• Happy holidays, folks! Thanks to each and every one of you for being part of the Tom's Hardware community!

[SOLVED] FPS drop when looking into the distance ?

May 27, 2021
5
0
10
Hello there!

So I have this problem that my fps drop to 40fps (oddly enough, the fps drop sometimes always stable in 46 or 47fps) even to around 30fps from stable 75fps (because I use V-Sync, also turn On and Off V-Sync still not fix it).
The problem is not occur on 1 games but a few, like GTAIV, GTAV, and even GTA:SA, the problem is the same. Even on newer games like The Crew 2, Watch Dogs 2, and Watch Dogs: Legion.
In-game settings is on Highest (custom settings on Watch Dogs 2 and Legion) the problem happen when looking into distance especially City, but when I'm in the City area it's fine.
Here's the fps drop from GTAV:
(1)
View: https://youtu.be/_5hTt5lm0sk

Also there's some weird fps drop on Watch Dogs: Legion, you can see what it's like from my video below:
(1)
View: https://youtu.be/xInAV-oSCVk

(2)
View: https://youtu.be/uhdwgdRjaYw


At first I thought it's just rendering or load problem because majority of my games stored on HDD, but it's still the same when I move my games to SSD.

My PC:
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (@ Base clock)
Sapphire RX580 4GB Pulse
MSI B450M Gaming Plus
16GB RAM (Dual channel)
Digital Alliance 550W PSU (80+ bronze)
AOC Monitor @75hz

And oh, I experience this problem right after I upgraded my GPU from Asus RX 460 to RX 580 (not yet played The Crew 2 and WD:L when using this GPU).
When using RX460, there's still frame-drop but only like 2 or 5 fps which is normal and can be tolerated, I can live with that, but after upgrading to RX580, this problem occur.

When I was using RX460, my PSU was GameMax 450W 80+ bronze (Not the best one but do the job for almost 2 years),
When I upgraded to RX580, I also upgraded to new PSU which is a Digital Alliance one as shown in specs list (I know this PSU probably not the best nor a good one).

Anyone knows what's wrong?
 
Solution
Ex-mining GPUs can be decent, depends on what actual model it originally was, and how good the miner is in question. If it were, say, an AIB 580 on the hands of a knowledgeable miner who takes care of his GPUs and made sure proper BIOS is flashed prior to shipping, plus that everything is stable, it's good.

On the other hand, a Yeston/whatever Chinese brand RX 580 on the hands of a miner who puts all his cards to the absolute thermal limit in a hot room, and with improper BIOS flash? We can expect erratic behavior, if not outright refusing to work with normal AMD drivers.

That said, I know a Yeston RX 580 that has been used to mine to work perfectly fine. Of course, the seller was a careful one and he did not modify the BIOS in...
Unrelated: Seems like you live around here, OP. I see GameMax and DA PSUs everywhere here. If so, hope you got good price on that 580. Thing sells for new MSRP and more around here.

I assume you're noticing worse performance on the 580 compared to 460?

On another note, take a notice of temps, clockspeed, and power for the GPU in-game. Use RTSS overlay and cross-check whether the clockspeed and power is in range for an RX 580. If it's too low, we can say it's throttling somehow; temps, power, or something else.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NathanSan
Unrelated: Seems like you live around here, OP. I see GameMax and DA PSUs everywhere here. If so, hope you got good price on that 580. Thing sells for new MSRP and more around here.

I assume you're noticing worse performance on the 580 compared to 460?

On another note, take a notice of temps, clockspeed, and power for the GPU in-game. Use RTSS overlay and cross-check whether the clockspeed and power is in range for an RX 580. If it's too low, we can say it's throttling somehow; temps, power, or something else.

Worse performance overall, No, but the frame drop is really bothering me, I believe that's not happen when I'm using 460, I realize the problem after upgrade to 580 because the frame drop is huge and noticeable.
I got the 580 last September actually, I got distracted because I'm playing RDR2 too much lol, and yeah meanwhile in RDR2 everything is fine! including the temps, power, etc because I always use MSI Afterburner to monitoring . At first my580 is taking too much heat, temps are about 76' and the fan really loud when playing RDR2 (that game is really heavy) but I already change the thermal paste and the temp back to normal around 60 - 65'. Oh I'm Undervolting it by the way, is it the problem?

And for the CPU usage, GPU usage, both CPU and GPU temp is normal while CPU is around 50' and 60' max (I'm using stock cooler) and GPU around 60' and 65' max while gaming.
At least it feels normal to me, because even in GTA:SA the problem is occuring too.

And when I'm replacing the GPU, I'm not clean install my Windows and previous AMD Driver, because when I turn on my PC it works fine and turns out the AMD Driver is the same! and later that I'm updating the Driver properly for RX580

*note:
the problem still happen even though I'm lowering the in-game settings
 
Worse performance overall, No, but the frame drop is really bothering me, I believe that's not happen when I'm using 460, I realize the problem after upgrade to 580 because the frame drop is huge and noticeable.
I got the 580 last September actually, I got distracted because I'm playing RDR2 too much lol, and yeah meanwhile in RDR2 everything is fine! including the temps, power, etc because I always use MSI Afterburner to monitoring . At first my580 is taking too much heat, temps are about 76' and the fan really loud when playing RDR2 (that game is really heavy) but I already change the thermal paste and the temp back to normal around 60 - 65'. Oh I'm Undervolting it by the way, is it the problem?

And for the CPU usage, GPU usage, both CPU and GPU temp is normal while CPU is around 50' and 60' max (I'm using stock cooler) and GPU around 60' and 65' max while gaming.
At least it feels normal to me, because even in GTA:SA the problem is occuring too.

And when I'm replacing the GPU, I'm not clean install my Windows and previous AMD Driver, because when I turn on my PC it works fine and turns out the AMD Driver is the same! and later that I'm updating the Driver properly for RX580

*note:
the problem still happen even though I'm lowering the in-game settings

Undervolting could be the problem, see if it helps by using stock settings instead. WD2 isn't as well optimized as RDR2, so that could add a factor to the issue as well. The game engine isn't playing nice with GPU settings.

Or, that the voltage isn't really stable. You're not hitting stable clocks, but monitoring software don't usually picks up on that.

76 degrees is fine for a 580. I had one and it runs at 82-83 degrees maxed out. The limit is 85 degrees, and the GPU will manage itself to stay under that temperature.

I don't see why you should DDU it, it's to be used when you're changing from Nvidia to AMD or vice versa. Or otherwise when the issue is positively related to drivers. Moving from a 460 to 580 shouldn't necessitate a DDU.
 
Undervolting could be the problem, see if it helps by using stock settings instead. WD2 isn't as well optimized as RDR2, so that could add a factor to the issue as well. The game engine isn't playing nice with GPU settings.

Or, that the voltage isn't really stable. You're not hitting stable clocks, but monitoring software don't usually picks up on that.

76 degrees is fine for a 580. I had one and it runs at 82-83 degrees maxed out. The limit is 85 degrees, and the GPU will manage itself to stay under that temperature.

I don't see why you should DDU it, it's to be used when you're changing from Nvidia to AMD or vice versa. Or otherwise when the issue is positively related to drivers. Moving from a 460 to 580 shouldn't necessitate a DDU.
Well, I guess WD Legion isn't optimized as well because so many drop fps when driving or moving camera a little bit faster, the worse drop is in the video above.

Maybe I will try to use stock settings, I'm undervolting it because somehow the fan is really loud while I'm playing RDR2 and undervolting it solve it, solved the loud fan noise.
And since undervolting make GPU power more efficient, I stick to undervolting. My question is, is it normal that the fan really loud at stock settings while playing games that considered heavy? and CMIIW is MSI Afterburner not working really well with AMD Driver? because sometimes the undervolting settings get reset when I'm using MSI Afterburner, maybe because MSI Afterburner have build-in clock settings too?

So because I'm upgrading AMD-to-AMD it's actually fine?
 
Well, I guess WD Legion isn't optimized as well because so many drop fps when driving or moving camera a little bit faster, the worse drop is in the video above.

Maybe I will try to use stock settings, I'm undervolting it because somehow the fan is really loud while I'm playing RDR2 and undervolting it solve it, solved the loud fan noise.
And since undervolting make GPU power more efficient, I stick to undervolting. My question is, is it normal that the fan really loud at stock settings while playing games that considered heavy? and CMIIW is MSI Afterburner not working really well with AMD Driver? because sometimes the undervolting settings get reset when I'm using MSI Afterburner, maybe because MSI Afterburner have build-in clock settings too?

So because I'm upgrading AMD-to-AMD it's actually fine?

None of all 3 WD games are well optimized to be fair.

Yeah it seems that sometimes settings done in AMD's driver doesn't stick somehow and get reset. I just check my fan curve and whatnot every now and then.

Why not using custom fan curve? Find a balance between noise and thermals that way.

Undervolting is similar to overclocking, we're finding a point in the VF (F being frequency, or clockspeed) curve where at a given voltage, we can get X clockspeed. Undervolt is just going the other way of OC, but same principle. As you might know, OC can be unstable easily. Just the matter of how stable it is. Quirks and weird issues can crop up from an OC (or UV) that isn't 100% stable.

Which model of 580 you have? Some models are noisier than others.
 
None of all 3 WD games are well optimized to be fair.

Yeah it seems that sometimes settings done in AMD's driver doesn't stick somehow and get reset. I just check my fan curve and whatnot every now and then.

Why not using custom fan curve? Find a balance between noise and thermals that way.

Undervolting is similar to overclocking, we're finding a point in the VF (F being frequency, or clockspeed) curve where at a given voltage, we can get X clockspeed. Undervolt is just going the other way of OC, but same principle. As you might know, OC can be unstable easily. Just the matter of how stable it is. Quirks and weird issues can crop up from an OC (or UV) that isn't 100% stable.

Which model of 580 you have? Some models are noisier than others.
Ah, maybe I'll try playing around at my fan curve settings.

So is undervolt, can be easily unstable too?

I'm using RX580 4GB from Sapphire Pulse.

And well, I'm just testing with stock settings, no undervolting this time, playing GTA:SA for a quick look and yet the problem still happen lol. Still no idea why is this happen even to GTA:SA.
 
Ah, maybe I'll try playing around at my fan curve settings.

So is undervolt, can be easily unstable too?

I'm using RX580 4GB from Sapphire Pulse.

And well, I'm just testing with stock settings, no undervolting this time, playing GTA:SA for a quick look and yet the problem still happen lol. Still no idea why is this happen even to GTA:SA.

I'm as stumped as you are then. DDU it maybe? Logically it wouldn't matter, since you're upgrading within the same architecture (GCN 4). It's a free troubleshooting approach, is all.

Yeah, undervolting can be unstable, just like an overclock. My old 580 can't do undervolting much without crashing.

A 4GB model? Has it been used to mine before? I know some miners opt for 4GB models since they're bit cheaper than the full fat 8GB ones. Also, that particular model is bit noisy. Sapphire Nitro ones are quieter.
 
I'm as stumped as you are then. DDU it maybe? Logically it wouldn't matter, since you're upgrading within the same architecture (GCN 4). It's a free troubleshooting approach, is all.

Yeah, undervolting can be unstable, just like an overclock. My old 580 can't do undervolting much without crashing.

A 4GB model? Has it been used to mine before? I know some miners opt for 4GB models since they're bit cheaper than the full fat 8GB ones. Also, that particular model is bit noisy. Sapphire Nitro ones are quieter.
I'll try to use DDU later to see is that would fix the problem or not, and might as well reinstall my Windows to get a clear start haha.

I'm not sure is it used for mining before but probably yeah, since the card is second hand, obviously, and the thermal paste already dry that's why I re-applying it.
Is ex-mining GPU decrease the performance? Because if we're talking about the performance, well I'd say it's very good, the only problem is that, weird fps drop when looking at far distance on some games listed above. And physically the GPU is looking brand new-no dust and the temps quite normal but I replace the thermal paste eventually.
 
Ex-mining GPUs can be decent, depends on what actual model it originally was, and how good the miner is in question. If it were, say, an AIB 580 on the hands of a knowledgeable miner who takes care of his GPUs and made sure proper BIOS is flashed prior to shipping, plus that everything is stable, it's good.

On the other hand, a Yeston/whatever Chinese brand RX 580 on the hands of a miner who puts all his cards to the absolute thermal limit in a hot room, and with improper BIOS flash? We can expect erratic behavior, if not outright refusing to work with normal AMD drivers.

That said, I know a Yeston RX 580 that has been used to mine to work perfectly fine. Of course, the seller was a careful one and he did not modify the BIOS in anyway. It works just as well as stock RX 580.
 
Solution