Dynamic Boost Issues with RTX 4090 Mobile on Linux

Graphics / Linux Linux
1

Hi,

I am reaching out to report a issue I am experiencing with my Alienware m18 R2, equipped with an Intel Core i9 14900HX and an Nvidia RTX 4090 Mobile graphics card. My primary concern revolves around the Dynamic Boost technology’s functionality under Linux, which behaves inconsistently compared to its performance on Windows.

On Windows, the RTX 4090 Mobile card efficiently utilizes Dynamic Boost, allowing it to exceed the 120W power consumption limit, reaching up to 175W. This feature ensures stable and enhanced gaming performance, with power levels often maintaining above 169W, peaking at 175W. Such performance is both expected and appreciated, aligning with the hardware’s capabilities.

However, transitioning to Linux, I encounter a stark contrast. Dynamic Boost does not activate by default, and the GPU power is capped at 120W. Following the guidance from Nvidia’s documentation (Chapter 23. Dynamic Boost on Linux), I enabled the nvidia-powerd.service using the command systemctl enable --now nvidia-powerd.service. Although this action allows the GPU to exceed the 120W limit, but the performance is unstable and far from reaching the desired 175W. Testing across different driver versions (535, 545, and 550 beta), only the 545 version showed some level of functionality, yet still far from satisfactory.

The fluctuating power consumption and variable performance create a frustrating user experience on Linux, significantly deviating from the stable and high-performance experience on Windows.

Is there a way to stabilize Dynamic Boost functionality on Linux, ensuring the GPU can consistently reach and maintain the 175W power threshold?
Could you provide guidance or an update to improve compatibility across different Linux drivers, especially concerning Dynamic Boost technology?
I appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to a resolution that allows me to fully utilize the capabilities of my RTX 4090 Mobile on Linux. Thank you for your support.

Best regards,
Vincent.

‎Request for Support with RTX 4090 Mobile Dynamic Boost Issue on Alienware m18 R2 | DELL Technologies

1 Like
3

I made a vidéo about the problem : https://youtu.be/w3rdNG2o8uo

4

I would like to correct mistakes made in my initial post:

  • Regardless of the driver, whether it’s 535, 545, or 550, dynamic boost also performs poorly. There is no improvement with the 545. It’s far from the Windows experience.

  • The initial power limit without nvidia-powerd service is 125W, not 120W.

5

Sorry for the delay, I saw your request on my topic and did a quick test.

Setup:
Alienware m16 R113900HX/4090M
OpenSuse Tumbleweed
550.78 driver installed from the official NVIDIA repo.

Courtesy of ChatGPT, I ran the below command while running Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition via proton at max settings w/ray tracing and DLSS Quailty @ 2560x1600.

Command:

watch -n 10 "nvidia-smi -q | tee >(grep 'GPU Current Temp' | sed 's/^....//' | awk '1; {print \"\"}' | tee -a nvpower.log) | grep -A 6 'GPU Power Readings' | awk '1; {print \"\"}' | tee -a nvpower.log; echo ''; echo '' >> nvpower.log"

Output:

    GPU Current Temp                  : 58 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 20.17 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 58 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 21.19 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 65 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.59 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 66 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.83 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 68 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.94 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 69 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.71 W

        Current Power Limit               : 132.34 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 70 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 127.35 W

        Current Power Limit               : 129.80 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 71 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 126.17 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.61 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 69 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 119.84 W

        Current Power Limit               : 128.68 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 71 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 76.90 W

        Current Power Limit               : 134.34 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 123.43 W

        Current Power Limit               : 135.75 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 136.42 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.12 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 138.60 W

        Current Power Limit               : 138.53 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 118.99 W

        Current Power Limit               : 135.97 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 138.83 W

        Current Power Limit               : 137.77 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 119.29 W

        Current Power Limit               : 139.15 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 67 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 22.36 W

        Current Power Limit               : 143.34 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W

So looks to be hovering around 125w with the occasional spike to ~138w. It never boosted over 150w despite the max power limit being 175w. Attempting to enable the nvidia-powerd.service just caused the system to completely lock up and required a hard reset.

Hope that helps!

6

Managed to get nvidia-powerd.service enabled and did another run. This time I checked every 5 seconds. Doesn’t seem to be much difference.

    GPU Current Temp                  : 56 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 9.35 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 57 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 10.97 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 63 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 115.99 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 64 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 129.09 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.59 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 65 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.85 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 66 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.79 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 67 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 125.44 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 66 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 133.67 W

        Current Power Limit               : 129.44 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 68 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 91.44 W

        Current Power Limit               : 134.61 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 70 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 122.11 W

        Current Power Limit               : 126.90 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 69 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 85.27 W

        Current Power Limit               : 127.19 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 70 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.98 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 70 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 128.94 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.38 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 71 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 90.60 W

        Current Power Limit               : 126.21 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 72 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 116.56 W

        Current Power Limit               : 127.17 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 71 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 96.75 W

        Current Power Limit               : 126.10 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 72 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 124.43 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 72 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 127.66 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 87.02 W

        Current Power Limit               : 129.73 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 144.29 W

        Current Power Limit               : 134.97 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 139.86 W

        Current Power Limit               : 138.07 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 137.01 W

        Current Power Limit               : 133.85 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 140.48 W

        Current Power Limit               : 138.40 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 133.99 W

        Current Power Limit               : 134.70 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 137.42 W

        Current Power Limit               : 134.28 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 133.43 W

        Current Power Limit               : 134.73 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 134.15 W

        Current Power Limit               : 135.49 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 148.34 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.63 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 135.53 W

        Current Power Limit               : 135.19 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 140.99 W

        Current Power Limit               : 135.96 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 132.63 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.61 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 135.92 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.88 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 136.98 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.52 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 148.38 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.11 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 134.98 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.52 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 136.33 W

        Current Power Limit               : 136.80 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 143.21 W

        Current Power Limit               : 137.31 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 142.66 W

        Current Power Limit               : 139.32 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 74 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 136.56 W

        Current Power Limit               : 137.77 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 75 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 125.62 W

        Current Power Limit               : 138.91 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 73 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 131.23 W

        Current Power Limit               : 138.49 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 69 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 48.81 W

        Current Power Limit               : 140.14 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 66 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 19.50 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W


    GPU Current Temp                  : 65 C

    GPU Power Readings

        Power Draw                        : 12.83 W

        Current Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Requested Power Limit             : N/A

        Default Power Limit               : 125.00 W

        Min Power Limit                   : 5.00 W

        Max Power Limit                   : 175.00 W
7

Yes, and it’s only on Linux. On Windows, we manage to get between 165W and 175W stable and therefore more performance.

8

Might be silly of me to ask, but would it not rather be a profilling issue?
I dont own a dell, i own a lenovo legion with rtx3060 grafics, and with profiles its changes the power limit of the gpu, from 80w(base) to 115w and dwindles up to 130w when needed, this has been working for a while, at least since i started using it.

If the functionality is smh unavaileable on from OS to the bios then it could not work, with that in mind could be worth to contact dell about that?

I researched a bit about the model and found on their site a bit of notes about windows, linux, interesting, at least seemed they have done some testing i’d say…

9

I don’t think it’s a profiling issue. As we can see in the video I sent earlier, the GPU can reach 175W on Linux, it’s just unstable compared to Windows where it’s stable.

10

Understood, i wonder if that happens on every gpu, and if its the case for me i would many times think of that as a cpu bound scenario or other aspect of the gpu being limited, ah well thanks for the clarification.

11

Hello everyone,
my GPU is an RTX 3050ti laptop, driver version 555.42.02. Unfortunately, in Linux, I can’t use the maximum power of 95 watts of the GPU while in Windows 11 I can reach it.
nvidia-powerd.service is enabled and active in fact during an intensive use session the “Current Power Limit: 60.00 W”, which corresponds to the “Default Power Limit”, is set to 75 watts but not to 95 watts of “Max Power Limit: 95.00 W”. I also used “powerprofilectl” to activate the “performance” profile, set nvidia-smi -pl 95 but there were no changes.

Only with the 525.xx.xx drivers, I can reach 95 watts.

What can I do? What is the difference between the 525 drivers and the subsequent ones?

Thanks in advance to everyone for the suggestions.

12

Hi @delor.vd ,
Were you able to get consistent power boost with nvidia-powerd.service enabled?

13

Hi @vanguard478 ,

No

14

This hasn’t been addressed yet? I’ve just discovered Nvidia Dynamic Boost and I think most of the users are unaware of the fact that it isn’t working at all.

15

I am almost certain now that this issue is due to this problem and that there is no particular issue with DynamicBoost because games using DXVK or native do not have this problem.