Nvidia-powerd is still quite problematic - whether it is Balanced or Performance mode, it loves to give too much power to the CPU and overutilize it, and I feel like it underutilizes GPU under some GPU-load threshold as well. For instance at 90% load you would still gaing performance for allocating less power to the CPU and more to the GPU, but instead the CPU works its hardest and sits withing 90 degree range with fresh and healthy cooling, and the GPU would be at 60W. Throttling with cpupower brings temperatures back to normal and GPU power to full utilizations. Games also see an improvement in performance, so it is not some CPU bottleneck scenario
Another issue is that it effectively makes Balanced and Performance laptop modes of my Lenovo Legion only differ in cooling levels, the GPU still caps out at around 80W in performance mode, and CPU works as hard as it can in Balanced mode.
At least since 615 it does not cause stutters in games at all, so this is great. I previously reported that you could spot some stutters on the vsynctester website, but as of today I don’t see them anymore.