PL1 & PL2 on Alder Lake-N, which values would be within spec?

[Carlisle]

Recently, I acquired an Intel N150 based mini-PC from a no-name manufacturer. Looking at the power management control configuration in the firmware settings I noticed these are the values configured for the two main power limits:

• Platform PL1: 10W
• Platform PL1 time window: 28s
• Platform PL2: 25W

And the same values are set for the override variables for some reason.

From what I could read in the 12th gen Intel Core processor datasheet, section 4.1.1.1 about package power control, PL1 is recommended to be set at what the TDP for the processor is, as it is a level that has to be able to be sustained indefinitely, but there is no recommended value for PL2.

I saw in a note in the processor line thermal tables mentioning PL2 should be set based on power and thermal capabilities of the machine itself, but 25W seems too much, the whole thing is in a 295 cm3 enclosure with not much airflow going through it.

I saw online that other same-size mini-PC manufacturers chose 15W for PL1 and PL2 with 28s on N100 powered machines, which also seems unreasonable given that both the N100 and N150 are 6W TDP parts.

I will be lowering PL1 to 6W, but I was wondering if there was more guidance so that it is not ran off spec, or how to assess what a good value for PL2 could be. Running some sort of stress test and monitoring temperatures perhaps?

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Carlisle,

Thank you for posting in our community. Based on my review, setting PL1 to 6W is acceptable according to the Intel® Processor N150 specifications. However, I cannot provide a specific PL2 value recommendation. Please contact your system manufacturer to verify and inquire about these settings, as they are best positioned to provide guidance for your specific system configuration. Your device manufacturer may have altered features, incorporated customizations, or made other changes to some components for better compatibility with your system.

I recommend configuring both PL1 and PL2 according to the values specified in the Intel® Core™ Processors Technical Resources datasheet.

Please note the following important considerations:

Setting values higher than recommended:

• Performance may increase
• System stability may be compromised
• You may experience issues such as system crashes, random shutdowns, or blue screens (BSOD)

Setting values lower than recommended:

• Performance will be reduced proportionally to the values you configure
• System operation will be limited by the power constraints you set

For optimal performance and stability, it's best to adhere to the manufacturer's recommended specifications.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Carlisle,

Just checking in on my previous message regarding your inquiry. Have you had a chance to review it? If you need more information or have any questions, feel free to reach out. I'm here to help!

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[RandyT_Intel]

Hi @Carlisle,

Since I haven't heard from you, I will proceed with closing this case. Please note that it will no longer be monitored. However, you may submit a new ticket if you need further assistance in the future.

Best regards,  

Randy T.  

Intel Customer Support Technician