Thermal Throttling

Thermal throttling is a processor reducing its clocks and power to stay within safe temperatures, and it is the physical reason sustained performance sits below the peak. In a small handheld shell with limited cooling, throttling is normal — the question is how gracefully a device manages it. Reviews that measure performance over a long session, not a benchmark burst, reveal it, and it is why we grade on sustained figures. A device that throttles hard turns a flagship spec into a mid-range experience.