Lenovo ThinkPad T480/T480s/X1: Throttling CPU issue

[Adrian]

On Linux OS the CPU package power limit (PL1/2) is set wrong reducing drastically CPU performance under load.

Apparently many Lenovo laptops (certified for Ubuntu) are affected.
The problem is described in details here: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/870u0a/t480s_linux_throttling_bug/

There is "hacky" workaround (not compatible with SecureBoot, a Python script writing MSR registers periodically) : https://github.com/erpalma/throttled

There is also a thread on Lenovo forum: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Linux-Discussion/X1C6-T480s-low-cTDP-and-trip-temperature-in-Linux/td-p/4028489

I confirm the issue affect my machine running the latest kernel (4.15.0-45-generic, although bug affects previous releases as well) and using the latest firmware from Lenovo (1.19).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-image-4.15.0-45-generic 4.15.0-45.48
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-45.48-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-45-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: afiergol 4050 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: afiergol 4050 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: afiergol 4050 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Fri Feb 8 17:14:17 2019
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=7b4a9d17-f6d7-42ed-8f12-34f46c41cc6c
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-04-05 (309 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.4 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20180228)
MachineType: LENOVO 20L6S04200
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-4.15.0-45-generic root=/dev/mapper/ubuntu--vg-root ro quiet splash nogpumanager intel_iommu=on,igfx_off iommu=pt kvm.ignore_msrs=1 vt.handoff=1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.15.0-45-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.15.0-45-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.173.3
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to bionic on 2018-08-22 (170 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 11/07/2018
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: N24ET44W (1.19 )
dmi.board.asset.tag: Not Available
dmi.board.name: 20L6S04200
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Defined
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: None
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvrN24ET44W(1.19):bd11/07/2018:svnLENOVO:pn20L6S04200:pvrThinkPadT480:rvnLENOVO:rn20L6S04200:rvrNotDefined:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNone:
dmi.product.family: ThinkPad T480
dmi.product.name: 20L6S04200
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T480
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Benjamin Herrenschmidt (benh-kernel)]

Affects my Lenovo X1 6th gen as well

[Srinivas Pandruvada (srinivas-pandruvada)]

You marked this for thermald bug.
Can you try this?
#systemctl disable thermald
reboot
then try to reproduce.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Srinivas Pandruvada (srinivas-pandruvada)]

This is not a thermald bug. Linux doesn't have ABI to change PL1 limit set via MMIO I/F as suggested in the link, so thermald can't us.

[João Pedro Seara (jpseara)]

Currently facing the same issue myself.

ThinkPad T480s 20L7
Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS
Linux localhost 4.15.0-54-generic #58-Ubuntu SMP Mon Jun 24 10:55:24 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ sudo fwupdmgr hwids

Computer Information
--------------------
BiosVendor: LENOVO
BiosVersion: N22ET54W (1.31 )
BiosMajorRelease: 01
BiosMinorRelease: 1f
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Family: ThinkPad T480s
ProductName: 20L7001LPG
ProductSku: LENOVO_MT_20L7_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad T480s
EnclosureKind: a
BaseboardManufacturer: LENOVO
BaseboardProduct: 20L7001LPG

[Anthony Wong (anthonywong)]

I think the solution at https://github.com/intel/dptfxtract/issues/6 can fix this issue?

[Gregory Starr (captain-picard99)]

Affects me too on a T480 running Manjaro

[seuffert (seuffert)]

Lenovo T580 is also affected by this

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

AFAICT, this bug report is a duplicate of bug 1763144.

Investigation and inquiries have shown that Linux is behaving correctly here.