cpu bottleneck? (i7 3770k @4.5hz gtx 680 sli)

[adam_1343]

I recently got my second gtx 680. The issue is that im only seeing like 50-65 percent usage on both cards. My processor is overclocked to 4.5 so I don't believe i should be seeing these bottlenecks. When I run a game im only seeing about 20% cpu usage for some reason as well. I can run prime 95 stable and temps dont exceed 70c. Can anyone offer insight to why my gpu usage is so low and how to fix this? I've pretty much tried everything i can think of 🙁

 

[clutchc]

If the low usage is with games that aren't graphically demanding, it simply means the cards are not needing to run full out. The CPU should be perfect for those cards.

 

[vinhn]

No, even the 3570k are perfectly fine.

 

[adam_1343]

its with all games, including benchmarks. on unigine heaven extreme preset im getting like 20 fps with 10 percent cpu usage. could this be a power supply issue? if i hook up only one card i experience 99 percent usage. its only with two cards that i experience 60% usage.

 

[adam_1343]

fyi i have a corsair cx 750 which i thought would be more than sufficient.

 

[clutchc]

The 750W PSU is sufficient, but not "more than sufficient". I didn't even think that PSU had 4 PCIe connectors.
The system in my sig gets 20 min/43 avg /64 max FPS in Heaven for comparison.

 

[adam_1343]

it does have 4 pci e ports. ive tried every configuration. the only way that i can get 99 percent usage is with one card.

 

[Intel God]

Intel chips dont bottleneck video cards. Bloomfield, Lynnfield, Sandy bridge, Ivy bridge, Haswell can easily push 2 video cards even Titans and OP 99% across 2 cards wont happen unless you clock it over 5Ghz+

 

[adam_1343]

I didn't think so. I'm beginning to think this has to be a power issue. my pc has no problem pushing 1 card to max. even if i have sli disabled and just have the other graphics card plugged in i still dont get 100 percent usage on the single card. does anyone else have any more insight on the power issue? is this a common problem associated with insufficient power?

 

[clutchc]

Does your frame rate change in Heaven with one card? I presume you've enabled SLI in the NVCP.

 

[adam_1343]

also when i have my 2nd graphics card installed and powered my monitor usually has issues as well. with a single graphics card i can acheive 120hz but with both i can only get 90hz and it wont let me use my other monitor. it begins "sticking" when i open programs or play games.

 

[adam_1343]

yeah it definitely changes. i am getting SOME performance out of both cards. but the usage is about 40-60 on both cards.

edit: just additional information: i am running 8x/8x and my motherboard is the asus p8z77 v lk. I do understand that i will nto be able to acheive 99 percent on both cards however i assumed the scaling would be better than 60-70 percent usage.

 

[Intel God]

yeah it definitely changes. i am getting SOME performance out of both cards. but the usage is about 40-60 on both cards.

edit: just additional information: i am running 8x/8x and my motherboard is the asus p8z77 v lk. I do understand that i will nto be able to acheive 99 percent on both cards however i assumed the scaling would be better than 60-70 percent usage.

Its more about the drivers then the cpu pushing them. I cant achieve 99% across both cards with my 760's in BF3 but that's just the way it goes.

 

[clutchc]

yeah it definitely changes. i am getting SOME performance out of both cards. but the usage is about 40-60 on both cards.

edit: just additional information: i am running 8x/8x and my motherboard is the asus p8z77 v lk. I do understand that i will nto be able to acheive 99 percent on both cards however i assumed the scaling would be better than 60-70 percent usage.

Its more about the drivers then the cpu pushing them. I cant achieve 99% across both cards with my 760's in BF3 but that's just the way it goes.

But something must be wrong if he is only getting 20 FPS in Heaven.

@OP
what settings were you using in Heaven?

 

[adam_1343]

i understand. however i was looking at some benches of metro last light. my average frame rate with the same rez/settings is exactly about half of what the benches are getting. I know understand that its not my cpu bottlenecking them however, i dont know how i can make hte usage go up... it stays at abour 40-55 percent.... what else could be bottlenecking my system?

 

[clutchc]

You've got me leaning towards the PSU being the issue, now.

 

[adam_1343]

in heaven i am using the extreme preset. its the basic edition so its only whatever the default resolution. on metro ll. the benchmark im comparing is set at :1920x1200. everything on very high except SSAA . based on this benchmark

http://www.game-debate.com/news/?news=5767&game=Metro:%20Last%20Light&title=Metro%20Last%20Light%20Benchmarks%20Nvidia%20GTX%20680%20SLI

i should be getting around 100+ fps however my avg fps its 68.98

 

[Intel God]

This setting changed?

 

[adam_1343]

yes it is on "prefer maximum performance" still only 40-60 percent usage.

 

[adam_1343]

I'm still kind of ancy though. I dont want to go spend 150 bucks on an 850w psu when im not sure thats the problem 😛 🙁

 

[vinhn]

What PCI-E slots are you using?

 

[Adam Bartley]

Can't memory bottleneck graphics performance? What are the specs of the memory and how much.

Also you don't have the iGPU enabled on the CPU do you; using the virtuMVP software right, you have all that uninstalled and disabled?

 

[adam_1343]

i dont have igpu enabled idk what the virtumvp software even is.


my ram is 8 gb 1600 mhz corsair vengeance .

 

[Adam Bartley]

i dont have igpu enabled idk what the virtumvp software even is.


my ram is 8 gb 1600 mhz corsair vengeance .

If you have the ability try to increase your memory size and also get 1866 or 2133 to see if that helps (It would have to). It is a win win either way because faster memory = more bandwidth.

 

[clutchc]

Have you tried uninstalling the gfx driver, running Driver Sweeper from safe mode and removing any remnants of Nvidia, AMD, and ATI gfx driver remnants it finds? Then re-booting/re-installing the latest gfx driver and enabling SLI again?