My 2018 macbook pro with i9 processor running Catalina version 10.15.6 seems to randomly throttle the CPU frequency even with low CPU utilization and lowish temperatures:
I am using a docking station to connect to two external monitors and received hard wired ethernet. Additionally, I'm suppling power via the default usb c apple charger. I read in some places that this throttling could maybe with a bad power source, so I connected the default charger.
Any insight here? I updated to Catalina recently, but the problem existed before the update and has happened after as well. Does it have to do with my docking station? Hardware problem? The frequency throttling seems to happen even after I unplug the docking station, but I never really use my computer enough without the docker station to notice if it happens during normal use.
Here's output of pmset -g thermlog
Best Answer
In my opinion you are not seeing CPU throttling, but one of Intel's power saving features known as Dynamic Frequency Scaling or more specifically Intel SpeedStep. While idle, the CPU can dynamically reduce clock speed to reduce power consumption.
CPU throttling only occurs if certain constraints are reached, such as high temperature or power consumption. Judging from your figure neither are the case. Also it is practically not possible to tell if CPU throttling is occurring from your screenshot. Please see my question here on how to identify throttling on MacBooks: How to monitor and control thermal CPU throttling in OS X?
In case you still think you are experiencing CPU throttling, I suggest you update your question with the output from
pmset -g thermlogas described in the accepted answer or update your screenshot with one from the latest Intel Power Gadget where theREQparameter gives you an indication of throttling.