Games with 200+ FPS feel like 30fps. Temps are fine.

[heslipsean]

So this started about a month ago. I've had this PC as it is for about 6 months now and I always seem to run into problems with it. This time, I'm unable to play games that run at a high FPS without capping the frames to 140-160. I have an 144hz monitor. I should also mention that AMD Freesync is enabled and is compatible with my RX 480.

This inst too big of a deal because this frame-rate feels perfectly smooth anyway, but this never used to happen and doesn't happen to any of my friends.

I'll go into more detail. The specific games I'm talking about are Rocket League, Left 4 Dead 2 and Halo 1. All of these games run at above 200 FPS a lot of the time, and they all encounter the same issue. Whenever the FPS is high, the games will slow down and deteriorate, resembling something like 30-60 FPS. However, the FPS counter will still display 200 + FPS. This is the same for all of these games. I have tested this multiple times and on every occasion the actual FPS counter does not drop, although the game feels like 60 FPS.

Capping my FPS to around my refresh rate, or enabling VSYNC, fixes this issue. Games with lower FPS such as the Black Ops 4 Beta, Fortnite and Rainbow Six: Siege run perfectly and feel a lot smoother than the previously mentioned games.

I know the initial thought would be that this is temperature related, maybe my CPU or GPU are throttling under heat. Well I thought that too and I've been observing my temperatures, I'm pretty sure they're fine, I'm fairly certain at this point that temps are not the cause of this issue
CPU 20-30 idle / 40-60 under load
GPU 40-55 idle / 65-85 under load

I should probably mention that I've been having other issues with my computer recently along side this. Mainly, my PC shuts itself down in games sometimes. Once again I checked temps and they don't seem to be causing the issue, but I could be wrong. This could be related to the frame-rate issue. I'm not sure.

Finally, I'll list all of my specs

i5 6600k OC'ed to 4.2 (seems stable) with a Hyper 212 Evo
Sapphire RX 480 8GB
Gigabyte z170x gaming 3 mobo
16GB DDR4 3000mhz Corsair RAM
Corsair CX750 PSU
500GB SSD where the games are installed

Any help would be appreciated, I'm pretty stumped.

Thanks, Sean.

 

[Frag Maniac]

CPU temp is fine. GPU not ideal, especially at the over 80c part of the spectrum, but not uncommon for an RX series GPU.

Have you checked for any malware or system file corruption via tools like Malwarebytes, and DISM.exe/sfc /scannow?


https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/


Run DISM.exe before sfc /scannow like it says.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026529/windows-10-using-system-file-checker

Other than that, make sure your SSD is set to use TRIM if it did not come preconfigured that way.

The only other thing I can suggest for now is check that your PSU voltage is good and not fluctuating wildly. Also check your GPU fans and heatsink for excessive dust, which could cause it to thermally throttle.

I can kinda rule out possible conflicts with W10's fall creators update, as long as you've let W10 update as it normally does vs disabling the update service like some do and add them piecemeal as they choose. AND as long as you're right on your timeline assessment of this starting about 6 months ago, vs last fall. The fall creators update caused various problems for lots of people and programs.

Lastly, you didn't mention what GPU driver you're using, or if you tried updating it if it's not the latest. The RX 480 has been out a little over 2 years now, and AMD does not maintain as long a driver support for older model GPUs as Nvidia does in my experience using both brands.

That said, it could be more that certain older games (or ones using older engines) perform better on older drivers.

 

[heslipsean]

CPU temp is fine. GPU not ideal, especially at the over 80c part of the spectrum, but not uncommon for an RX series GPU.

Have you checked for any malware or system file corruption via tools like Malwarebytes, and DISM.exe/sfc /scannow?


https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/


Run DISM.exe before sfc /scannow like it says.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026529/windows-10-using-system-file-checker

Other than that, make sure your SSD is set to use TRIM if it did not come preconfigured that way.

The only other thing I can suggest for now is check that your PSU voltage is good and not fluctuating wildly. Also check your GPU fans and heatsink for excessive dust, which could cause it to thermally throttle.

I can kinda rule out possible conflicts with W10's fall creators update, as long as you've let W10 update as it normally does vs disabling the update service like some do and add them piecemeal as they choose. AND as long as you're right on your timeline assessment of this starting about 6 months ago, vs last fall. The fall creators update caused various problems for lots of people and programs.

Lastly, you didn't mention what GPU driver you're using, or if you tried updating it if it's not the latest. The RX 480 has been out a little over 2 years now, and AMD does not maintain as long a driver support for older model GPUs as Nvidia does in my experience using both brands.

That said, it could be more that certain older games (or ones using older engines) perform better on older drivers.

Hi, thanks for the reply. As far as malware and file corruption, I just freshly reinstalled windows, I used crap cleaner a couple of times. I have ESET anti-virus installed, I think that this is unlikely the cause of the issue. I'll keep it in mind though.

With the GPU temperature, It rises over 80 degrees quite often in graphically intense games. A computer specialist that I spoke to about this issue told me that this is considered normal for my card and that it can't cause any harm. He could be wrong though, don't really know what I can do about it though. I clear dust from the fan regularly and I have used the AMD software to try and keep the temps down.

My Windows and Radeon are both up to date. I haven't tried reverting to an old version of Radeon but I might look into it, just to see if it works.

You mentioned about the PSU? How do I check if the voltage is satisfactory? I've been suspicious of the PSU because it could be responsible for the shutting down that I've been experiencing.

 

[Frag Maniac]

I've been suspicious of the PSU because it could be responsible for the shutting down that I've been experiencing.

Yeah that PSU was rated pretty low at jonnyGURU and Hard[OCP]. It's kind of a risky one to use. I've seen horror stories of it taking out graphics cards, having ripple, and suppression and coil whine problems, and shutting down.

You can check voltages in the MB BIOS or a free 3rd party tool like HW Monitor. You want the +12v to be from .5 to 1 volt higher than 12v and staying at a steady voltage with very little fluctuation. If it drops to below 11.5 v and stays there it's not a great sign.

If you've used that PSU for a couple years or more I recommend cleaning out the dust good with something like a compressor if you can get access to one. It's also way more power than you need. Lots of people buy 750w or more, when they'd be better off getting a good quality 550w.

I do understand if it was on a cheap sale though. That kind of thing sucks a lot of people in.

 

[bmockeg]

I guess my question is if VSYNC fixes it, why are you not simply using VSYNC and moving on?

 

[bmockeg]

If You have been having random shutdowns it could easily be your overclock on your CPU. If you havent used prime 95 26.6 small FFT and,realbench to ensure stability.

 

[heslipsean]

I guess my question is if VSYNC fixes it, why are you not simply using VSYNC and moving on?

I don't want to use Vsync. It causes input lag and can cause stuttering. I'm pretty competitive in some games so I care about things like that.

 

[heslipsean]

I've been suspicious of the PSU because it could be responsible for the shutting down that I've been experiencing.

Yeah that PSU was rated pretty low at jonnyGURU and Hard[OCP]. It's kind of a risky one to use. I've seen horror stories of it taking out graphics cards, having ripple, and suppression and coil whine problems, and shutting down.

You can check voltages in the MB BIOS or a free 3rd party tool like HW Monitor. You want the +12v to be from .5 to 1 volt higher than 12v and staying at a steady voltage with very little fluctuation. If it drops to below 11.5 v and stays there it's not a great sign.

If you've used that PSU for a couple years or more I recommend cleaning out the dust good with something like a compressor if you can get access to one. It's also way more power than you need. Lots of people buy 750w or more, when they'd be better off getting a good quality 550w.

I do understand if it was on a cheap sale though. That kind of thing sucks a lot of people in.

Yeah I bought this PSU a long time ago for a decent price. I don't really know anything about PSUs so I just saw the 750w and clicked buy. I'll be somewhat relieved if the PSU is causing this issue because its the cheapest part to replace.

I'll look into it. Thanks for the help so far.

 

[bmockeg]

You realize your monitors max FPS display is its refresh rate? If your refresh is 144hz thats your max FPS. Even if your GPU is pushing over 200, your monitor giving you 144. Some monitors habe an issue when there is a higher frame input.

 

[Frag Maniac]

Yeah I bought this PSU a long time ago for a decent price. I don't really know anything about PSUs so I just saw the 750w and clicked buy. I'll be somewhat relieved if the PSU is causing this issue because its the cheapest part to replace.

I'll look into it. Thanks for the help so far.

Just make sure you check reviews on the PSU you buy first. The reason I mentioned jonnyGURU is they are about the most stringent at testing them. My XFX Black Edition PSU was rated a perfect 10/10 at jonnyGURU, and in 6 years of hard gaming use it has not let me down once.

 

[heslipsean]

You realize your monitors max FPS display is its refresh rate? If your refresh is 144hz thats your max FPS. Even if your GPU is pushing over 200, your monitor giving you 144. Some monitors habe an issue when there is a higher frame input.

Like I said, Capping FPS causes slower response time, and I'm pretty sure I can tell the difference between 250 and 144 frames per second on my monitor. This has never previously been an issue in the long time that I've had this PC, it's nothing to do with my monitor. I shouldn't have to cap my FPS, it's not a huge deal like I said in my initial post. However it is a bit frustrating and if there's a way to fix it then I will.

 

[bmockeg]

Your monitor, if 144hz, can ONLY DISPLAY A MAXIMUM OF 144FPS. Yes, your GPU may be sending it more but it will display only 144, which is the whole reason behind VSYNC. If you think you can see more than 144 FPS on a 144hz monitor, good luck.

 

[heslipsean]

Your monitor, if 144hz, can ONLY DISPLAY A MAXIMUM OF 144FPS. Yes, your GPU may be sending it more but it will display only 144, which is the whole reason behind VSYNC. If you think you can see more than 144 FPS on a 144hz monitor, good luck.

Can you READ? Vsync causes INPUT LAG and a slower RESPONSE TIME. If you're not here to help then GO AWAY.

 

[Frag Maniac]

Yeah more and more games have really crappy Vsync anymore too. If you were on an Nvidia GPU I would advise to try forcing it on in Nvidia Inspector with it disabled in game, and apply triple buffering in NI. A lot of times it's proper triple buffering implementation that allows a decent Vsync to work well with no tradeoffs. However even borderless windowed mode can help some games run smoother with less latency.

It's been a while since I tried RadeonPro on my previous 7970 GPU, but I know AMD have added some Vsync features in their drivers for a while now. Have you tried any of those options plus triple buffering to see if you get better results than the in game Vsync?

Anymore you have to be half professor and experiment a lot with today's PC games.

 

[bmockeg]

I can read. I can also comprehend that your monitor cannot display more frames than its refresh rate, pretty simple concept, yet you claim you can "see" over 144fps with your eyes, lol. Even more simplistic is you are experiencing screen tearing and your options are, use vsync, deal with it, or get a different monitor, all simplistic to understand.

 

[heslipsean]

Yeah more and more games have really crappy Vsync anymore too. If you were on an Nvidia GPU I would advise to try forcing it on in Nvidia Inspector with it disabled in game, and apply triple buffering in NI. A lot of times it's proper triple buffering implementation that allows a decent Vsync to work well with no tradeoffs. However even borderless windowed mode can help some games run smoother with less latency.

It's been a while since I tried RadeonPro on my previous 7970 GPU, but I know AMD have added some Vsync features in their drivers for a while now. Have you tried any of those options plus triple buffering to see if you get better results than the in game Vsync?

Anymore you have to be half professor and experiment a lot with today's PC games.

I forgot to mention that I do get pretty bad coil whine, its really high pitch and annoying. Sometimes I can hear it from the other side of the room so I just turn off the PC. Is this another sign that something is up with the PSU?

I tried using triple buffering and enhanced Vsync in Radeon settings but they didn't seem to fix the issue in any combination.

 

[Frag Maniac]

I forgot to mention that I do get pretty bad coil whine, its really high pitch and annoying. Sometimes I can hear it from the other side of the room so I just turn off the PC. Is this another sign that something is up with the PSU?

I tried using triple buffering and enhanced Vsync in Radeon settings but they didn't seem to fix the issue in any combination.

Yeah, like I said some have had coil whine issues with that PSU. Not surprised Vsync in Radeon Settings didn't help. Nvidia Inspector has more comprehensive options, and just having the Force On option for vsync makes it work externally in games that resist external settings software.

Not trying to convert you to the green side, just saying I feel Nvidia has a bit better software support. Amazingly though, ReLive has already surpassed ShadowPlay in features, despite only being around 2 years, vs 5 for ShadowPlay.

I have just one last thing to offer as far as a troubleshoot on this. What mode do you have your monitor in? Most monitors anymore, especially ones made for gaming, have a 1:1 pixel mapping and low processing mode, like Game mode, that should be better for input lag.

 

[heslipsean]

I forgot to mention that I do get pretty bad coil whine, its really high pitch and annoying. Sometimes I can hear it from the other side of the room so I just turn off the PC. Is this another sign that something is up with the PSU?

I tried using triple buffering and enhanced Vsync in Radeon settings but they didn't seem to fix the issue in any combination.

Yeah, like I said some have had coil whine issues with that PSU. Not surprised Vsync in Radeon Settings didn't help. Nvidia Inspector has more comprehensive options, and just having the Force On option for vsync makes it work externally in games that resist external settings software.

Not trying to convert you to the green side, just saying I feel Nvidia has a bit better software support. Amazingly though, ReLive has already surpassed ShadowPlay in features, despite only being around 2 years, vs 5 for ShadowPlay.

I have just one last thing to offer as far as a troubleshoot on this. What mode do you have your monitor in? Most monitors anymore, especially ones made for gaming, have a 1:1 pixel mapping and low processing mode, like Game mode, that should be better for input lag.

Yeah, I have a game mode and its turned on.

Just a quick update. The shutting down problem has come back big time. My computer literally wouldn't let me play any games today, even though its been fine for the last two days. Every time I played a game today it resulted in the computer shutting down at some point. I'm just about ready to give up with this computer to be honest. I can't see what the problem is and I don't have the money to replace every part until I fix it.

 

[Frag Maniac]

I can't see what the problem is and I don't have the money to replace every part until I fix it.

You could contact Corsair if your CX750 is still under warranty and see if they can RMA it and check it out for you. That model carries a 5 yr warranty. Of course that would involve down time though.

Or you could try a new PSU, but that would cost you of course. Amazon has a 30 day satisfaction guaranteed return policy, as long as it's sold and shipped by them, not a sub vendor. If it doesn't stop the problem, return it.

BTW, have you tried disabling your OC to see if that is causing the problem? Usually when a PC shuts down due to OC instability you get some kind of error message though.

 

[bmockeg]

Frag has given the best advice. Random restarts are typically a heat or power problem. If You are hearing a coil whine, most likely its you PSU. Best thing would be to write down your overclocking settings and revert to normal speeds and see if the problem continues. Most likely it's your PSU though.

 

[heslipsean]

I can't see what the problem is and I don't have the money to replace every part until I fix it.

You could contact Corsair if your CX750 is still under warranty and see if they can RMA it and check it out for you. That model carries a 5 yr warranty. Of course that would involve down time though.

Or you could try a new PSU, but that would cost you of course. Amazon has a 30 day satisfaction guaranteed return policy, as long as it's sold and shipped by them, not a sub vendor. If it doesn't stop the problem, return it.

BTW, have you tried disabling your OC to see if that is causing the problem? Usually when a PC shuts down due to OC instability you get some kind of error message though.

That's a good idea. I think that will be my first course of action. I'll buy a new one and then if it doesn't work I'll send it back

I have tried resetting the OC settings before, and the computer did still shut down. I only tested this for a short amount of time though. I have had the OC set up for a really long time and this issue only came up recently. So I don't think the OC is related to the issue. I could be wrong though. I don't really know enough about that stuff. And no I never get any kind of error message, or any information at all. Not even in event viewer. The only thing that logs in event viewer after a shut down is that the power was cut unexpectedly.

Could you recommend a PSU for me to try? Preferably modular, and not too expensive. Thanks.

 

[bmockeg]

The recommended PSUs are Seasonic focus gold, EVGA supernova g2,g3 or Corsair TX or rmx series

 

[bmockeg]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $69.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-21 12:18 EDT-0400

Cheapest full modular that I would recommend.

 

[Frag Maniac]

That's a good idea. I think that will be my first course of action. I'll buy a new one and then if it doesn't work I'll send it back

I have tried resetting the OC settings before, and the computer did still shut down. I only tested this for a short amount of time though. I have had the OC set up for a really long time and this issue only came up recently. So I don't think the OC is related to the issue. I could be wrong though. I don't really know enough about that stuff. And no I never get any kind of error message, or any information at all. Not even in event viewer. The only thing that logs in event viewer after a shut down is that the power was cut unexpectedly.

Could you recommend a PSU for me to try? Preferably modular, and not too expensive. Thanks.

I would seriously contact Corsair first. They have very good customer service and will often offer to send you a replacement before you send the questionable one back. I would also ask if they might be willing to send you a different model applying what you paid for the CX750 toward purchase of it. On my Corsair H50 they offered to send me 2 free fans just because I told them the temps were not as good as I expected in push/pull config.

If you can't come to an affordable, reliable solution with them, then shop for a new one. This is one of the better deals I've seen lately on a PSU that would handle anything up to a GTX 1080/RX 580. It's 550 watts, gold rated, and only $50 on MIR.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139210

I would mention this TX550M unit to Corsair and ask them if they can do it for less than $50 in a new, full warranty unit, with return of your CX750. Don't let your emotions make your decisions for you. You still have some pretty good parts there, it would be a shame to toss that rig.

As for OCs, they can be tricky and misleading. I've had cases where I used OCCT, Prime95, and the most demanding games I owned to thoroughly test stability, only for new games coming out like Far Cry 3, to cause tons of artifacts. A 4.2GHz OC on a 3.5GHz CPU is kinda getting beyond a moderate uptick in speed with a cheap cooler like the Hyper 212, which are better for a moderate (4GHz) OC. A 700MHz bump on a 3.5GHz CPU, which is a 20% speed increase, should probably have a slight bump in CPU voltage as well. A simpler, often times more stable OC, does not require a voltage bump.

Usually there are visual indicators, like artifacts in games, or obvious out of the norm messages onscreen when a game crashes, but not always. Whenever you get problems like incessant shutdowns out of the blue, it's always a good idea if you're running an OC, to try reverting to default settings. Try factory defaults first, which doesn't use XMP, then XMP for full rated RAM speed.

As bmock said, it's pretty easy to just jot down the settings of your OC and go back to them if that wasn't the problem. If it IS though, it will tell you a lot, like that your PSU, despite the whine, might at least be safe to use until you RMA it for a replacement. Whenever you keep getting shutdowns and loud coil whine though, it could be the PSU going out, and bad PSUs can damage other parts, especially those which draw lots of power, like the GPU.

 

[heslipsean]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Power Supply: EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply ($69.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $69.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-09-21 12:18 EDT-0400

Cheapest full modular that I would recommend.

Okay, thank you.