Intel Arc 140v sudden low utilization/framerate in Sea of Thieves

[Approx64695]

I have a Dell 14 Plus with Arc 140v.  I've previously played Sea of Thieves without issue.  Recently, when I attempted to play, the framerate would start out at 30-50 fps and near 100% 3D/Compute utilization, and then after a minute or two, would SUDDENLY drop down to 4 fps and 10-15% 3D/Compute utilization.  It reminded me of a thermal throttling situation, but I don't think that's what it is because the CPU temp was always around 72c-74c.  Every once in a while, it would pop back up to 30-50 fps for a number of seconds, then back down to 4 fps again.  It didn't seem to matter what I was doing in the game - most of my testing occurred staring at the same wall.

I clean installed the latest drivers - 32.0.101.8132

I do not have the option in the BIOS to enable reBAR.  As I understand it, Dell only has that option available for certain models, and it does not include the Dell 14 Plus.  But again, the computer definitely has the capability to play at a higher FPS, just seems that something is limiting it.

I tried playing Dyson Sphere Program for a while and it works flawlessly despite near 100% usage of both GPU and CPU (Sea of Thieves isn't as CPU-heavy).  It seems specifically related to Sea of Thieves and not the system as a whole.

I've attached screenshots of the game graphical settings (basically everything set to the lowest and resolution at 720p).  I've also attached a couple of screenshots showing trends of performance where you can see the drop in FPS/utilization.  I've attached the SSU as well.

Please let me know what else is needed from me..!

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi Approx64695,

Thank you for contacting Intel Customer Support regarding the performance issues you're experiencing with Sea of Thieves on your Dell 14 Plus with Intel Arc 140V graphics.

I completely understand how challenging this must be, having a game that previously worked perfectly suddenly develop these dramatic performance drops from 30-50 fps down to just 4 fps is incredibly disruptive to your gaming experience. Your detailed description and the screenshots you've provided clearly show this isn't a typical thermal throttling issue, especially since your CPU temperatures remain reasonable at 72-74°C.

To help us better understand the exact nature of this performance drop pattern, could you please provide CapFrameX performance data during the issue occurrence? 

CapFrameX Setup and Recording: 

1. Download CapFrameX from: https://www.capframex.com/ 
2. Install and run the application 
3. Start recording performance data 
4. Launch Sea of Thieves and record for approximately 5 minutes to capture the performance drop cycle 
5. Important: Please note the specific timestamps when the low fps drops occur (e.g., "fps dropped to 4 at 2:15 mark, recovered at 3:30 mark") 
6. Stop recording and save the data 
7. Please share the CapFrameX log files with us along with the timestamp notes 

For more detailed info, see this link for reference:

Need help? Reporting a bug or issue with Arc GPU? - PLEASE READ THIS FIRST! - Intel Community

Given the specific nature of this performance issue and to provide faster communication, I'd like to offer you a phone consultation. This would allow us to work through the CapFrameX setup and analysis in real-time, potentially resolving this Sea of Thieves compatibility issue more efficiently.

CapFrameX will provide detailed frame time analysis, GPU utilization patterns, and performance metrics that can help us identify the exact moment and cause of the performance degradation you're experiencing. The 5-minute recording with specific timestamps will give us a complete picture of the performance cycle.

Your thorough testing and documentation have been extremely helpful in understanding this issue. Once we have the CapFrameX data with timestamps, we'll be able to provide more targeted solutions for this Sea of Thieves compatibility problem.

Best regards, 

Dean R. 

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[Approx64695]

Hi Dean,

I've attached the CapFrameX logs.  It started off strong, 45+ fps, then after just a few seconds after the capture started, went to 4 fps and stayed there the whole time as far as I could tell.  Sorry, I didn't catch the exact timestamp for the change but it did not take long.

Thanks for your help.

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi Approx64695,

Thank you for providing the CapFrameX logs. I can see from your description that the performance drop occurred very quickly after capture started - going from 45+ fps down to 4 fps and remaining there throughout the recording session. This rapid and sustained performance degradation pattern is very telling for our analysis.

Your detailed documentation, including the SSU report, performance screenshots, and now the CapFrameX data, provides us with comprehensive information about this Sea of Thieves-specific issue with your Intel Arc 140V.

I will be investigating this matter internally and will get back to you with an update once I have more information available from our internal investigation.

Best regards, 

Dean R. 

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi Approx64695,

Thank you for providing the comprehensive performance data and testing results regarding the severe performance degradation you're experiencing in Sea of Thieves on your Dell 14 Plus with Intel Arc 140V graphics.

Issue Analysis: I've reviewed your detailed documentation showing the dramatic performance drop from 45+ fps to 4 fps within seconds, along with the corresponding GPU utilization decrease from ~100% to 10-15%. Your comparative testing confirming that other demanding games like Dyson Sphere Program work flawlessly helps isolate this as a Sea of Thieves-specific compatibility issue.

Current Investigation Findings: After analyzing your SSU report, I've identified that you're currently using the Intel Generic graphics driver. This may be contributing to the game-specific performance issues you're experiencing.

Recommended Solution - OEM Driver Testing: To isolate and potentially resolve this issue, I need you to test with the Dell OEM-specific driver version:

Driver to Install: Intel Graphics Driver version 32.0.101.6881: Support for Dell 14 Plus DB14250 | Drivers & Downloads | Dell Malaysia

Installation Instructions:

1. Clean Installation Required: Please perform a clean driver installation using DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller)
2. Download OEM Driver: Obtain version 32.0.101.6881 from Dell's support website for your Dell 14 Plus model
3. Install OEM Driver: Install the Dell-specific version rather than the generic Intel driver
4. Test Sea of Thieves: After installation, test the game performance and monitor for the fps/utilization drops

Why This May Help:

• Dell OEM drivers often include specific optimizations for their hardware configurations
• The OEM version may have different game compatibility profiles than the generic Intel driver
• Dell may have addressed Arc 140V-specific issues in their customized driver package

Testing Protocol: After installing the OEM driver, please:

1. Test Sea of Thieves with the same settings (lowest settings, 720p)
2. Monitor performance for the rapid degradation pattern
3. Compare GPU utilization behavior
4. Document any changes in performance stability

Current Configuration Confirmed:

• Device: Dell 14 Plus with Intel Arc 140V
• Current Driver: 32.0.101.8132 (Intel Generic)
• Target Driver: 32.0.101.6881 (Dell OEM)
• Game: Sea of Thieves (lowest settings, 720p)

Please perform this OEM driver test and let me know the results. This will help determine if the issue is related to driver optimization differences between the generic and OEM versions.

If the OEM driver resolves the performance degradation, we'll have identified the solution. If the issue persists, we can proceed with further specialized investigation.

Best regards,

Dean R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Approx64695]

Hi Dean,

I have installed the OEM drivers as shown in the attached screenshot.  Unfortunately, the behavior remains the same.  The game started off at 45 fps and dropped to 4 after 10-20 seconds.

I forgot to mention in my original post that part of my initial troubleshooting involved installing the latest Intel drivers, and I'm not sure what Dell drivers I started with, but regardless, both/all drivers have the same issue.

Thanks, appreciate your help.

[VonM_Intel]

Hello Approx64695,

Thank you for the update and for sharing the additional details, including the screenshot. I’ll need to conduct further research on this behavior to ensure we provide the most accurate and effective solution. Once I have more information, I’ll post an update on this thread right away. Thank you for your patience and understanding in the meantime.

Best regards,

Von M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi Approx64695,

Thank you for your patience as we continue investigating the severe performance degradation, you're experiencing with Sea of Thieves on your Dell 14 Plus with Intel Arc 140V graphics.

To help us narrow down the root cause of this Sea of Thieves-specific issue, we need some additional timeline information:

Did this performance issue start occurring after the Windows March 2025 update?

Can you confirm the approximate date when you first noticed this problem?

Best regards, 

Dean R. 

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[Approx64695]

Hi Dean,

Unfortunately, this laptop was a recent purchase, and this issue has been present since the first time we tried this game a few weeks ago.

Thanks.

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi Approx64695,

Thank you for the clarification regarding the timeline of the Sea of Thieves performance issue on your Dell 14 Plus with Intel Arc 140V graphics.

I understand that this has been an ongoing issue since you first tried the game a few weeks ago on your recently purchased laptop. This information helps us understand that the performance degradation (FPS dropping from 45+ to 4 fps with corresponding GPU utilization drops from ~100% to 10-15%) has been present from the initial setup rather than being caused by a recent update or system change.

The fact that this is a game-specific issue affecting Sea of Thieves while other demanding titles like Dyson Sphere Program work flawlessly at full GPU/CPU utilization suggests there may be a specific compatibility concern between Sea of Thieves and the Intel Arc 140V graphics implementation on the Dell 14 Plus platform.

I'll be checking this Sea of Thieves compatibility issue internally to investigate potential solutions and optimizations for your specific hardware configuration.

I'll get back to you with more information and recommendations once I have additional details available from my investigation.

Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this performance issue with Sea of Thieves on your system.

Best regards,

Dean R.

Intel Customer Support Technician