an average day, I see no more battery drain on the Flex 2 than I did on the original Flex (with a bigger battery and a smaller number of cores). However, if you're heavily into gaming, the GPU will certainly be enough, but for 3D intensive games the battery drains rather quickly (as expected, really).
I have compiled a list of everything I've removed for debloating here.
So no issues with overheating? I switch between games like madden , clash of clans, boom beach, magic rampage, and outwitters constantly so I was worried about the heating issue for a heavy user such as myself
dbvolcom said:
So no issues with overheating? I switch between games like madden , clash of clans, boom beach, magic rampage, and outwitters constantly so I was worried about the heating issue for a heavy user such as myself
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thermal throttling settings are still enabled, just set to a higher temperature. I have mine set to 65°C (as per the thermal throttling thread), and I know processors can get much hotter than that without failing (Apparently the HTC flagship cores get up to 80°C, don't while me on this, it's just a passive memory).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV5S6-jejG0
With pubg mobile and fortnite being released, I've found myself gaming more on the device than I thought. It gets fairly hot and to my understanding it doesn't have the GPU performance of a Galaxy 8, 9 or Razer phone. I still hit a pretty good frame rate most of the time and I have no idea if there's thermal throttling happening.
More of a "what if" than a serious inquiree.
Use an app to monitor temperatures?
Hello I have Poco x3 pro global version. I rooted my device and installed Kernel manager and there I saw CPU core control and I made some core offline and online again just randomly to check the performance difference. But there is an issue I am facing is when my device getting a little bit of heat the core 1(Little) and core 5(Big) getting offline. I used to check the CPU cores. After using Kernel manager for 6-7 days I had never seen any of the cores going offline. But recently I am facing the problem. So I thought it might be a Kernel or the app problem. So by not taking any risk I flashed stock miui 12.0.6 firmware and rooted it checked it again and the cores are still going offline no other cores only core 1 and core 5. Then I installed miui 12.5.9 eu and checked it out it still going offline. I know that CPU cores are online by default and when It gets hot it gears down the frequency but making cores offline Is a new experience. Did i gave a path to CPU to act abnormal by making some cores offline and online. Ohh when the they are getting offline significant amount of lag is being seen. Apps opening speed is pretty slow frame dropping in animations when opening apps. When my phone was not rooted I did face lag when heated up but not this much. Is it normal? Am I overseeing the fact. Please let me know I am
im also facing this problem, 1little and 1big core goes offline while gaming (ragnarok m)
using latest fkm on a crdroid 9.0,
i use this mainly to disable the sh*tty prime core....
any solution to this mate?
That's Called throttling,
Make super your phone become cooler. Problem solved.
Do not tinker with things you don't understand, people. Curiosity killed the cat.