A system includes a processing unit such as a GPU that itself includes a command processor configured to receive instructions for execution from a software application. A processor pipeline coupled to the processing unit includes a set of parallel processing units for executing the instructions in sets. A set manager is coupled to one or more of the processor pipeline and the command processor. The set manager includes at least one table for storing a set start time, a set end time, and a set execution time. The set manager determines an execution time for one or more sets of instructions of a first window of sets of instructions submitted to the processor pipeline. Based on the execution time of the one or more sets of instructions, a set limit is determined and applied to one or more sets of instructions of a second window subsequent to the first window.