Surface Pro 3 throttling

The Intel Core i5 processor will do that.  It is designed to - to boost performance with acceleration.  When the temperature gets high, YES, it is designed to drop down to prevent overheating.

If it gets too hot, it will shut down the tablet instantly and will not turn on until it cools down.  You don't want it to do that.

Linux, by the way, does the same thing and has the same driver set (created by Intel) as what Windows and Apple's OS/X (UNIX) has as well.

Diablo 3 requires some serious resources and don't recommend that particular game on a tablet of any model except maybe the i7 model coming out in August.  That one will be able to handle it.

Now, if it is doing that with regular programs, you can manually shut down or change your power management plan.  You may be able to do that with Diablo 3 and give that a shot.

Seems backwards that Diablo 3 runs fine on the Service Pro 2 (SP2), same settings enabled. From what people are saying and running some of my own test, the SP3 throttles around 90 degrees Celsius, much like the SP2. The difference being, the SP2 only throttles down till it gets around 80 degrees Celsius where the SP3, needs to throttle down till it reaches less than 60 degrees before ramping up. major difference here. 

Don't just take my word for it - http://www.anandtech.com/show/8077/microsoft-surface-pro-3-review/3

The CPU in the Pro 3 models are different than the models used in the Pro 2.  Even though they are "Haswell" chips, they are built completely different and are not the same type that can be installed in a desktop or laptop (which the Pro and Pro 2 did use).  They are flatter in design and wider to actually increase cooling capability (at least, designed to do so) and that may not be the case.

The temperature sensor settings are most likely different as well (as you may have noticed) and in fact, the Surface Pro 3 tablets are first time the i3, i5, and i7 processors are being used in.  So, that means there is no track record of actual performance.

Do make sure you do not block the vent holes that surround the perimeter of the Pro 3.

Also, power management has not been a "grand" feature in Surface tablets (all of them) and I have the RT and shut it off completely for both battery and A/C.  I have absolutely no problem out of that machine after I did that and you may need to do something similar with yours.  Go manual on your power management settings and attempt to set a power plan that will work better.  It may reduce some of the problems you are encountering and like I said, there is no track record for these particular processors and you will just have to feel your way around and experiment.

The i5 is quite capable of running high end games but in a tablet, the CPU will not be the problem, it will be the lightweight components it has to work with.  That would apply with any tablet.

Just not robust like a laptop even though that is how the Surface models are being used.

Very Interesting and appreciate the feedback.

No problem, you are in new territory now with these and just experiment.  Best way to learn anyhow and you may even find a better way of setting up the tablet than what is recommended.

Diablo is a pretty good series of games from Blizzard (I had the first two) and extremely popular.  A lot of gamers out there want to use these tablets for that and I think when the i7 model hits the streets, those things are going to vanish 'real' fast!

Just remember also that these are tablets and tend to be a little 'lightweight' when it comes to components.  They have to be in order to hold them in your hands.