[SOLVED] CPU usage tanks, followed by frame drops

[Ethonodon]

I've noticed ever since I reinstalled windows that my computer does this thing where my games will be running fine, until my CPU usage will suddenly go way down, accompanied by my framerate doing the same. My temps never really exceed 70C. I've noticed when it's performing well, usage is somewhere around 35-50%, and when it's doing poorly, usage is somewhere around 20%. I noticed for the game Hunt: Showdown specifically, turning off VSync seems to have helped, but I don't think it completely resolved the issue. Is it the CPU usage dropping that's causing the spells of poor performance?

 

[Ethonodon]

Alright, I've got another update. I ran HWiNFO while running Mordhau, and I've got two screenshots of my GPU's performance that I think may be significant.

Here is what the GPU section looks like when the game is running as it should (100-120fps)

Here is what the GPU section looks like when it's stuttering (1-30fps)


What I notice is that when it's stuttering, the power drops a ton, as well as the voltage dropping a little, and the fans just completely stop. The BUS load also goes way down.

Now, I'd be extremely surprised if this is a PSU issue. I have a 750 watt PSU that's fairly new, and I remember I bought it because 750 watts was apparently significantly over what my PC needed.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I think, and this is only a guess because I don't have ALL of the information that I would have if the system was right in front of me, but I think there is a decent chance there is a problem with the card. Zero RPM at normal behavior while gaming, should NEVER happen. In fact, it should NEVER happen even under normal operation so long as you doing something at least NOMINALLY demanding.

That MIGHT indicate a thermal throttle condition where the fans are not coming on when they should OR something else in the cooling situation isn't working properly. You will want to verify this. Do the same thing but this time do one at normal stuff, like, watching a Youtube video. Make sure you open HWinfo and start grabbing before that. Then, game, and grab HWinfo again when you start seeing problems.

I'm not sure it will tell me something different, but let's try it and see. It might. There must be something there. Because everything else looks mostly ok. Has to be something we are not seeing and please make sure to take FULL screen grabs of ALL the sensors, not just the GPU sensors. It could something like PSU voltage dropping card performance, or even just affecting basic system performance, or anything.

 

[Ethonodon]

I think, and this is only a guess because I don't have ALL of the information that I would have if the system was right in front of me, but I think there is a decent chance there is a problem with the card. Zero RPM at normal behavior while gaming, should NEVER happen. In fact, it should NEVER happen even under normal operation so long as you doing something at least NOMINALLY demanding.

That MIGHT indicate a thermal throttle condition where the fans are not coming on when they should OR something else in the cooling situation isn't working properly. You will want to verify this. Do the same thing but this time do one at normal stuff, like, watching a Youtube video. Make sure you open HWinfo and start grabbing before that. Then, game, and grab HWinfo again when you start seeing problems.

I'm not sure it will tell me something different, but let's try it and see. It might. There must be something there. Because everything else looks mostly ok. Has to be something we are not seeing and please make sure to take FULL screen grabs of ALL the sensors, not just the GPU sensors. It could something like PSU voltage dropping card performance, or even just affecting basic system performance, or anything.

Actually, I think I may have found a solution. I changed my power plan from "Balanced" to "Ultimate Performance" last night, and I played several hours straight in a graphically demanding game without getting a single power drop/frame drop. Now, I don't know for SURE if it's completely solved, but for now, it seems to work. I think if all goes well for the next day or so, I'll be able to say with at least some confidence that my issue is resolved.

I'm going to continue testing it for a day or so, and then I'll give an update on if it did actually fix the issue or not.

 

[Darkbreeze]

That's great, but would be incredibly unusual since it's exactly the opposite of what practically everybody else has experienced with these newer platforms. But you know, this is why we say regardless that there are basically "same platform, same standard" adherences, every hardware configuration (Sometimes even with identical matching part number comparisons) is somewhat or in some cases, completely, different.

Every system is unique in some way and that one way it is different might change a lot of aspects of that system when it comes to some things. That's the best way I can put it.

That's exactly why we tell people to STFU when they come around crying that "I have similar (Or same) hardware to my friend but he gets 20FPS better than me in everything". So what, it's not the same system. Yes it is. No, it is not.

Hopefully it gets you where you need to be in terms of performance but I believe it will also result in seeing higher average temperatures across the board and perhaps even when idle, so be sure to closely monitor your thermals using HWinfo for a while to see if there are changes there.

 

[Ethonodon]

That's great, but would be incredibly unusual since it's exactly the opposite of what practically everybody else has experienced with these newer platforms. But you know, this is why we say regardless that there are basically "same platform, same standard" adherences, every hardware configuration (Sometimes even with identical matching part number comparisons) is somewhat or in some cases, completely, different.

Every system is unique in some way and that one way it is different might change a lot of aspects of that system when it comes to some things. That's the best way I can put it.

That's exactly why we tell people to STFU when they come around crying that "I have similar (Or same) hardware to my friend but he gets 20FPS better than me in everything". So what, it's not the same system. Yes it is. No, it is not.

Hopefully it gets you where you need to be in terms of performance but I believe it will also result in seeing higher average temperatures across the board and perhaps even when idle, so be sure to closely monitor your thermals using HWinfo for a while to see if there are changes there.

Tonight seems to have ran fine as well. I'm hesitantly saying that it's fixed now.

My temperatures generally seem alright, but I'll be sure to keep an eye on them.

Thank you for all the incredibly detailed support, I know the solution wasn't what any of us thought it might be, but your help with narrowing it down was essential to finding the problem.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I don't care about that part. I'm just glad if somehow we managed to find together, and fix the problem. Doesn't really matter who or how. Long as the problem goes away for you. Glad to have helped at all.