[Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

Beemo · 2025-08-14 20:37:25

> ./rav1e test.y4m -o test.ivf --quantizer 80 --speed 10
>  CPU Feature Level: AVX512ICL
>  Using y4m decoder: 1920x1280p @ 30/1 fps, 4:2:0, 8-bit
>  Encoding settings: keyint_min=12 keyint_max=240 quantizer=80 bitrate=0 min_quantizer=0 low_latency=false tune=Psychovisual rdo_lookahead_frames=10 multiref=true fast_deblock=true scene_detection_mode=Fast cdef=true lrf=false enable_timing_info=false min_block_size=32x32 max_block_size=32x32 encode_bottomup=false non_square_partition_max_threshold=8x8 reduced_tx_set=true tx_domain_distortion=false tx_domain_rate=false rdo_tx_decision=false prediction_modes=Simple fine_directional_intra=true include_near_mvs=false use_satd_subpel=false
>  Using 1 tile
>  encoded 551 frames, 5.593 fps, 1079.63 Kb/s, elapsed: 1m 38s                 ^C
>  ----------
>  Key frame:             3 | avg QP:  35.00 | avg size:  388081 B
>  Inter frame:         548 | avg QP: 118.02 | avg size:    2398 B
>  Intra only frame:      0 | avg QP:   0.00 | avg size:       0 B
>  Switching frame:       0 | avg QP:   0.00 | avg size:       0 B
>  ----

It's 5fps on average, but according to benchmarks online my CPU should be getting 14fps. And looking into Mission Center, the CPU is at 10% utilization but 90C. Barely any spikes of utilization in the 16 cores. One thing I noticed is that the core frequency is really high. https://i.imgur.com/jbN248e.png
I tried another CPU intensive program, it shows 60% and 77C. All cores have full activity. https://i.imgur.com/bcG0khK.png
Why does it overheat on low utilization? Does it have something to do with AVX512?
Can software cause overheat? Does this mean there is something wrong with my laptop?

P.S. rav1e is downloaded from GitHub, v0.8.1, not Arch repo.

Last edited by Beemo (2025-08-14 23:38:36)

Beemo · 2025-08-14 21:54:16

Huh I just noticed the fan speed in the "overheat" screenshot is quite low, because its temp readout is low.
So basically a few cores are really hot because they are not cooled?

seth · 2025-08-14 22:31:22

Please replace the oversized images w/ links.
Then check "sensors", not some aggregating GUI.
You might easily have independent temperature reads per core, if your GUI only shows the maximum value, this could be meaningless skew - the temperature at the fan is much cooler in the seconds picture and it still has to come from somewhere (notably the CPU usage)
Based on the data it seems rav1e is limited to 4 threads, also see https://video.stackexchange.com/questio … -of-my-cpu
The CPU upclocking if only some cores are used but others are idle to max out the TDP is normal and in your case seems to not even mandate major fan activity.

Beemo · 2025-08-14 23:37:47

Thanks, that explains things.

'sensors' output when rav1e is running:

> sensors
ucsi_source_psy_USBC000:001-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:          20.00 V  (min =  +5.00 V, max = +13.20 V)
curr1:         3.00 A  (max =  +3.16 A)

ucsi_source_psy_USBC000:004-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:           5.00 V  (min =  +5.00 V, max =  +5.00 V)
curr1:         0.00 A  (max =  +1.50 A)

spd5118-i2c-2-51
Adapter: SMBus PIIX4 adapter port 0 at 0b00
temp1:        +40.8°C  (low  =  +0.0°C, high = +55.0°C)  ALARM (HIGH)
                       (crit low =  +0.0°C, crit = +85.0°C)

ucsi_source_psy_USBC000:003-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:           5.00 V  (min =  +5.00 V, max =  +5.00 V)
curr1:         0.00 A  (max =  +1.50 A)

k10temp-pci-00c3
Adapter: PCI adapter
Tctl:         +88.0°C

BAT1-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
in0:          17.68 V
curr1:       1000.00 uA

ucsi_source_psy_USBC000:002-isa-0000
Adapter: ISA adapter
in0:           0.00 V  (min =  +0.00 V, max =  +0.00 V)
curr1:         3.00 A  (max =  +0.00 A)

amdgpu-pci-c100
Adapter: PCI adapter
vddgfx:        1.22 V
vddnb:       650.00 mV
edge:         +63.0°C
PPT:          19.04 W  (avg =  19.16 W)
sclk:         800 MHz

cros_ec-isa-000c
Adapter: ISA adapter
fan1:            2671 RPM
local_f75303@4d:  +43.9°C
cpu_f75303@4d:    +45.9°C
ddr_f75303@4d:    +39.9°C
cpu@4c:           +86.8°C

mt7921_phy0-pci-0100
Adapter: PCI adapter
temp1:        +46.0°C

spd5118-i2c-2-50
Adapter: SMBus PIIX4 adapter port 0 at 0b00
temp1:        +44.5°C  (low  =  +0.0°C, high = +55.0°C)  ALARM (HIGH)
                       (crit low =  +0.0°C, crit = +85.0°C)

nvme-pci-0200
Adapter: PCI adapter
Composite:    +42.9°C  (low  =  -5.2°C, high = +89.8°C)
                       (crit = +93.8°C)

acpitz-acpi-0
Adapter: ACPI interface
temp1:        +43.8°C
temp2:        +45.8°C
temp3:        +39.8°C
temp4:        +86.8°C

seth · 2025-08-15 06:02:38

Except for what rav1e is doing there (ie. why it's not CPU limited) // try "… --threads=12"
The default is apparently auto-determined by the available … RAM?? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Beemo · 2025-08-15 06:48:32

I tried --threads 16 but it didn't work. I had to specify --tiles 16 to get 13fps, like the StackExchange answer said.
Perhaps indeed rav1e is not as good as the Internet suggest. Currently I'm reading into SVT-AV1, and I know it can do 30+fps even on non-fastest preset because I used it in OBS.

EDIT: SVT-AV1 is better, 60fps with full CPU utilization even on --preset 4.

Last edited by Beemo (2025-08-15 16:27:25)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-08-14 20:37:25

[Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

#2 2025-08-14 21:54:16

Re: [Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

#3 2025-08-14 22:31:22

Re: [Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

#4 2025-08-14 23:37:47

Re: [Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

#5 2025-08-15 06:02:38

Re: [Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

#6 2025-08-15 06:48:32

Re: [Solved] rav1e causes laptop to overheat but low CPU usage

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