Optimizing Noctua NH-D15 G2 for Manor Lords simulation
Seeing the CPU temp sit at 60°C under load is an incredible feeling of control. The Noctua NH-D15 G2 is a beast on paper, but in the default silent mode, the fans don't really kick in until 65°C. This caused core temps to spike to 88-92°C during sudden bursts of simulation, leading to those annoying micro-stutters. I tried the 'Max Performance' preset in BIOS, but the fan noise was just too much—it felt like a total failure. Instead, I manually dropped the start threshold to 50°C and set up a stepped curve so it hits 1200 RPM by 70°C. Using a performance analyzer, peak temps dropped from 91°C to 68-74°C, and the simulation speed noticeably picked up. I had some weird fan surging at first, but adding a 3°C hysteresis smoothed it right out. CPU power is now stable at 140 Watts, and the frame times are locked in at 5.1-6.4ms.